Biting during feed

[Pixie]

Hi Pinky,
My DD is 7.5 months old & has two teeth at the bottom, no idea if she's working on the top ones but there's a good chance! She has taken to biting me usually half way through a feed and towards the end of feeding. Big problem I feed her to sleep EVERY time but I yelped today when she bit me and of course woke her up. Someone suggested bonjela on her gums before I feed her this works a little bit. Is it OK to say NO when she bites does she realise she is biting?

I also when she bites if during the day, just stop feeding her so she might realise biting = no food! and then 10 minutes later try feeding her again.

I am looking for suggestions on how to stop the biting and how to address it when it happens
Thanks very much :)

[Pinky McKay]

hi pixie - Ouch!

When your baby is actively feeding, she can't bite at the same time. Chances are she's already had quite a good feed , or at least satisfies her imnmediate hunger when she starts to bite. You can try holding her more closely onto the breast so she latches on more tightly - she is likely to slip off a bit if she is sleepy and may be gripping on with her new teeth. Or, if that doesn't work do as you have been doing during day feeds and remove her from the breast. You can say gently but firmly, "no biting" and let her know her feed is over. This is really the beginning of gentle discipline and most babies will stop biting when they realise the feed is over if they bite.

On the other hand, if you yell it may encourage her to bit just for the reaction - I know it's hard to keep quiet when a sensitive body part is being mauled, but worth being conscious of.

It is also good to offer plenty of opportunities for your baby to try chomping on hard or cold things - wooden teething rattles, cold teethers, a cold face washer, bits of apple wrapped in muslin so she cant choke on bits that may break off. If you give her rusks, please read labels carefully for ingrdients , I noticed some fabulous looking organic rusks that contained egg the other day! - not recommended for babies under a year old).

Good luck
Pinky