Tips for Discouraging Biting While Breastfeedingby Valorie Delp | More from this Blogger 07 Oct 2006 03:35 PM There's no doubt about it. . .if (or should I say when) your baby chomps down on you while you're nursing it HURTS! Of course your baby isn't trying to hurt you but his little gums hurt and the breast seems like just the perfect teething toy. Thankfully, there are effective techniques for discouraging biting. Even babies who teeth early can learn from your cues. For a biter try these suggestions: React It is appropriate to yelp, say "Ouch", very loudly and in other ways communicate that you don't like being bitten. Many moms seem to think that this is part of nursing and some moms even just grit their teeth and endure it. You definitely don't need to do that. Pry your baby from the breast and watch for a reaction. Sensitive babies will begin to cry. Continue nursing and repeat the same steps every time she bites. Likewise, you can make a big deal when your baby is nursing without biting. Saying things like "Nice nursies," or whatever will help reinforce the idea that nursing is not a time to test out chomping! End the Feeding You can also "unlatch" baby off the breast and end the feeding every time he bites. He will eventually get the idea that biting will not be allowed. Smother Him Instead of disengaging baby, you might want to try pushing his face into your breast. In theory, baby will instinctively open his mouth wider to get more air. I have to admit though, that this has never worked for me. It does work for some moms so if you have a chronic biter you may want to give it a try. The Protective Finger It is possible to read the cues in your baby and anticipate when he's going to bite. If your baby gives such cues, keep your finger ready to catch him clamping down before he does any real damage. Pull Off and Put Down For a very persistent biter, trying pulling him off every time he bites and putting him down for a minute. This is the equivalent of a baby-sized "time out". It's not that you're punishing him, but you are trying to associate something unpleasant with biting. If you're dealing with a persistent biter, keep in mind that it is not a bad thing to associate something negative with biting. This will, in the long run, preserve the breastfeeding relationship a lot longer. Related Articles: Learn more about Valorie Delp  Hello everybody! My name is Valorie and I am one busy lady! When I'm not writing or editing for families, I am busy trying to get my brood of 5 in line. Relevantbaby tags User Comments  Michele Cheplic |
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