When Baby Bites – 8 Nursing Tips from BeliBea Maternity

All four of my baby were early teethers. At just 3 or 4 months, they struggled with teeth pushing through, two to three at a time. I sympathized with their pain and understood their need to bite, but I drew the line at biting me. Anyone mom who has a biting nurser knows what I’m talking about – the pain, tension, frustration, even fear that comes each time you nurse. You don’t have to simply endure the biting, though, and I’m going to share some important tips for when baby bites so you can nurse in comfort.

1. Learn the Signs. A baby who is correctly latched on and actively nursing is not able to bite. If your baby is biting, then she is not latched on correctly, simultaneously nursing ineffectively and causing you pain. Teething babies sometimes bite when they are finishing up out of habit. You can learn to follow the signs of your nipple sliding forward and stop baby before she bites.
2. Take Baby Off. This can be done by putting your finger at the corner of baby’s mouth and between his teeth. Pull baby gently off, but don’t remove your finger until the very end. This will protect your nipple from being bitten in the process.
3. Try Again Later. As baby’s grow older, they can be more easily distracted while nursing. Their scheduled feedings might also spread out or change. If baby is consistently coming off (and pulling you with her) or lazily nursing and biting, it’s okay to end the session and try again later.
4. Gently Pull Baby Toward You. This sounds scary, but it’s really not. Gently pulling baby toward the breast will cause him to naturally unlatch very quickly. Baby will probably cry in frustration, but it’s a gentle signal that effectively conveys “no biting.” If baby has to come off every time he bites (or shows signs of biting), he will learn to stop. This is the most effective method in my experience.
5. Don’t Be a Teething Toy. Nursing means comfort and many babies turn to the breast when they are teething. You don’t need to be a teething toy. If baby is consistently biting instead of latching on, offer a teething toy or something cold to chew on. Before offering the breast to a teething baby, give her your finger. If she sucks, she’s hungry. If she bites, she isn’t.
6. Engage with Baby. We talk of nursing as an opportunity to bond, but sometimes forget this part as nursing becomes routine. When my son is more alert while nursing, he will look up at me, play with my hair, and even “chat” with  me. Engaging with him is a wonderful way to bond and keep him from biting to get my attention.
7. Re-Position Baby or The Breast. Depending on our nursing position, I can feel more “drag” from baby’s teeth or he might be more likely to bite. Explore different nursing positions and see if one is more comfortable for both of you.
8. Wear a Comfortable, High Quality Bra. BeliBea Maternity knows that the last thing you want to struggle with when nursing is your bra. It should be comfortable, innovative, and flattering. BeliBea sent me their new Nourish Maternity Bra to try in the midst of Sebastian’s teething. This innovative bra is incredibly comfortable and created for discreet breastfeeding and hands-free pumping. You can even nurse and pump simultaneously! The Nourish is made to provide a flattering shape with a v-neck and removable padding. My only recommendation is to choose the larger size when in doubt to ensure that your Nourish Bra provides enough support.

Have you endured biting while nursing? What are your top tips?

Disclosure: I received product to review in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own and I created the content for this post.