Earthlings Mums Community Forum.

What to do when babies bite and how to deal with teeth!

Hi Yayme - I had this experrience when DD was 9months. It was terrible! I had already been through mastitis and blocked ducts and very very painful experiences but this was the icing on the cake!
I initially did a very silly thing and yelled NO! - DD was shocked and scared - she immediatley stopped breastfeeding - it was terrible - everyone said - oh she must be ready to wean etc...
I searched and searched online and finally found the story of a lady who had done the same thing - she managed to get her baby to feed again - but the catch was this - when the baby bites - laugh and make a joke of it!
OOWWW!
I did it and it worked! She bit me - I grit my teeth and laughed - she never did it again????
Why I don't know.
But if it ever happens - my advice is please dont shock them as I did - was awful - thankfully we got through :) xx

Wow that is interesting. I may try that if it doesn't work she will get a Ouch!! coming from me.

I think too because they are so sensitive to our emotions... they pick up on that you dont want them to do it... but may not be realising that you are thinking about the bite, not BF...
and in saying that, after a shock, they prob dont want to go back near that nipple due to the shock, and yet when they bit it could have been like a muscular/new experience for them...

so hide the face LOL

LOL pretty difficult not to shreak when you have just been nipped. I think Jen did it once and I said ouch!! and she never did it again but it never stopped her from feeding.

DD2 is only 6 weeks old and has no teeth but has still chomped down quite a few times and bruised my nipples. I do say ouch at the time and am dreading when it happens with teeth. Was wondering what the suggested method to discourage this was? Will try laughing and not letting it bother me, but my poor bruised nipples make that very difficult.

I know an old South African lady. She told me to bite Samuel back! I was horrified!!! I know he must have done it cause I remember the lady telling me to bite him. It cant have been that bad cause I dont remember the actual biting at all now. Maybe my DD will remind me, she is teething now. Eeeek!

I'm a young South African lady who has been known to bite her kids back! Had a good giggle when I read that one. I was lucky, nothing was tearing my boys away from the breast, and so when they bit, and boy did they bite!, I flicked them on the cheek, the biting didn't last long.
Who would have thought that laughing about it would work??? My boys would have done it over and over just to see me laugh!

When DD got her first teeth (at age 4 months) she started trying out her teeth during breastfeeds. It was tricky because at that age they don't understand "no". The following things helped me:

Firstly I'd like to say its great to see that an older thread has been revived!

Totally agree with you Jules re the points you make, as well as seeing that a baby can have teeth early! I said to plunket the other week that he has teeth on their way (you can see them! he has a temperature when they are playing up AND lots of clear drool) and that he has been teething, but she didnt seem that interested LOL...

I 'screamed' so to speak the other day when he chomped, and even though you can tell, he was laying there (at the end of a feed) smiling at me with his gorgeous smile and big bright eyes...
then WHOMP! CHOMP! oucccchie and unexpected LOL .

he let go but then just stared at me as to say "what?" lol

Hi, great posts to read. My daighter hasn't got any teeth yet (6 months) but its good to read what people suggest to help with the biting issue. I have read some of the tips Jules mentioned especially the one if your baby bites, say Owww and take them off the breast for a few minutes. I think they will soon get the idea not to bite or I won't get any milik for a few minutes if that makes sense. Look forward to reading any other great ideas.

I did remember this thread I just couldnt be bothered looking for it. Now thats honesty for you, lol. What has happened to Milkmaid? She used to be on all the time. Where is she these days?