My newly minted 12 month old (birthday was 2 days ago) decided about 3 days ago that she'd bite me every so often. I nursed my now 3 year old DS til he was 2 years old, and never remember it being this bad. I know she's cutting 2 top teeth, but she's now nursing less than normal because of the biting. I feel very rejected, and don't know why she's doing this (other than the teething). She's still 98% breastfed. Any thoughts as to why she's doing this, or more importantly, how to stop this??
My LO did the same thing when her tops and bottoms were coming in. She wouldn't nurse because of the pain and began biting every so often. We used Tylenol which really helped. It lasted a week or two off and on then went back to normal. Hang in there. I bet it will stop when those teeth really come in.
Come back when she cries and nurse her again, though. You're trying to get her to make the association that biting = interruption of fun nursing time. It may take a while for this concept to sink in, so be patient.
my boy (now 4 and still nursing) had a biting phase from about 1 year to 1 3/4 year old, and it was directly related to teething. I could tell when new teeth came, through when he bit me. On occasion he bit so hard I bled.
What did I do? several things: if my husband was around, I would tell him NO, and quickly hand him to my husband and lock myself in the bathroom to nurse my pain (no pun intended...). It was often so painful it was not safe for me to hold him or be near him. When I recovered from the pain I would continue the nursing session. If I was alone, I would simply leave him on a safe place (a mat on the floor that I had ready for the purpose).
Later, when he was a bit older maybe 16 months or so, I told him (but not while nursing and while in pain) that it was not alright to bite mummy but that I wouuld go with him and we would together buy a new fancy rubber biting toy, he could bite into if the urge came. I then had that handy (on a band around my neck) while nursing. Immediately when I sensed he was about to bite I offered the biting toy (cant think of the English word for those right now). After a while he would grab it himself to bite into.
Eventually, with about 20 months or so, he stoppped biting.
He has very occasionally since tried to do it, and each time I told him that biting would mean I would cover my breast back into the bra and shirt.
I remember so well the effort it took me to go back to nursing him, I remember how it really affected me and caused me to fear nursing. But i am glad I persevered, despite the pain. Also, the times he bit very hard and I required medicated cream which had to remain on for at least 6 hours, I told him he could not nurse from that breast and showed him the injury. He became very solicitous, and would often apologise spontaneously and offer to soothe the "ouchie"
Initially I thought it would be the end of nursing as I just could not face another bite, but by communicating gently but also firmly that this actually hurt me and offering an alternative, our relationship grew deeper.
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HELP! 12 month old biting!
I feel very rejected, and don't know why she's doing this (other than the teething). She's still 98% breastfed. Any thoughts as to why she's doing this, or more importantly, how to stop this??
Come back when she cries and nurse her again, though. You're trying to get her to make the association that biting = interruption of fun nursing time. It may take a while for this concept to sink in, so be patient.
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