Biting is a concern I often hear expressed by new moms, moms-to-be or women who don’t have children. Especially when you talk about breastfeeding past six months. “Doesn’t she bite you?” “I don’t plan on breastfeeding once he gets teeth.” Many babies never bite and if your baby does it is usually pretty simple to fix. Furthermore, when a baby is biting he is not nursing.
When a baby breastfeeds, mom’s nipple is far back in baby’s mouth. Put your finger in your mouth up to the second knuckle and give it a suck. Feel it against your soft palate? That’s where the nipple is in your baby’s mouth when he’s breastfeeding. (Notice it’s called “breastfeeding” and not nipple feeding.) Now put the tip of your finger in your mouth just past your finger nail. See how it sits behind your teeth? That’s your baby’s mouth on your nipple. That’s where the nipple is when baby bites you. I don’t think many moms (if any) get bitten when baby is truly nursing.
I have been bitten a few times by both of my girls, and as much as it hurt, it didn’t put me off breastfeeding or lead me to consider weaning. Here’s why.
Why Babies Bite
There can be a few different reasons as to why a baby bites:
Teething makes baby gums sore so he may start nursing differently or begin to gum on the nipple to ease his discomfort.
Baby loses interest. Some babies chomp down when they are finished nursing or they bite because they want to play. Either way this is also a way to get your attention.
Baby is tense/upset. Babies are sensitive little beings. If mom is stressed or yelling, if the tv or radio or other people in the house are making loud frightening noises, if mom teases or cajoles baby or reacts to baby in a playful way when not appropriate, baby might bite in reaction.
How To Stop or Prevent Biting
Depending on what’s causing the biting you can try these tips:
1. Offer baby a teething device. A cold wash cloth, teething toy or hard frozen food (if eating solids), like a bagel, offered before breastfeeding will help make his gums feel better so he can nurse more comfortably.
2. Try not to react too strongly. Sometimes your yelp and negative reaction is all it takes for baby never to bite again, but sometimes, as in my case, it reinforced the behaviour because my kids thought it was funny.
3. Pull them into your breast or briefly plug their nose. This cuts off their oxygen for a second so they will instictively come off the breast for a breath of air.
4. If that doesn’t work you can… a) Stop the feeding, b) Place them on the floor with a firm “no biting!” Make sure you pick them up and give them some comfort once it’s obvious they got the message. c) Immediately after the bite, unlatch them and offer an acceptable teething object.
5. Pay attention. Some babies just want to get your attention so if you give it to them they might not bite you. Watching them closely will help mom notice when baby is becoming disinterested in feeding or when they are getting ready to bite. Nursing with your finger positioned close to their mouth to quickly break the suction if they turn their head can help teach the baby to stay latched on correctly if they want to nurse.
6. Relax. If you or the household is tense, go into a quiet room, play some soothing music, make loving eye contact with your baby, talk to him, touch him and maybe even nurse lying down.
7. Keep up your milk supply. Nurse on demand and breastfeed exclusively for at least six months. Introducing solids or other liquids, including water and juice, are not recommended as breast milk is all your baby needs and the use of other “foods” can reduce your milk supply, thus increasing baby’s frustration and possibility of biting.
8. Remove baby from the breast when baby falls asleep. I got bit a few times when daughter #2 would fall asleep with just the tip of my nipple still in her mouth. Then she’d suddenly start rooting in her sleep and nip me. Ouch!
9. Offer positive reinforcement. When baby doesn’t bite catch them getting it right and lavish your baby with praise and thanks, and hugs and kisses can go a long way toward gently teaching baby the right way to nurse.
Anything Else?
Be patient with your baby. Babies don’t bite to be mean. They don’t understand that putting their teeth on your nipple causes you pain. They associate breastfeeding with nourishment, comfort and security. A harsh reaction may cause them to go on a nursing strike out and you don’t want that.
If all else fails, call a Lactation Consultant or your local La Leche League leader for help and support.
Has your baby bitten you while nursing? What worked for you?
Related posts:
- 5 Ideas For Getting Your Nursling To Stop Twiddling
- Breast Milk or Food? A Breastfeeding Toddler Dilemma
- The B’s of Breastfeeding
- High Tech Breastfeeding
- Monday Musings: Breast Friends
Tags: biting, milk supply, teething
My daughter has only bitten when she was teething or fell asleep at the breast. She doesn’t do it anymore while teething, though the falling asleep bites still occasionally happen. I didn’t really do much of anything except be aware of when she gets drowsy to unlatch her ahead of time.
TopHat’s last blog post..No ‘Poo update
My babies have both bitten me. Once or twice. Not hard enough to draw blood or leave a mark, even. For me removing them with a firm (but not angry or loud) no has been enough. They want to nurse and so they catch on pretty quick when you won’t allow them to.
I think that there’s much more fear about biting than is necessary for most people. There are a few babies who are chronic biters, but it’s pretty uncommon. I can say for sure that I would not be nursing my kids for years if they couldn’t keep their teeth to themselves.
Amber’s last blog post..Is the Baby Getting Enough?
I get sick of those people who say they are giving up nursing because their baby is getting teeth. I once overheard a new mum explaining how she tried *really* hard to breastfeed but her baby already had teeth so she couldn’t. YOU CAN NURSE A BABY WITH TEETH. Yes, my daughter bites occasionally when she is teething, but I do not feel it is painful enough for me to deny her the nourishment and immunological protection that she gets from my milk. Pulling the baby into the breast so it can’t breathe is a good tactic, but my yelp and accompanying angry face seems to be enough to show my daughter that biting is not acceptable.
Cave Mother’s last blog post..The Language of Co-Sleeping
Great post very helpful for me. I always wondered what to do. I hope I don’t have this problem when LO gets here but at least I will have an idea on what to do.
My three kids have all bitten me at one point or another. It seems to me mostly it is a wake up call to me. It says’ mom you are not listening to me…I am overtired or I want to be home or whatever. I have also had the teethy nursing where they are actually drinking and the teeth seem to be holding on somehow or just a little pressure. I know people say they can’t be nursing if they are biting, so I don’t know and it is usually when a new tooth is coming through!
@Cave Mother – Well said. This is yet another breastfeeding myth out there that some women choose to rely on to excuse the fact they didn’t breastfeed longer.
@Kristy M – I’m so glad you found this helpful or that it can be a resource for you further down the road. Yay!
@Dominique – I can totally relate to your comment. My second often did that when she was teething and a bit annoyed at me for something. I’d get these little nips, like “ow, my gums hurt and I’m mad at you so there!” Poor thing. Luckily for me teething is over!
on #8 — i just got bitten again last night! i try to remove her but usually fail to do so during the nursing sessions in the middle of night (since i’m also dozing off) and that’s when Naima usually bites!
Jenny’s last blog post..Our HIPP Contribution
My Little Sprout used to bite me when she was grumpy or if I just scolded her, after I wary about the situation… the incident hardly repeat again!
Alice Law’s last blog post..32 Weeks O&G Follow-Up
I am getting nervous about the biting… my son has both top teeth coming in. I am going to tough it out though! My LC already told me not to yell if/when he bites. Thanks for all the tips!
Kim R.’s last blog post..Dirty Diaper Laundry’s 100 Followers Bash Begins Tomorrow!
[...] at BreastfeedingMomsUnite.com wrote Biting The Breast That Feeds Her Biting is a concern I often hear expressed by new moms, moms-to-be or women who don’t have [...]
[...] 4. Stop breastfeeding. You could treat twiddling like biting. If your nursing twiddles your nipple, gently unlatch her and tell her, “No twiddling. Twiddling hurts/annoys Mommy.” If she can agree to nurse without twiddling you can try again. If she continues you might stop again and put her down so she begins to understand how much you really hate it. For more tips on breastfeeding a biter go here. [...]
[...] pretty annoyed when they aren’t being given enough attention too. Some babies will even start biting to get your attention. But even if they don’t, they aren’t going to feel like [...]