Just need a bit of support with a biter

DD2 is a biter. Every feed. I guess it's her way of saying 'I'm done', but after successfully BF the two older kids long term (16 and 27 months) I'm just about ready to say "I'm done".

I have a wound. A serious wound. It just doesn't get the chance to heal. I tried to get those little water proof bandaids today, but the couple of places I checked didn't stock them (we are remote). Will search harder tomorrow. But because the wound is so serious it gets opened with each feed, which means it weeps and bleeds and therefore sticks to anything I try to protect it with..which has to be removed for a feed....more pain/bleeding/weeping.

It hurts soooooo much. Like make me cry hurt. I dread feeds on that side. I am just grateful she only does one side at a time.

Yes she is teething having cut 3 this last week alone. She does it alert or sleepy, it doesn't matter. Saying no biting and putting her down has not made any difference and as she's only nearly 11 months old, I don't really think it's effective.

I'm going to see if I've kept any nipple sheilds as suggested in another thread.

Not sure what I need really. Just thanks for reading.

OUCH! :hug:
Can you see when she's about to do it? It sounds very bad - definitely can't go on like that.
Can I ask, when you say no and put her down. what happens next? do you offer her a feed next, or does she ask for it?
Can you get top-off time with plenty of air on your nipple? that might help. hope it heals up soon

I have a friend with a ten month old that has done exactly the same. She has tried everything and nothing is working so she has sadly weaned her. It made feeding time a very anxious process for my friend and painful. She is sad as it is her last bubba but feels comfortable with her decision!
No advice but just wanted to let you know you aren't alone :). Hope the nipple shield works for you so that wound can heal!

Let me know if you need someone to post you some waterproof band aids. Can't offer any advice but I can post a parcel :)

Oh Kim. Ouch. That sounds so painful. Definitely give the nipple shields a go. Do you keep an eye on when you think she is done, to take her off ASAP?

MadB, I've gone from browsing FB while she's feeding to watching her eagle eyed for that jaw/tongue change. No matter what though, even if I'm quick she still gets a nip in.
When I put her down she protests and we move on. I don't offer unless she's about 'due' for a next feed (like several hours later). She doesn't feed to sleep either. I've been airing too.

leesha, thanks. That's so sad for your friend.

N2L thank you :D will let you know.

OP I think I might have to just cut it short when she's nearly done as opposed to letting her finish....gah!

hmmmmm. I used to watch mine with finger poised to pop them off.

How's positioning/attachment? Is she in very close and with a good big mouthful? That would make it much harder to bite without really 'showing' you as she had to unlatch to do it.

Funny you ask that. The last couple of days I've really been concentrating on that (positioning), and you know she really is very good at it. I am poised with a finger from just about letdown onwards but she's like white lightning! I watch watch watch that tongue....:wall:

I did find a shield (heck I haven't seen that box in a couple of houses lol) and am soaking to clean it. I'm also thinking I might try a football hold. Is she too big for that do you think?

oh bum, out of ideas.
anything's probably worth a go! good luck

Well, epic fail on the shield. She was not impressed at all. Kept trying to put her mouth on it and then poking her tongue out lol. Then she pushed it away and waved bye-bye at it.
The football hold was reasonably successful though.

I dont know if itd help, but Have you tried pulling her into your chest when she bites to let go? Is really hard because the first instinct is to pull her away, but I've heard this helps. You basically pull her in, and it blocks her nose so she lets go. It can also deter her more because there's a consequence she can understand iykwim. I hope you can figure something out soon, not a nice way to end a bfing relationship :( :hug:

Hi,

it is painful but thankfully it will be shortlived - even if it doesn’t seem that way now.

Go to the dr and get an antibacterial creme for your nipple, something like kennacomb to aid healing
Work out how long she feeds and then take her off at say if she feeds for 15 mins, 10 mins - not exactly demand feeding, but still feeding, which is better than the alternative. she is old enough to ondertand “no” Tell her “no” in a calm, firm voice, put her down and walk away. You may need to be fairly consistent about this but she will get the hang of it. Hope’s idea above can work as well

Have you tried lying down to feed and keeping a hand on her back so that she can't push back? The other thing is that if she doesn't bite tell her that she's terrific - we used to have "no toothmarks - really well done", though DS was a bit older when this problem started.

DD3 was a biter at the same age, I feel for you! The most successful for me was the football hold and making sure she was pretty tight up against me. She was also taken off and told no if she did it and I wouldn't feed her for at least half an hour, regardless of if she was finished.

She stopped doing it and is still feeding at 21.5 months so it worked successfully here. Hang in there xxx

Can you give your hurt nipple a break for a day or so from feeding, and just feed from the other side and express the hurt side?

Does she only bite one side? if yes, positioning might help.

hope it gets better for you soon.

Glad the different hold helped a bit!

Go back to all the newborn basics on nipple care too. My DD1 wasn't a biter, but for some reason at 20 mths the way her mouth was causing friction on my nipple. It took months to heal. :( I used pawpaw, lanolin, those waterproof bandaids (which did work the best), but in the end time sort of worked for us.

DD2 went through a bit of biting a little while ago, but briefly. It was when she was finished a feed and I wasn't paying attention. She wasn't quite as cheeky as your little one though!

Hope she stops doing it soon, little monkey.

Not sure if it will help or not- might be a little young for it.

But might work to- what we did is if they bit a firm "No biting" took them off and then expressed and offered them a bottle- very rarely took it straight away but would express and offer a bottle at the next feed as well. again saying "no biting", I would hold my breast with a pained look on my face as well- as I think that they understand tone of voice and expressions even at that age. Then for the next feed would offer the breast and repeat the process if necessary. ours picked it up pretty quickly. when we were consistant :-)

Sadly to say with my first I got such a shock that he bit me that I flicked his cheek- not hard at all but he let go straight away.. I felt horrible for it but he didnt try it again for quite a while... lol.. dont recommend it though! the poor lil man cried and it completely broke my heart!

I do feel for you though- very painful!!

Sjjj

Hydrogel breast discs are awesome for healing. Maybe you can buy online?

Big hugs - one of the more unpleasant sensations in the universe...