My beautiful little girl now has 5 teeth....I've been trying SOOOO hard to ignore the pain that I've been experiencing with breastfeeding her. She's not biting me, but when she's nursing it automatically hurts because I'm all pressed up against her teeth. Well, today, she was nursing firm enough that her tooth broke through my skin. OUCH! I'm in a lot of pain and I don't know what/if anything can be done about it other than do what I can to suck it up.

So here's my question.....

I've been nursing her for a full year now...should I wean her, with the knowledge that I've done the best for her through her first year, or should I suck it up and keep going, feeling like my nipples are going to be bitten off?

She went through a phase where nursing wasn't that big of a deal to her, but now she's really back into it, wanting to nurse very often. I don't know what to do! I want to do what's best for her...but gosh, I'm in SOOO much pain!!!!

Help!?

Get yourself some lanolin for the soreness and such.
Maybe try repositioning her. And even having her let loose and reattach. And you can tell her to 'be gentle'. Just say something like "ouch, too hard, that hurts mommy. let go and let's try again." and release her yourself if she doesn't understand yet and let go on her own Then offer again and remind her 'gentle' Try that for a bit, see if she catches on and can change something in her latch on her own. I know what you're talking about...I've not had a break through, but I know that intense pressure. Feeling like a constant pressure, just shy of a bite.
The 'release and relatch' has helped us here. Along with the words 'be gentle'. She may not know/understand the words yet, but she'll learn them quickly if you're consistent with it. Never underestimate what a young one can learn. ;)

I'd say give those things a try before giving up on nursing just yet. Yes, you've done an excellent job, nursing for a year, that's fantastic! But if you're really not wanting to quit yet, give it a shot, working through it.

Thanks Tara.

I did put some Lanolin on the sores but haven't really had any relief. :roll: I've tried positioning her in different ways but she's very strong willed and won't nurse unless she's where SHE wants to be. She does know the word gentle and I use it with her often...the thing is, is that she IS being gentle....but with her teeth in the way...eh...it's not so fun! I break her off and have her latch on, and she seems to go right back to the painful spots. :cry: Am I doing something wrong here?

I'd say try to stick it out and what Tara said was great! I went through the same thing with my first ds and the doc told me to go cold turkey 1 week after he turned a year... he did not handle this well and I always say I'd have listened to my instincts if I had it to do over again. If it's unbearable... don't beat yourself up... you've done great! Try to make her as comfortable as possible when weaning... those are my thoughts. Hope I helped.

Firstly, WELL DONE ! to breast feed for a year is a good accomplishement.

well, where I have not gotton so far (yet) and what you talking about is something i sort of fear - what came to my mind when i read your piece was - you get those "breast shields"... i don't know how they work, but i understand you put them on if your nipples are very sore, and the baby drinks through the shields... won't that help? then her teeth would touch the plastic protection.

okay, maybe i should not even be saying anything, cause i don't know much about it... but perhaps you could look into this...

Do you have a breast feeding clinic nearby that you could contact for advice?

Hope you will feel better soon !

Well, she cut through the skin in two more places... :( I'm trying.......and I'm going to do what I can...but I have a good feeling that we're going to have to stop sooner than was expected...please pray that this will change. More for Maddy's sake than mine. I don't think that she's going to like being weaned, if it indeed comes to that. So, off to apply more Lanolin... :roll:

You have done an amazing job. A full year is the best start for your little girl, and she is just beautiful by the way, love the pic.

My dd nursed fully for a year then only the nighttime feed to about 15 months, but that was only because I was afraid to wean her because she is so strong-willed, I thought the breast-feeding withdrawals would go on for nights and nights, but it only lasted 2-3 nights, and each night got easier than the one before it. I made sure to give her a good filling snack before bed so she wouldn't be crying out of hunger, and I wouldn't pick her up, but just kept telling her to go back to bed (she used to sleep in her bed next to our bed, so it was easier to let her cry it out without her FULLY crying it out, because I could soothe her with my voice alone).

As far as the breast shields, they may be of some temporary comfort to you until your skin toughens up again. They fit right over (like a glove on a hand) making your breast into a bottle, so to speak. The baby sucks on the shield and your skin is protected. It may not work though, because she may not like the new texture.

Either way, don't beat yourself up. Only you can decide what is best for you and her. :wink:

You know....I realize I'm the unpopular vote in this area! ...but in my book, when it becomes not a pleasant thing for either party...it's time to move on....no matter what age that is! Feeding with a bottle can be just as bonding! The best way to feed is however you feel most comfortable and at peace and happy doing it....if it's painful, I don't think you're probably all of these things anymore!
(I bottle fed both my boys from day one due to never producing milk, so I've seen it be very bonding and have two VERY healthy boys!)

Please don't throw stones at me for saying this - but it worked for us. When my kids bit me I flicked the corner of their mouth and said sternly "no." They both bit me once (I think DS did it twice, booger) and that was the end of it. I've heard of people pulling thier hair just a little but to me that was more barbaric than a flick on thier mouth (and made more sense, since that was the source!).
So that's what we did and it worked. Either way I agree with everyone when they say that a whole year is amazing and if you have to wean then do it proudly because a year is excellent!

Hugs Chels!!! It is painful isn't it... and you grit your teeth every time she nurses. YOU ARE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB!!! Is she possible getting more teeth right now. I noticed that when my DD is teething she nurses extra hard.

Just do what is comfortable for you & Maddy!! Just my own little advice, if you haven't introduced a bottle to her... DON'T. If you decide to wean, just go right to a sippy cup.. !

Praying for you sweetie!!!

[hug]

(((Big Hugs))) I totally feel your pain! I had the same problem with Audrey when she was about 14 months old. After a couple of weeks of trying, I finally threw in the towel. And she barely noticed that I was giving her a bottle or a sippy cup instead of me. Yes, it's a very special bonding time with your baby. I use the bedtime nursing to pray with my little ones, but when we decided to wean because of the biting, we did the same things, just without the breastfeeding.

I haven't weaned Tory yet, but with Audrey, I replaced the nursing with a sippy cup during the days and at night. Then, after a month or so, I dropped the bedtime sippy cup. Don't let it get to the point that you dread breastfeeding. She'll be able to sense that you aren't happy about caring for her, and I don't think that's a good thing.

Seriously, you have to weigh what's best for *both* of you. I weaned Audrey long before I was planning on it, but she doesn't seem to have any psychological damage.

I haven't read all of the replies and didn't nurse my children long enough for this problem to come up so this might not be worth anything but can't you just pump and give her the breast milk in a bottle? That way she gets the benefits of the milk but you don't have to keep being hurt. Just a thought.

Thanks for all of your prayers, advice, and replies...it really means a lot to me.

I "took a day off" from nursing and just nursed her in the morning and at night....I did that in order to get my sores to heal up some. Well, I'm in NO pain now! I can't believe it! Sounds silly, but this has GOT to be a God thing..because I was hurting to the point of tears and now I'm only feeling the pressure of her being there! Praise God!!

Thank you all so much! Looks like we'll be able to keep this up for a while....hopefully! ;)

(((hugs))) I nursed Timmy to 19 months and he went through a painfully bity stage too. What I did is I would put my boobs away, and tell him sternly no. He didn't like the result of not getting to nurse if he was being rough, and I don't think it lasted that long where it was painful. If nursing only at morning and night is working good, stick with that. :D

Thanks for all of your prayers, advice, and replies...it really means a lot to me.

I "took a day off" from nursing and just nursed her in the morning and at night....I did that in order to get my sores to heal up some. Well, I'm in NO pain now! I can't believe it! Sounds silly, but this has GOT to be a God thing..because I was hurting to the point of tears and now I'm only feeling the pressure of her being there! Praise God!!

Thank you all so much! Looks like we'll be able to keep this up for a while....hopefully! ;)

Awesome!