How to Handle When Your Baby Bites During Breastfeeding?

Reasons your baby bites during breastfeeding

Infant biting during breastfeeding is usually seen when the baby is about 6 months old. This is the time an infant starts teething, and your baby may feel gum relief when he/she bites your breast. You should handle this problem carefully, as your baby cannot feed properly when he/she bites during nursing. Some of the main reasons for newborn bites while nursing are:

• Teething –

Babies want to chew on something, and their mother’s breast seems to be the best bet for them!

• Distractions –

They are distracted by their surroundings when nursing. Biting breast issue happens when the surroundings are too bright or noisy.

• Communication –

Infants bite the breast of their mothers to communicate their feelings/needs as they don’t have words of their own.

• Curiosity –

Mostly, babies are very curious. Hence, they try new tactics like breast biting while nursing to see what reaction they can elicit from their mother.

• Improper Latching –

When babies suck only the tip of the nipple, they tend to bite their mother’s breast. When your baby’s mouth is wide open, he/she can latch on to the nipple quite well; your baby will not bite your breast, even if he/she is in the teething stage.

• Not hungry –

Sometimes, babies tend to get very playful when they are nursing. Newborn bites while nursing usually happen when the baby is not hungry.

• Exhaustion –

When your baby is very tired, he/she may not be able to latch on to your breast properly. Hence, it can lead to breast-biting issues. Feeding him/her once every 2 hours can reduce your baby’s exhaustion to a great extent.

• Fast or slow milk supply –

When the milk supply in your breast is very fast, it can overwhelm your baby, causing him/her to bite your nipple. On the other hand, when the milk supply is slow, it can cause frustration in babies, leading to biting. You can work on your let-down reflex, Ensure your baby gets enough milk whenever you nurse him/her to avoid infant biting during breastfeeding.

• Cold or congestion –

When your baby is suffering from a cold and/or chest or nasal congestion, he/she may find it difficult to suck your nipple properly. This may cause your baby to bite your breast when nursing.

Ways to handle if your baby bites during breastfeeding

• Look at your baby closely, and try to talk to him/her while nursing. This way, your baby understands that your full focus is on him/her, limiting the infant’s need to bite and seek your attention.

• Make sure the nursing environment is pleasant to avoid distractions. Put the TV on mute, switch off the lights, and make the room as ambient as possible to encourage your baby to nurse properly.

• Observe your baby’s body language when he/she is feeding. In most cases, babies bite on the nipple while breastfeeding when they are full. Once your baby starts fidgeting, moving his/her head away from your breast or moving his/her body, gently pull away your baby from your breast.

• Ensure you hold your baby properly while nursing. He/she should suck your entire areola and nipple and make use of only the tongue and lips while doing so. When your baby sucks only the tip of the nipple, he/she may resort to biting a few minutes later. If you aren’t able to do this yourself, get help from your doctor or lactation expert.

• Eat a healthy diet, so that you have enough milk supply in your breast. Babies tend to bite the nipple in frustration when they don’t get enough milk when nursing.

• If your baby is in the teething stage, give him/her a few teething toys for his/her gums just before a feed. This will reduce the temptation of biting the breast while nursing.

• Don’t react in panic or pain when your baby bites you. Your sudden reflexes may scare him/her.

• Feed your baby only when he/she is hungry, and not for other reasons such as to quieten them.

• Keep your baby close to your body while nursing, and give him/her a tight hug before every feed to make him/her feel relaxed.