[iamforgiven2000]

I am breastfeeding 10 month old twins. The last week or so they have started to bite. I am assuming that maybe it is because of milk supply??? I highly doubt that they are both biting because of teething issues. My son only has two bottom teeth so it is possible he could be teething, but I doubt it. My daughter has four teeth on top and four on bottom so I do NOT think she is teething. Neither of them have swollen gums. The biting just all of a sudden became a problem. They never bit me before and all of a sudden I can't feed them without getting bit. I do NOT want to give up breastfeeding. My last two children were breastfed until they were two years old and I would love to repeat the experience. I do not have alot of money that I can spend on the herbs that are out there to increase milk supply. Does anyone have any suggestions that might work??? I know you can buy fenugreek fairly cheap at Meijer, but does it work???

[littlecavalier]

Fenugreek does work for most people and I've always heard that you take as much as it requires to make your sweat smell like maple syrup . It can make some babies tummies hurt though so watch how they react to it once it gets into your milk.

Babies do go through phases with biting though and it could just be something new that they did and maybe got a reaction for? I was friends with another Mom adament about making it past a year and I believe her son was around 9 months when he started biting. What she did was to end the breastfeeding session when he bit and told him "no" and that it hurt. He was always heartbroken and I think it probably took a good week or so to curb him of the habit but now he's well over a year and they haven't had the issue since.

I wouldn't think that a lack of milk would make them bite, especially if they weren't ever bottlefed but since they are both doing it at the same time it does seem to make the most sense. Also, when they are actively nursing they can't bite as the nipple is too far back in their mouth, it's when they stop nursing that they tend to bite so if you're only nursing one at a time maybe watch for when they quit seriously nursing and unlatch them quickly before the biting happens? Now that they are eating solids (I'm assuming) they shouldn't require as much breastmilk as before.

[bette]

All 3 of my boys went through a biting phase. It was just because they could, not for lack of milk, as I had an over-abundant supply. Mine would actually bite then laugh! They just wanted a reaction from me and it was hard not to give them one when they have bitten your nipple! My ped. actually said to very lightly hold their nose when they bite so for a second they can't breathe and they let go. It also ticks them off so they don't do it again. It took a few days of this before they stopped, and actually my 3rd didn't. My first 2 I breastfed until they were almost 2.5, my third was only 18 months when I had to stop. I couldn't take the pain and he didn't seem to care. He's a mean little sucker!

[Mom2ThreeLovesCVS]

I think all little ones go through this at one point or another around this age. Mine only did this for a while, then no more problems, it's a combination of teething, finding relief from that pain and figuring out how to nurse with all those teeth. I just stopped their nursing session the second I got grazed, told them "NO, ow you are hurting mommy!" quite firmly & let them try again. If I got bit again I said the same thing again, but this time the nursing session was done. After doing this a few times, they magically understand and the problem is gone.

Good luck!!!!!!! You ROCK for nursing twins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[genosgirl]

Both of mine did the biting thing too. My midwife told me to pull them close to my body. It smothers them with the boob - just for a second. It makes them let go and they don't like that they had to stop nursing, since they had to let go to breath. Like Mom2ThreeLovesCVS I would give them 2 chances, on the third time, they were done for that feeding. Mine only tried it a few times then the novelty wore off.

[jbarber8]

Both of mine bit a few times too, like PP's stated. My reaction was enough - yelping, frowning, removing them from the breast, and taking an immediate break - I put them down on the floor and let them sit there about a minute before resuming.

[onlymadaresane]

Originally Posted by jbarber8

Both of mine bit a few times too, like PP's stated. My reaction was enough - yelping, frowning, removing them from the breast, and taking an immediate break - I put them down on the floor and let them sit there about a minute before resuming.

It's a stage. They ALL go through it. I wouldn't stress too hard about it being the supply. The more they nurse the more supply you have.

Generally.

[atcluvs2q]

Mine did that at 9 months and I gradually lost my supply over stressing about it. I was always so nervous that he would bite so the let down took longer then he wanted so he then bit me. We ended up just nursing at night when he was sleepy and by a couple of weeks my milk dried up. Keep trying because I wish that I stayed with it.

[iamforgiven2000]

I am afraid of losing my supply. I know with nursing twins I have a better shot at not losing it (so quickly anyhow). But I just do not want to give up nursing. And I don't think the babies do either. My daughter absolutely refuses the bottle. My son will take it but only after he is tired of crying about nursing. I had fairly good luck yesterday with her. When I would nurse her I would put the tip of my finger in her mouth and then when I would feel her bite down I would break her bite that way. She did not seem to mind it too much. She just wants to nurse. He on the other hand is not going to stand for my finger to be "in his way". He would not nurse at all when I would do that. I have tried everything I can think of but just can not stand the biting. It hurts and they don't just bite and let go, especially him. When they bite they then pull on me. They both eat baby food and some table food, but in my opinion they do not enough to not get nurishment from nursing or bottle feeding. They go through spurts it seems. I now kids go through "picky" periods, but there are times when they will both eat a jar of baby food in the morning each and then there are times I can't get them both to finish just one jar between the two of them.

I just hope and pray that I don't lose my milk supply before I can figure out how to continue nursing them both. I too have noticed that it is taking a bit longer for let down as I am nervous anticipating that first bite.

Someone did suggest a breast shield to me. Does anyone have any experience with them and think that might work??? I have no clue what one even is.

[NoahsMomma]

Lightly flick them on the check and tell them no biting. I was told this by my pediatrician & a lactation nurse. And it worked for the 1st 6 children. We will see with number 7

[tootsie roll]

My dd went through a similar biting period when she was nursing. I don't think it happened more than a few times, though, and it usually happened before bedtime, when she would start to doze off and bite down. I would tell her NO, and after a few times, she'd stop biting. I would pay close attention to see if she was starting to fall asleep, and I would just put her into her crib then. I nursed her until 15 months, but she started to lose interest at about 13 months.

I never used a breast shield, but I have heard that some people have great results with them. I hope that things start to get better for you. If you are concerned about supply, could you pump a little in between feedings? I would pump a little each day to mix that milk in with her cereals - she didn't have cows' milk until 12 months.

[NoahsMomma]

I found this on google:

How to Stop a Breast-Feeding Baby From Biting | eHow.com


Step1
Remove your baby from your breast gently, and say "Don't bite Mama!" or "Don't hurt Mommy!" Put him down gently or hand him to someone else, then wait a minute or so before you start to nurse again. This will teach your baby that when he bites, the milk goes away.
Step2
Repeat this procedure as often as necessary to get the message across. If necessary, calm your baby down by giving him a finger to suck on before you try relatching him.
Step3
Prevent biting that happens early in a feeding. Does your baby bite out of eagerness or frustration, while trying to get your milk to let down? If so, you may be able to stimulate letdown by massaging your breasts just before a feeding or laying a warm washcloth on them for a few minutes.
Step4
Prevent biting that happens late in a feeding. Does your baby bite near the end of a nursing session, when he gets sleepy and his latch starts to slip? If so, you may want to unlatch him slightly earlier than usual, after he has had a good meal but before he drops off altogether.
Step5
Work on your baby's latch. If he is very young, he may still be learning how to nurse properly. It is fairly easy to retrain a baby's latch just by positioning and repositioning him until he gets it right.
Step6
Check his breathing. If a baby has a cold or stuffy nose, this can affect his latch and even cause him to bite unintentionally.
Step7
Check for signs of teething. Many babies occasionally bite when they begin teething; if your baby's gums seem inflamed, or he has bright red cheeks, or he is drooling more than usual, he may be starting to get teeth.
Step8
Offer your baby something else to chew on before nursing, and in between feedings. Teething rings, frozen washcloths, and even your finger can be good substitutes.

[NoahsMomma]

Also this article:

Ask Dr. Sears: Biting While Breastfeeding - Parenting.com

[iamforgiven2000]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I have tried most of them and she seems to be nursing ok right now. He however will not nurse for me. I tried him a couple of times again yesterday and as soon as he latches on he is clamped down on me. He seemed to almost be mad about nursing. I just find it hard to believe that he all of a sudden started biting and then as soon as that starts he all of a sudden does not want to nurse??? I know each day that goes by I have less of a chance of him returning to nursing and it is breaking my heart. I am really thinking about trying the breast shield to see if that works for us. If not I guess I will only be nursing her. It is really upsetting me. I feel as if someone has stolen something from the two of us.

[cheryllsm]

He could be going thru a nursing strike, my first did for almost 2 wks & he went back to nursing with a gusto! Please, please, please do not stress over him not nursing. Stress for me was the number 1 way to shrink my milk supply. My first son bit me a few times & I did the flicking the cheek thing (I was more stunned than anything cuz it HURT) he was crying I was crying. It was a mess, he stopped though after he got over the novelity of biting me. I also would smother both boys with my boob (not really smothering!!!) but pull them really close so they have a hard time breathing & they would pop off. My 1st stopped though after about 2 wks.
My 2nd son is a biter, he just is. He still kinda bites me now & again. He did it when he was teething (and it took 2 months for his molars to come thru) & right after when he had new teeth. I agree with PP that it's a differnt feeling for them with the new teeth. He likes to bite & then see how far he can stretch my nipple & let it slowly out between his teeth (TMI??)
So what I've done is when we are nursing I have to have my arm or hand on the back of his head so he can't pull back. When I start to feel him pulling back I push his head forward & my other hand is ready to stick between his gums/teeth to get him to pop off if he doesn't stop biting & then cover my nipple while putting him down --might be kind of hard with two though(he is so different from my first though, I never knew what ppl meant when they said their kid was a biter...now I do)
Have you been to kellymom :: Breastfeeding and Parenting There is great advice there for nursing strikes, biting & supply issues (&I think she even has a section for tandem nursing)

As far as fenugreek, I took it for over a year with my first (I always had supply issues). For me at least the meijer brand didn't work. I found the best of the cheaper brands was the GNC brand. & I had to take enough to smell like maple syrup so I was taking about 9-12 capsules a day.

Good luck
you both will get thru it

Oh I just remembered check to see if your son has an ear infection, that was another time DS wouldn't nurse was when his ear was infected & He was laying on that side to nurse

[iamforgiven2000]

Update.......Matthew nursed very well for me both yesterday and so far today. I am just so happy. Words escape me to express how happy I am right now. I am praying that he will continue to nurse and that whatever happened for those few days will not happen again. Thank you all so much for your suggestions and support. It always helps to know that other people have experienced things you are experiencing and have worked through them.

[cheryllsm]

yea!!!!! gooooooooo Matthew

[jasmicita]

My DS is currently going through a biting phase. When I nurse he started to bite and I told him NO. It only took a few times and he has stopped. For some reason NO is not working on him biting my arm but I think he does that out of excitement.

[iamforgiven2000]

I told the twins last night......I have seven kids before them that were never biters. Now I have two babies that will bite you every chance you get. How does that work??! Naomi is always biting my shoulder when I hold her. I sure hope the grow out of this phase soon.