Barb, anyone? HELP! I can't take much more of the biting :(

[Kmn]

Get his ears checked too maybe - if sucking hurts he may be being naughty.
Period coming back should lead to "funny" tasting milk and sometimes slower letdowns - but he's still drinking the EBM, so the taste can't be too bad, and you say that expressing until the let down has happened doesn't help either, so that probably isn't the reason.
From an attachment point of view you want him to be wide open and ready - because the more he has in his mouth the less the dainty bits get bitten. So while it is very counterintuitive, one way of easing biting is to stuff more in!
Have you tried food first and then boob - so he's done some chewing and maybe got that out of his system (and I am clutching at straws here!).

[Spring Angel]

Got his ears checked on Tuesday after another BF mum mentioned ear infections could be the cause. You're right, he is still loving his EBM so the taste can't be an issue.

I read on the ABA website to make sure the nipple is right at the back of this throat with his tounge over his bottom teeth but he does this initially then just sort of slides off clamping and tugging on the way down. I almost see starts from the pain.

I've tried food first, I usually give him his dinner, then bath, then boob then bed.

I really do appreicate your help, even if we are both clutching at straws.

[Kmn]

The sliding off thing can be reduced by lots of propping and cushions - you may have a situation where he starts to slide and then tries to "hold on" with his teeth.
One suggestion for biting is instead of taking him away when he does it literally squash his face into your boob for a few seconds - it stops him tugging on your boob and is much faster to do than detaching. And it's also not real pleasant for bub, so will hopefully make him think twice.

[kelebek]

One suggestion for biting is instead of taking him away when he does it literally squash his face into your boob for a few seconds - it stops him tugging on your boob and is much faster to do than detaching. And it's also not real pleasant for bub, so will hopefully make him think twice.

Doing this also makes it harder for them to bite. We went through many biting phases and some periods seem to last longer then others technically if they are feeding they can't bite due to position, is it possible he really isn't hungry some of the time?

I got in the habit when we were in a biting phase that I would keep my pinky nail short and literally have it sitting at the corner of his mouth ready to break the suction as soon as possible. Often it would be at the end of a feed and he was sucking/biting for comfort (as you said unfortunately the culprit is the teeth)

I hope it passes soon for you

[trishalishous]

Have you tried nipple shields?
I had to use them when DD was newborn, as she had attachment problems, and Im so glad Ive saved them, as at 5 months shes biting too! (Although she only has two tiny teeth so far)

[MantaRay]

Hun, he sure is making it difficult for you, isn't he!! You have done a great job of trying things to get through this. One other idea that might help is to give him something cold to chew on before a feed. It is also important to make sure he is really close to you during feeds. At that age mums generally don't need to pay much attention to position and attachment as their little ones know what to do. Going back to basics and making sure his head is at the right height for you nipple, and that his body is tucked in nice and close to you, can make a difference. His chin needs to be close to your breast and sometimes pulling his legs around so he's tucked in close can help achieve that.

Another tip that has worked for some people I know is to gently push the baby's face into the breast when he bites. This means he has to release the bite immediately, and it's unpleasant so it acts as a deterrent.

Best of luck hun

[Sagres]

Biting is not nice, not fun at all.

Can I ask how long he has been biting. I had several episodes of biting (though not as bad as what you are going through) and all of them were temporary and only lasted a few days to a week. If he has been doing if for 24-48 hours I would say that another day or 2 MIGHT see the end of it, but if he has been doing it for 2 weeks I would be less inclined to think waiting it out might be the answer.

Good luck...x