Somebody please tell me there's a solution to this!

I gave out my own advice to this problem here a few months ago but my dd is biting me! Very hard, I'm afraid she's going to bite it off. I recommended the other mama pull the baby's head towards her breast to make her let go but my dd doesn't bite and hold, she bites really quickly and lets go quick. I never know when it's coming, she just snaps and then I scream (I've tried not to do that but ouch, can't help it). She's 5 1/2 mos old and I don't even think she knows she's doing it, she got teeth a couple wks ago (bottom ones) and they're like razor blades. She bit my hand one day and left an indentation that lasted almost an hour if that tells you how hard she does it in mere seconds.

It's gotten so painful that I picked up a can of powdered formula & a bottle the other day--she's playing with it right now (sort of drinking a sip now and then) because she just pulled the bite routine and I don't think I can handle it much longer. But she won't really drink from the bottle and she still has a tongue-thrust reflex thing so I haven't fed her any baby food. I bfed my 2 middle children for 13 mos & 23 mos. Neither of them had baby food until they were a year old, I wanted to do that with this baby (our last baby so I'm sort of sad about it all too). Another part of me is like "Well, I'll get my own boobs back sooner" LOL...

I guess I need to decide if I want to wean her now or not...but if anyone has any advice or can sympathize, I feel lost, dh is like "oh well" even though he's very pro bfeeding, he sees that this is not working right now. I won't pump, with 3 other children I just don't have the time & never had much luck with them anyway. The baby sleeps all night most nights, not sure if that makes a difference.

TIA mamas.

When my daughter was biting me at that age, I would put her down in a safe place and walk away for a few minutes to collect myself because it made me so mad when she would bite. It took about a week for her to get the idea not to bite when nursing.

I was going to say the same thing as the PP - we went through the same stage about 4 months ago. It lasted only a few weeks, but those few weeks seemed like an eternity! Her biting started when those bottom teeth were coming in, but once they were good and in there, she stopped biting. I don't know if she was biting because of the discomfort, or if she stopped because I kept putting her down but she did quit. She bit just like your dd does, quick and with no warning so I totally know where you are coming from and can sympathize.

Maybe instead of weaning, can you pump for her a little? I had to do that for a few days, I only nursed her during the times when I knew she wouldn't bite - ie. bedtime, first thing in the morning, etc. the rest of the day she got bottles of pumped milk.

i know when ds was doing this alot around the same age it really helped if i let him suck on a forzwn washcloth right before he nursed...so his gums wrent' so sore.


(((hugs))) mama it didn't last very lon for lu lu either but man was it hard while he was doing it

please don't go to formula over a biting issue with your baby :(

offer teething alternatives before bf. frozen spoons, washcloths, teething tablets, even numbing gels would be better than giving up on giving your baby what she deserves to get, mama.

fwiw, i too have had a biter, and EVERY time she bit me, there always ended up being something wrong with her, and it was her way of telling me about it. ie-she'd bite me all day mon and then weds or thurs she'd have a cold or an earache, etc.

there's also the most common reason for biting, and that's because it feels good on those sore little gums. have you tried hyland's teething tablets? how about the gel crap they sell otc?

i'd try everything before throwing in the towel.

she'd thank you if she could :heart:

Just wanted to say ditto to all the advice. Try some teething remedies and try putting her down every time she does it. It is a hassle, but worth the effort. Good luck!

THankfully I havent had anything major like this w/my son but another mama was having major major biting troubles.

When NOTHING was working she went to see a speach therapist (I think that's what it was) and the therapist was familar w/infants and breastfeeding. Anyway there were certain muscles in her babies mouth that werent developing right so she was using her poor mama's breast as a way to exercise those muscles.

The therapist told her to allow the baby to chew on her (mama's) fingers or some sort of biting tool (probably a teether would work?) before the baby nursed or ate any food.

eta: that she had to continue the exercises even after she stopped biting.

Anyway after a few sessions of the biting exercises her baby stopped biting. She was 12 months at the time and mama had been dealing with this for several months =x.

It sounds like your baby could just be teething still?

I dunno I just wanted to throw that out there.

I hope yall can figure something out.
good luck!!

:hug: Both of my babies did the same thing. I give a firm "No!" and place them on the floor. Then a few seconds later I pick them up again to nurse. They usually remember not to do it again for that nursing! It has gotten less and less. Ds started doing it quite often at 5 months and the biting has gotten lighter and it is't even once a week.He also always bites the nipple that I have had thrush on and off on since he was 2 mo's-OUCH! Now I just give a firm "No!" and I don't have to place him on the floor. It DOES get better! Don't give up! Throw that Formula away!!!! Best wishes mama! You can do it!:hug:

((((hugs))) Michelle! You've gotten some great advice. Hope it gets better!

Thanks mamas :)

Knock on wood but she hasn't bitten me since I posted in desperation last night. I'm trying to wait until she's really hungry to nurse and not every 30 minutes like she'd gotten into the habit of doing. I think it was more playing than anything :rolleyes:

She's got more teeth on the way in and she chews on everything in sight, we've got about 20 teething toys and she'll also chew her shirt, my shirt, fingers, toes, whatever's handy!

I'll look into the teething tablets, we've never gotten them before but I know where there's a HFS, I should wander through it today. The other kids didn't get teeth until they were 7-8 mos old so imagine my shock on her 5 month bday she had a tooth and the next day another one!

The "walk away" method sounds like great advice, I'll definitely try that.

(((HUGS)))
Mich