How To Stop Baby Biting While Nursing?

Your baby is calmly feeding on your breast when suddenly she begins to chew on your nipple. Your next thought after finishing stargazing is probably, “How do I ensure that never occurs again?”

Although not all newborns bite when nursing, Pam Davey, a licensed doula and registered lactation consultant in Edmonton, says it is a major issue for many breastfeeding moms. However, if you handle a nipping infant properly, it need not mean the end of your nursing session days.

Reasons your baby bites when breastfeeding

In addition to having weak attachments, there are other causes for why babies do breast biting:

• Older infants are easily distracted. They may close their jaws if they turn to gaze at something and forget they still have your breast in their mouth.
• If your baby nods off while being fed, they might bite. Watch for when their jaw motions begin to weaken and slow down, and then gently remove them from your breast before they fall asleep.
• Your kid may be struggling to swallow due to a cold or an ear infection. To make feeding session simpler for them and less uncomfortable for you, try holding them more upright.
• Your child may be teething and biting to alleviate the discomfort and anguish they are experiencing.
• Some curious babies bite merely to see what occurs.

Preventing your baby from biting during breastfeeding

To stop your baby from biting, you might attempt a number of strategies. Your strategy will depend on how old and sophisticated your child is.

Baby teeth can be very sharp. You’ll probably yell if they brush against or deep latch onto your breast! Your baby can be so startled by your loud reaction that they won’t try it again. However, if they are too frightened, they can reject your breast.

Even though they are aware that they have bitten you, your baby is still too young to grasp that they are harming you. So, if they suddenly bite, try to remain calm and quiet while also ceasing to feed them. Your infant has to understand that biting means giving up your breast.

Make eye contact and firmly state that you don’t want them to bite and that doing so hurts. Even if they can’t understand your words, they will grasp what you mean.

If your baby is biting, you might be inclined to wean them. But there are many other options you can try first.

Here are some suggestions for discouraging biting:

• If your child persists in biting, immediately after they bite, place them on the floor for a brief period of time.
• Be encouraging when an older child who bites on a regular basis refrains from doing so. Give them kisses, hugs, and encouragement.
• Give your child plenty of eye contact and engage in conversation with them while they are eating if you believe they are seeking attention.
• An alternative feeding position could be tried with your child.
• If at all feasible, feed your infant in a dimly lit, calm area where there won’t be much to distract them.
• Recognize when they have had their fill of food.
• If they are dozing off, take them off your breast.
• Give them a teething toy or massage their gums with a clean finger if they are teething prior to or following feedings.
• If you are itchy after being bitten. Use pure HPA lanolin on your nipples in between feedings to ease the discomfort. It improves wound healing and serves as a barrier on the nipple skin. Furthermore, studies show that putting lanolin on sore nipples can help women nurse their babies for longer periods of time.
• Your baby may be struggling to swallow due to a cold or an ear infection. To make feeding simpler for them and less uncomfortable for you, try holding them more upright.

Controlling nipple pain and milk supply

Be cautious to address any wounds, abrasions, or nipple soreness that the baby may have caused as soon as possible to avoid infection. Dry as much as you can by air drying, then wash in the shower with non-antibacterial soap.

Nipples can be kept healthy and soothed by applying a cool hydrogel or nipple creams. Your healthcare provider may recommend temporarily administering mupirocin to treat deeper wounds and abrasions in order to hasten to heal and prevent infection or nipple damage.

Before nursing baby. Small amounts on the nipples don’t need to be removed. Always keep mothers in mind! If something doesn’t seem right, you can always give your health care provider a call straight immediately.

If nursing directly from the breast has become too uncomfortable, pump to maintain your milk supply. Treat your breasts and nipple damage with care. Utilizing compression and massage to promote more effective letdowns will help you spend less time on the pump.

Remember that you and your child work together as a team. you are the one. In little time at all, your baby will realize that biting mommy causes her pain and cease. Your infant is madly in love with you and would never injure you on purpose! Your infant thinks you’re a great breastfeeding mom, and you really are.

Can I predict when my baby will bite when I’m nursing?

If your baby bites during breastfeeding frequently at the start of a feeding, try placing them with their head tilted back and their weight properly supported.

As was already established. Some babies that bite at the start of a feed do try to stop or sluggish the milk flow. Making sure that their latch is as effective as possible can therefore aid in their ability to cope.

How to help your baby bond and breastfeed has extra information about latching. Many mothers discover that watching their child at the beginning of the feed is especially beneficial.

Taking them off can help prevent biting if the milk supply appears to be going to overwhelm your infant. When a baby bites, it’s sometimes at the conclusion of feeding when they’ve begun to lose interest.

You may watch for this happening and stop the feed when you notice the early signs if you give child feeding your complete attention while you’re training your baby not to bite. This might be helpful if your baby bites to get your attention.

Faqs:

Why is my baby hitting me while eating?

If your baby is repeatedly hitting you when you’re breastfeeding her, she may simply enjoy a simple repetitive behavior.

Why do babies touch your face when you feed them?

Babies don’t always touch faces because they want to talk or interact. They’re simply learning by touching different textures and objects.

Should you look at your baby when feeding?

Hold your child close to you and look them in the eye when you feed them. Look for early signs of hunger (moving head and body around, sucking on fingers).

Can babies sense their mom?

Babies recognize their mothers’ scents even before they’re born. Your baby is genetically and physiologically programmed to connect to you by recognizing your unique smell. The developmental process of developing olfactive receptors (the part of the brain responsible for smelling) starts during the first trimester of your pregnancy.

Final thoughts

Keep in mind that baby biting when feeding is merely a temporary habit. But if the pain starts to be a problem, talk to your doctor about alternative pain management strategies, counter pain relievers, and expert advice on what to do.