grabbing/pinching/hitting while nursing

[nabum]

Nursing my 8 month old is like a wrestling match. He's squirmy, distracted, and constantly grabs at my chest and hair with his needlelike fingernails.

I try to redirect his hands to holding mine, and try to nurse him in places that are quiet without a lot of distractions. Is there anything else that I can do?

[Deleted]

Has he always done this? DD has done it since day one. I either swaddle her or hold her free arm down but now that she's gettin longer she pushes her feet against the seat. Not to mention the head pulling. It's a nightmare! I don't know how much more I can take. Nothing hurts more than a sharp fingernail to the nipple.

[nabum]

No, not always. It has just started in the past month or so. He grabs my breast with his sharp little claws and squeezes. I trim his nails regularly but it doesn't seem to help much. He also pushes his feet against the seat and pulls away. It's really frustrating!

[katiescarlett]

You could try to wear a necklace that's safe to play with while nursing. Other than that I've got nothing. DD is still like that at 16 months.

[ijack]

DD has always been like this and it's pretty painful some of the time. I have no advice

[karinothing]

Ugh, I feel your pain. I can deal with the hitting but I HATE the pinching. He has also started to pinch my neck when I hold it him. Boo pinching. I have no solutions I am going to try a necklace though.

[pierogigirl]

I have no solution other than a necklace, but I was thinking about inventing something this weekend because my son is shredding my boobs while nursing. I was thinking that nursing bras should have two layers. The one closest to the skin would have a hole for the nipple to poke out of (like a hands-free pumping bra) and the top layer should be like the top of a regular nursing bra that folds down to allow the baby to nurse. I think it would offer a little more support, too.

What do you think? Is it a multi-million dollar idea? Can I retire early?

[mrshandy]

I got nothing. It just gets worse when they get into toddlerhood.

[lala]

DD just started this about a month or 2 ago. I remember when DD1 did it, too. I think it got better. I have thought about getting or making a nursing necklace, but haven't done it. For us it's the pinching more than the scratching. And the vigorous "patting."

[bunch]

No advice. My kid bites me 5 times a day. I'm beyond frustrated.

[minzy]

I don't have much advice as my daughter can be quite squirmy/pinchy/unfocused a lot of the time too. However, her best, most concentrated feed of the day is in the morning, when I nurse laying down in my bed with her laying next to me, partially covered by sheets. It's not practical for most other feeds, but have you tried that at all?

[doctorsbaby]

May 15, 2012 19:50:28 GMT -5 bunch said:

No advice. My kid bites me 5 times a day. I'm beyond frustrated.

The suggestion I got from my LC when my DD was biting was to lightly flick her on her cheek. I had already tried everything else that was suggested, ending the session totally, telling her no, taking a break and resuming. None of it helped and I swear a few times she tried to remove my nipple! I flicked her one time and haven't been bitten since.

[livinitup]

Swaddle.

My first firm "NO!" was from a breast bite - the seond breast bite. The pain shuttered through me with the pain of a thousand suns. My DD cried when I telled"NO" but I had no choice if I wanted to continue to BF. DD settled and didn't bite ever again.

[vanillacourage]

Whomever it was who was so "la-di-da, why in the world wouldn't you want to nurse?" should read this thread.

[ijack]

May 15, 2012 21:04:16 GMT -5 vanillacourage said:

Whomever it was who was so "la-di-da, why in the world wouldn't you want to nurse?" should read this thread.

Agreed. I have bruises and scabs all over my breasts and arms from her.

[Chuppathingy]

Try dangling a toy for him or giving him a stuffed animal to claw into instead. That worked for my DD while she was going through that phase. She stopped clawing after a few months. Hopefully yours will too.

[bunch]

May 15, 2012 20:41:36 GMT -5 doctorsbaby said:

May 15, 2012 19:50:28 GMT -5 bunch said:

No advice. My kid bites me 5 times a day. I'm beyond frustrated.

The suggestion I got from my LC when my DD was biting was to lightly flick her on her cheek. I had already tried everything else that was suggested, ending the session totally, telling her no, taking a break and resuming. None of it helped and I swear a few times she tried to remove my nipple! I flicked her one time and haven't been bitten since.

thank you. Ive tried all that as well. I'll try the flick tomorrow.

[Willis Jackson]

With the biting, I've discovered that DD bites me if she has a tiny bit of food left in her mouth from the last time she ate. I try to do a quick sweep of her mouth before feeding her now.

[pierogigirl]

May 15, 2012 21:17:23 GMT -5 bunch said:

May 15, 2012 20:41:36 GMT -5 doctorsbaby said:

The suggestion I got from my LC when my DD was biting was to lightly flick her on her cheek. I had already tried everything else that was suggested, ending the session totally, telling her no, taking a break and resuming. None of it helped and I swear a few times she tried to remove my nipple! I flicked her one time and haven't been bitten since.

thank you. Ive tried all that as well. I'll try the flick tomorrow.

I have done a flick for biting and it worked.

[karinothing]

I had some success today! I wore a necklace that has a large pendant (not a specific BF necklace or anything). It has a really strong chain and DS just played with it the entire time! No pinching, not hitting and no scratching! PLUS, he actually ate without unlatching 80000 times.