Biting.....WHY does your baby bite while breastfeeding? Do I need to wean once my baby gets teeth?

So, you are going through your journey of motherhood and now your baby is biting "while you breastfeed".... The real truth is that a baby who is at the breasts correctly CAN NOT nurse and bite.Yes you read that right! You do not have to wean your baby just because your baby is getting teeth, but you damn sure need to make sure to protect your nipples.... It is impossible for your baby to bite because when you breasts feed the tongue covers your bottom teeth and gums while your baby nurses.

You may get lucky and your baby may never bite you! Congrats on this behavior and just know that your baby maybe teething and trying to sooth their gums. Rest assure that you can get your baby to not bite you with persistence. Remember that ALL babies are different, so you should try different ways to prevent your baby from biting, depending on their personality and age.

Have you noticed that your baby bites only when you are just about done with your nursing session? This is a sign that your baby is unlatched and now using you as a way to rub their gums on you to relieve pain. Watch your baby for signs before baby gets done to stop them from biting you. Biting can begin as early as 3 months for your baby and as late as 12 months. Depending on the age, you can offer things for your baby to bite on such as teething toys, breast milk popsicle are always my favorite thing to make for my children.

Babies can start to get get distracted easily! Try finding a relaxing place to nurse with no interruptions...... My favorite place for my children are always in bed side lying, I could get some rest and they can too with no noise just mommy and me time. Some babies will start to think it is very interesting with the reaction you give when being bit. The suggestion I give is when the time comes, calmly say ouch, show signs of pain and unlatch immediately, and try feeding at a later time. Talk to your baby,this will show your baby and teach them that this is not something they can do. Breastfeeding is a privledge and honor.

If you haven't experienced a time where your baby has biten down on your nipple where you can't get them to let go, you can place your finger between babies gums and remove your nipple quickly.

Key things to take away from this is to: give your baby something to sooth their gums specifically breastmilk popsicles, provide baby with a relaxing enviornment and make sure to rememeber to unlatch as quickly as possible.

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