Ouch!!

[Tea Lady]

There are probably other threads about this, but I don't have time to look for them! My baby is BITING me and I don't know what I can do about it - I say no and frown and all that but she actually gave me a cheeky grin this morning when I was in the middle of my "no biting that hurts mummy blah blah" routine. She's only 7 months but I think she could get the message (or is that wishful thinking?). Any ideas?

Lucy

[drewid]

Hey

The best advice I have heard for this is to take them off the breast when they bite. Give them a minute on the floor or something and then try again. And keep repeating if they keep biting. Eventually they are *supposed* to get the message that biting equals no milk!

Most bubs seem to enjoy the reaction. Andrew seems to think its hysterical whenever i talk in a cranky voice. Sometimes actions speak louder than words I think.

I don't think 7 mths is too young to get the message. Whenever Andrew grabs me - hard enough to bruise!! - I tell him very firmly to 'let go'. It takes two or three repeats but he does. That seems to work.

I guess it just takes some experimenting to see what will work best for you.

Good luck, I know how much it hurts!!

[BrenNZ]

Hi there,

The best tip I heard for any discipline including biting, is let them know it's not a game.

My 9 mth old bit me a couple of times in the last month. I say "Ow you hurt mummy." and make a dramatic face, to show the pain. I remove him for a minute and cover my nipple/ boob with my hand, so he can't latch on and to show it hurts.

If he smiles or looks at me I don't smile back, to show it's not funny. So far this seems to work well and he hasn't done it again.

I believe in this coz a friend I know says her boy (15 months) bites all the time & I noticed she smiles and laughs at him when he does it, while saying he's naughty, so I think she has just reinforced the behaviour not stopped it.

The biggest bite he gave me gave me such a fright that I screamed - this may also have been a deterrent I don't know. LOL.

Best of luck with it.
Brenda
NZ

[TLCC]

Hi Lucy,

My DD used to bite me a lot and it was usually at the end of the feed when she was getting lazy with attachment and I wasn't paying attention (usually watching tv!!), when I used to scream with pain she would clamp down even more prob because i'd scared her so that never worked.

She would get upset if i was upset but it wouldn't fix the problem. It sounds bad but one mother told me to push her face into my chest when she would bite as she would have to release her mouth to breathe. It worked a treat the first couple of times and she wasn't distressed nor me (apart from the pain from the bite). she hasn't done it since. I also make sure I'm paying attention on the feed.

Good luck,