Breastfeeding and Biting

So for the past few days Owen seems really restless while nursing. He thrashes his head, grabs at my clothes and his legs are in constant motion. I know that some of that is just him being more alert and wanting to look around. Yesterday he started something new.... he is "biting" my nipple. He doesn't have teeth but it actually feels like a bite and it hurts like hell!!!!
I don't understand where this is coming from. I also don't know how to stop it. Could he not be getting enough milk? Or could he be gearing up to teeth? Or is he just be a little toot!?

lol, I know exactly what you are talking about Lou Lou!! except kiers isnt at that biting stage!! He twists and turns yanks and pulls arches his back curls right up, you name it he does it! he is just a nosy wee bugger!
As for the biting it is possible it could be his teeth, Kiers has got them moving around and he has been dribbling soooo much, plunket nurse said she can see the teeth, so they are moving round heaps!
ive just been using a bit of bonjela.
Good luck to you. xxx

she probably is teething, so even though she doesnt have any teeth yet, shes biting down cause it feels good.

i didnt breastfeed for more than 6 days, so i dont have personal experience, but my mom said when we would bite her (she breastfed us all to a year) that she would push our little head into her breast, and we would let go (i mean, not hard, just enough to get us to let go). she only had to do it about 3 times till we got the point and quit biting her!

Just to add to ideas to nip (no pun intended) breast biting in the bud, make sure you say "Ouch!!!" In a very shocked manner to Owen when he bites you. Make sure you are looking him in the eye, and it is right after he does it.

Princess - that's not hard to do! haha
The first time he did it I nearly jumped out of my chair and I cried out so loudly I scared him! Now, every time I do it I say "Ouch! No No!".

ive also heard you should say ouch in a manner that tells him he has hurt you, but not to make an overly huge deal out of it cause then the baby will do it to get a reaction out of you. my mom said she would say "ouch, no that hurts mommy" in a stern tone to get her point across without getting us all worked up. (lol, more wisdom from my mom)

Yea i agree, different tones they understand, they learn from an early age too but i think a lot of them like to play on it acting as if they dont understand,

Is owen holding things in his hands yet? if so you could maybe try a teether of some sort? with him biting he is probably just trying to make his gums feel better with the pressure.

Owen hasn't bitten me since I posted this originally. I'm not sure what his deal was!
He has, however, turned into a wiggle worm!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG! It's so hard to feed him now. He wants to look at the fan, the dog, the TV, my DH!!!!
It amazes me how much he is changing every day!

lol, but when they look around they still have the nipple loosly in their mouth??? lol, Kiers does that, he will stop drinking and look up to me with this cheesy smile adn the nipple just sittin there then goes back to drinking. crazy kid

I am so with you ladies. Kian is not biting, and has not been so far, but he is just SOOOOO easily distracted. Wriggling, looking around at TV, me, DH, the cat, a light - I mean anything, it is crazy. So he sucks for a few seconds looks around, latches back on, pulls off looks around etc. Crazy :lol:

Kyrah also did that before she had teeth and it really hurt!! i am guessing now it was her teething. Now that she actually has teeth and they are sharp she hasnt bitten me once when feeding ( touch wood)

I have gotten some painful gummy bites from jasper, now i'm really nervous now that he has teeth, so if he does 'ouch' it will be

I think Kian has only bitten me once or twice by accident. He felt me jump and pull him off and he never did it again. I am still nursing him at 22 months and with an almost full mouth of teeth, and he never bites.