It's a struggle but I breastfeed anyways

Breastfeeding with teething baby

Hi, so my baby is 6 months almost 7 months old and he’s just started teething. He’s already got his two bottom there cut through but he’s started to bite down on my nipple when feeding, which is making feeding very difficult and painful. I wondered if there were any other mums on here who have exclusively breastfed babies who are going through the same thing? If so did your baby stop biting you? It’s so bad that he’s actually cut skin/made me bleed around my nipple and I don’t know what to do… I’ve tried to express and then bottle feed him but he doesn’t really take to the bottle and prefers my breast. I don’t want to give up breastfeeding but I don’t know how much more I can take with him tugging and biting down because it’s really hard and painful. Any advice would be super beneficial! Thanks mamas x

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My baby does the same thing 🥺 I’m still healing from a cut she did a few days ago on one of my nipples but nipple balm has been helping a ton with the pain and the healing process. I started picking up her cues for when she wants to bite lol and I immediately remove it. Doesn’t always work because babies can be so unpredictable at times. I try to have her bite on something prior to feeding too. But don’t give up!!!

You basically have to teach you baby how to latch with teeth. I went through it with both of my kids. I realized they had to relearn how to latch so I would put the nipple in their mouth instead myself and then whenever they bite down intentionally, I took the boob out right away and said “no biting mommy”, eventually they learned and the biting became a rare occurrence

thank you so much! touch wood he hasn’t bitten again i’ve been using nipple cream to help heal them and they seem better now! i’ve been removing him if he does bite and saying “no biting mummy” but totally understand it can be unpredictable! have been giving him teething toys to chew on more too!! thank you for the advice x

i totally understand this, i’ve been doing my best and i feel like things are a lot better. i move my boob as well so i understand what you mean putting your nipple in their mouth yourself! i’ve also been saying the same thing and feel like he’s learning - thank you as well for the advice x

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