By Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC, FILCA
Fan Question:
“How do you breastfeed your baby once they have teeth? I hear a good latcher shouldn’t bite but what if you have had a “perfect” latch and all of a sudden you start getting bit???”
I’m glad you asked! When babies’ teeth erupt (on average around 7 months), many mothers worry their baby might bite. Some are even told that they should wean by that age as a precaution. But many babies never bite (while nursing actively, their tongue covers their lower gum), and those who bite once usually never bite again. However, if biting is an issue for you, before latching try numbing baby’s gums by giving her something cold to chew on, such as a cold, wet washcloth or a refrigerated teething toy. If baby has started solid foods, first give her frozen peas or blueberries to eat. Applying cold to her sore gums may relieve pain and prevent problems. One of the most important (and sometimes most difficult) things to do to discourage biting is to try to stay calm, break the suction, and take baby off. Pulling baby off the breast with her teeth clamped down can cause more damage than the bite itself. Other strategies include: stopping the feeding, offering something else to bite on, such as a teething toy, and setting baby quickly on the floor, so biting brings a short period of unhappiness. It may also help to keep a finger near baby’s mouth, ready to break the suction if she turns away and pulls on your nipple. If you respond consistently, baby will learn quickly that turning away means losing the nipple. For more tried-and-true strategies, download my Breastfeeding Solutions smartphone app for Android and iPhones at http://www.bestforbabes.org/products-page/apps/breastfeeding-solutions-app . Good luck!
Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC, FILCA is a board-certified lactation consultant in the Chicago area who has been helping breastfeeding families since 1982. Her books for professionals are used worldwide. Her books for parents include Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers, which she co-authored with Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, and her tiny problem-solving guide, Breastfeeding Solutions In 2013, Nancy released her Breastfeeding Solutions smartphone app (available for Android and iPhones) to give mothers a quick, go-everywhere source of breastfeeding help. Nancy speaks at events around the world.
