Breast feeding JAWS
Lily has 2 teeth on the bottom now. And let me tell you that when they first one came in, breast feeding was no pleasure!
Before her first tooth showed up, due to teething, every time I would breast feed Lily, she would clamp down on my nipple and pull it as her head would turn to the side. (Not fun!)
Of course I would ask her not to do it but this didn’t have much effect at all.
Then, that tooth came in and everything changed. I actually thought I had to stop breast feeding right then and there.
She bit down so hard on my right nipple once, she actually made it bleed. I saw stars!!
I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to scream (even though that’s what I really wanted to do) so I wouldn’t startle her.
I quickly remembered what Naeemah (our birthing classes teacher) recommended to us mommies when the teeth would come in.
So, I pinched Lily’s nose and she let go of my nipple.
I was terrified. Will she do it every time she breast feeds? Can I stand it? Will I get used to it (NO!)? Do I have to give up breast feeding already? (Sad.)
The next time i was getting ready to breast feed Lily, I was scared. I burst out in cold sweats. I could feel the fear my nipples were sending off.
She did it again. She bit me. Again I saw stars. Again I pinched her nose and asked her not to bite.
Every time I went to breast feed Lily, I would burst into cold sweat. Breast feeding was no longer something soothing and pleasurable. Not for me anyway.
It was like looking at JAWS. That little tooth was like a shark’s mouth full of pointy and sharp teeth. When it was time to breast feed, I was as scared of Lily as I am of sharks.
Then I thought about fear and dogs. (Not that I’m comparing Lily to a dog)
Dogs sense fear. And often when they do, that’s when they bite.
I decided to try to stop being scared when it came time to breast feed. It took a lot of preparation but, I would calm myself (and my nipples) down before Lily would latch on and….it worked!
She stopped biting me while breast feeding. 🙂
I’m not sure if it was the nose pinching, me asking her to please not bite, or the fact that she finally realized that she had a tooth in her mouth but for now she is no longer biting me.
I hope it stays that way.
Here is my little JAWS, I mean Lily with her killer teeth. 😉
Katie
June 2, 2010 @ 3:47 am
I’ve heard from a very wise woman that baby’s have a sense of what Mom needs as long as she is sending out those vibes freely (not blocking her energy). Sounds like Lily is is sensing what is necessary. Continued success with breast feeding. 🙂
Claudia
June 2, 2010 @ 1:21 pm
@Katie,
i’m so happy to hear that. she must have sensed my fear and then not. relief. for now.
Desiree
June 2, 2010 @ 2:57 pm
I can sympathize, Adelaide only bit me twice but the worst was when her top front teeth came in, she was 6 months with 4 teeth and they kept coming in fast, 8 months with all teeth including her 1 yr molars. At one point near 12 months my nipple was completely severed from the rest of my boob, thought I was going to die. Lots of blood and discomfort, I used band-aids but then Adelaide stopped nursing with them, I would curl my toes in pain each time I nursed and she at this point was still nursing every 2-3 hours and eating tons of table food. I lubed up with A&D and slept without my shirt on for a few nights and it healed. I hope you do not experience that….I loved breastfeeding but did not expect anything like that.
Claudia
June 2, 2010 @ 5:11 pm
@Desiree,
that sounds horrible. i would have cut her off. specially since she was already eating food.