help! nipple chomping!

**arismum** · 28-06-2009 21:21

hi all
my 4 month old has suddenly started intermittently chomping down HARD with his gums on my nipples whilst feeding. ouch!

any ideas as to why he may be doing this, and what i can do to stop him doing it?? am getting a bit sore!

**gizmo** · 29-06-2009 14:47

Arismum, my 4 month old was doing this last week. I feel your pain

!

After a couple of days of this, I spoke to a friend who explained to me that babies wrap their tongue around the nipple when they drink, so their tongue is between their bottom gum and nipple. So, if they are gumming, they can't possibly be drinking.

I noticed with my DS that he was mainly doing it towards the end of feeds. So, for the next couple of days I just stopped his feeds when he gummed me. And it's been a couple of days now since he last did it, so fingers crossed that he's over it now

.

Good luck!!

P.S. My DH didn't believe how much it hurt until DS gummed his finger - he had a little more sympathy after that

!

**2girls&1boy** · 29-06-2009 14:49

Wait until your baby is 10 mths old with teeth & he thinks it is hilarious when he bites down on your nipple

I have indents on mine from my little guy

**13days** · 29-06-2009 18:59

My DS was doing this 2 weeks ago too - he is 3.5months. I realised that he was just playing & had had enough & would chomp on me. So I then learnt (quickly) to break him off before he chomped on me. I could tell by him starting to hum that he'd had enough! Cheeky devil!

**meeka2k** · 29-06-2009 19:04

When my boys started to bite as I was bfing I used to gently but firmly pull their hair (the little they had! lol) until they were forced to let go and then I would put them down. If they were still hungry and cried I waited at least 2-3 minutes (seems longer when your baby is crying!!!) before picking them back up. My eldest only did it 3-4 times and my youngest only a couple before he stopped :-)

Good Luck!!

**arismum** · 30-06-2009 11:30

thanks for your advice everyone

good to know i'm not alone! come to think of it he does often look up at me and smile after gumming so maybe this is the little beastie's idea of a fun game! i will give your tips a go (don't like the sound of those nipple indents!.....)

**Pax** · 30-06-2009 11:34

Originally Posted by 2girls&1boy

Wait until your baby is 10 mths old with teeth & he thinks it is hilarious when he bites down on your nipple

I have indents on mine from my little guy

OUCH!

**Boobycino** · 30-06-2009 12:57

My 7 month old thankfully has no teeth, but he pinches my nipple with his gums from time to time - the worst thing is when I yelp he grins with my nipple still clamped!!! In that moment he seems so evil!

I think he just thinks its funny to make mummy make funny noises. My theory is that he does it when he's bored - so if he starts getting distracted or fidegy I take him off my boob, then sometimes he cries to have it back, other times he's just happy to go off and play.

**Hooves** · 30-06-2009 15:22

Originally Posted by 2girls&1boy

Wait until your baby is 10 mths old with teeth & he thinks it is hilarious when he bites down on your nipple

I have indents on mine from my little guy

OWWWW, My daughter used to do this, and one day she drew blood.

I screamed it hurt so much.

She soon lost her boobie feed, though, cause she thought it was an hilarious game to bite me.

And telling her NO, and putting her down and not feeding her did nothing, as each time she would near the end of a feed, she would bite me.

Although No and taking my sons away from their feed worked well for them.