Anyone Stop Breastfeeding Because of Biting?

[Anonymous]

My son is 6 months old and I’m considering quitting breastfeeding. He has two teeth now and it’s very painful to breastfeed. I have sensitive nipples and he bites me almost every time I feed him. I’ve been supplementing with 1 bottle of formula at 5 months to get him used to formula. Then I upped to 2 formula bottles a day. He eats 5 times a day. I’m considering switching to formula and using up the frozen breastmilk ( 800 ounces) and stop breastfeeding. He seems fine with the formula and takes a baby without any issues. He is eating some solids. Did you stop when your baby got teeth?

[Anonymous]

Hi. I totally understand. I breastfeed my two girls for two and half years each and now I am breastfeeding 5 month old. She just started biting! It is very painful. You are the one who knows best for you and your family. If you decide to continue, you need to teach him not to bite. By telling him, By giving him a teething toy before and after or stopping nursing when he is biting. He will learn. This behavior is normal and expected. At the moment of biting and when she does not let my nipple go, I consider quitting This phase will pass too and even with full teeth they will learn to nurse gently. I hope this helps, good luck

[Anonymous]

I got bitten by DCs but continued to breastfeed them until they were 1 year old, people say it’s good for them. It hurt so much and bleed, I just try to bear with it and put some natural ointment on the area. I did flap their faces and pull their heads away when they bite and said “no”, so they bite less. If you decide to quit breastfeed just try to feed less and less and increase on solid and bottle feed, or pump to feed.

[Anonymous]

You may want to speak to a lactation consultant to ensure you have a perfect latch, because you shouldn’t feel teeth. A good latch the milk literally goes down their throat and not on their tongue first.

That said —
All of the “advice“ says that the breastfeeding relationship should stop when either the mother or the child no longer feel comfortable. You have permission to stop, and go to a bottle or formula whenever you want, without guilt or shame.

[Anonymous]

When they bite, remove them, firmly tell them no and put them down. They may cry but they will quickly learn that when they bite, the milk stops.

[Anonymous]

Watch him very closely, if he is latched correctly with nipple at roof of mouth and body close to you so head is in the right position, he won't be able to bite while latched on. He will move his head to bite do when you see it, you can remove him first. It takes watching him closely but then you will see the signs.

It is a stage and it hurts but it doesn't last long when you can see the signs and head off bites.

[Anonymous]

I just flicked my daughter when she was 6 or 7 months. She cried but never again bit me. God, that was so long ago.... but it is a story I tell her and her sister because it was funny in a weird kind of way, since it was a reflex (not like I planned or anything - it just happened).

[Anonymous]

My first child didn’t get a tooth until 9 months and that point I was considering stopping anyway. So he bit me and we started weaning. No trauma. He was great with the bottle.

My second got two teeth at 6 months. She would bite because I think her teething gums hurt. I would take my thumb and forefinger with hand under her chin and push in her cheeks. It was a gentle way of making her let go. She stopped the biting after about a week.

[Anonymous]

When he bites, the feeding is over. Just put him down, pull up your bra and go on about the day. He’ll learn quickly that biting leads to no food.

If you’re ready to wean though, wean. Formula is perfectly fine and he’ll be ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When he bites, the feeding is over. Just put him down, pull up your bra and go on about the day. He’ll learn quickly that biting leads to no food.

If you’re ready to wean though, wean. Formula is perfectly fine and he’ll be ok.

+1 My kids all got teeth early and biting was the way I knew it was time to wean. One made it 8 months, one made it 9 and one made it to 6. The 6 monther of course was a boy! There is no reason to dread nursing.

[Anonymous]

I did, but they were over 2 yrs old at that point. I wouldn't stop at 6 months for biting unless it was persistent and really a problem. It will likely be short lived. But if you are feeling ready stop for other reasons in addition to the biting, that is totally fine too.

[Anonymous]

It's totally normal when they first get teeth. The teeth are new and they're like, "what would happen if I did this?!" That said, no shame in stopping if you don't want to breastfeed anymore. But if you do, you can certainly teach him not to do it.

[Anonymous]

When she bite me I bit her back on her hand-not too hard. She didn't bite again. Just show them how it feels and they'll understand.

[Anonymous]

I did, around 8 months with my first and 9 months with my second. We were supplementing with formula as well so I didn't feel too bad. They're 5 and 3 now and they're fine.

[Anonymous]

I’ve breastfed 3 babies till they were two. I immediately removed them from the breast when they bit me. It stopped it completely. A 6 month old can learn that biting means no milk. But, if you want to quit, then quit. If you want to keep going, tell them no, and pull them off. This is not something you need to suffer. If I had had a baby that refused to stop biting, I would have quit too. In your case, you don’t need to deal with bloody nipples and pain if the transition to bottles and solids will be easy for your baby.