my 4 month old

Cecilia - posted on 12/13/2010

Thank you EVERYONE for ur amazing advice and support :)

Christie - posted on 12/07/2010

I BF my daughter until self weaning at 15months old (I was PG with her brother), and DS got his first two teeth by 4months old- so let me be the first to say that you can soundly ignore the (probably well meaning?) advice to wean because of teeth. Babies cannot bite and breastfeed at the same time as they need to move their own tongue out of the way first which stops them being able to nurse. Usually biting is either an experiment "I wonder what Mum will do when I do this" or them attempting to soothe sore gums. Either way it's usually a short lived phase. All the best of luck with a long happy breastfeeding relationship!

Bekki - posted on 12/07/2010

my daughter is almost 14 months and has 7 teeth but is still breast fed.. when she started to get her teeth through she did bite a little but i told her no and then ended the feed.. she only bit a couple of times after.. when she stopped biting she was feeding fine and you could not feel the teeth at all

Cat - posted on 12/07/2010

I have an 18 month old with 10 teeth. BREASTFEEDING WITH TEETH DOES NOT HURT!!!! It's just time to start teaching some nursing manners :) If your daughter bites down or starts chewing, put your finger in her mouth to break her latch and gently pull away. She'll soon figure out that biting makes the food stop ;)

Melissa - posted on 12/07/2010

With my first baby there were a couple of times that she bit me but not during feeding more like when she had had enough so was just more aware after that and took her off when she seemed finished!

Beverly - posted on 12/04/2010

I totally agree with Carolyn Rea. My son is now 2 with almost all his teeth. I tried and have succeeded with everything she mentioned. Although I think that at 4 months old, the soothing teether ring or cold cloth to chew on before nursing would be best.

Kathy - posted on 12/04/2010

If baby is feeding properly, she can't bite because her tongue is over her teeth. Biting usually happens when baby has finished eating and is just playing. If she bites down, say 'NO!" and break the suction by putting your little finger into the corner of her mouth. it's important to break the suction because just yanking your breast away will add to the pain!
If you think she's in pain from sore gums, try rubbing some gel on to her gums before feed time.

If your nipples are sore, or the skin broken, rub some hind milk on to them.

Tanya - posted on 12/04/2010

my son did a couple of those play bites at first and i did what the other moms suggested, took him off and put on an angry face, which usually ended in a cry from him because he doesn't like the angry face.

when he got a little older, maybe a little over a year, the problem was with a strong latch that hurt ( i think while his molars came in it started) so I did the same thing and told him to latch gently, but I did have to get used to it being less gentle than before. I also showed him to say aah and stick out his tongue, which he thinks is hilarious, but I don't put him on unless I see tongue over teeth (or at least an attempt to get tongue over teeth, since this is very frustrating for him). If you're getting broken skin, this is a good method, but will be more for after the bottom teeth come in.

Good luck!

Sally - posted on 12/04/2010

If they are properly latched, they cannot bite you.
Most babies will be frightened by mom's yell of pain the first time they accidentally sink their teeth into you. Some will find it funny and have to be trained out of it.
The fastest way to stop biting (though it can take a while with a determined baby) is to assume that if they bite they are done. Every time those teeth deliberately touch your breast, say "All done?" in a cheery tone and put her down. If that isn't working after a few days, tell her firmly that biting hurts mommy and put her down. She will eventualy get the idea that biting mommy means no milk and she will stop. If it's takeing her a while to get it, lanolin can be very helpful to sore nipples.
Whatever you don't please don't wean her yet. 4 months is way too young for that to be healthy.
Good Luck

Melissa - posted on 12/04/2010

I nursed my first until she weaned herself at age 2 and am currently still nursing my 16 month old. With a proper latch, teeth should not be an issue. Just like those first few weeks when breastfeeding was painful (even with a proper latch it was for me - I am really sensitive), you're body will get accustomed to any new friction. I'm sorry to hear that your family is spreading those old misconceptions about teeth and breastfeeding. The World Health Organization recommends nursing for at least 2 years and for as long thereafter as the mother/child wish. The AAP recommends at least a year and then however long thereafter the mother/child wish. No matter how long you nurse, you're giving your little one a great start in life. Best wishes!

Lea-Andra - posted on 12/04/2010

My daughter never bite, a couple of times she accidently did pulling off or something, I saw stars, but it so so few and far between it didn't bother me. I know a couple of times she's pinched or something and I've said ouch loudly and she pulls off and cries so I think she's very sensitive to me.
I agree with what everyone has said. Tell her no if she bites. Keep up with it and be consistant.
I have heard the reasons for biting is that the teeth are bothering the baby.

Rachel - posted on 12/04/2010

She won't bite you if she is seriously eating. When she is done she will start to bite down but then you just give her a teething ring or wash cloth or something else and close the kitchen until the next feeding time. If you are scared you can try a nipple shield as well also she will probably start to eat more solid food too with those teeth and her age. She's too young to wean, a year would be great but at least til she is 6 months.

Kathy - posted on 12/04/2010

I agree with the other posts here. Just take the baby away from the breast when they bite and they'll figure it out pretty quick when they're hungry! I'm not saying you won't be bitten, but it won't last for long. When my son got lazy, he would sometimes bite me by accident and was upset every time.

My son also used to run his gums over my breast when he was teething, but he learned not to do it and we gave him other things to teeth on. His first two teeth were through at 4.5 months and we nursed until he was 17 months and had a full set of teeth.

Make a decision that works for you and your baby. Good luck!!

Allison - posted on 11/29/2010

Hang in there. Like the other ladies said, it doesn't feel any different with teeth if she is latched on right. My son "nibbled" me a couple times when he first got his teeth - I took him off with a firm (but gentle) "No" and he wanted to nurse, so he got the idea very quickly! (The first time he smiled about it, thought it was funny, but the second time he understood biting = no milk!) He never tried to bite me again, so those two times were the only problem we ever had with it. He nursed til he was 2.5 years old, stopped pretty much on his own, and it was great for both of us!



Lots of people told me the same thing about weaning after teeth come in, but be confident in your OWN decision making and remember you're her mom, not them :)

Katie - posted on 11/29/2010

If you teach them not to bit, then it won't hurt. My daughter got teeth at 3 1/2 months, and she's bitten a few times, but I would sternly tell her "no bite" and take her off and put her in her crib a like 10min or so, then put her back on, and if she bit again, then I would do it again. She didn't like it, but she learned very quickly that when she bit, she lost her milk. I plan on breastfeeding her until she weans herself, so there will be many more teeth to come. It's not pleasant, but if you teach them early not to bite, they're smart, and it doesn't take long to learn that. When she would pull at my nipple, I would also take her off, then put her back on. I really wouldn't say much, I would just take her off, because that doesn't feel too good either.

Ania - posted on 11/29/2010

It will pass!!!! My son was doing the same thing. Don't listen to your family. My son is 10 month old and every time the teeth were coming out he was pulling, it doesn't last forever. Hang in there

Carolyn - posted on 11/29/2010

i have yet to experience nursing with teeth, but i can offer some things i have read and been told by nursing my moms i know who have nursed through teeth.

usually if a baby is properly latched, you should not feel their teeth and they cant bite. i heard many say that biting will occur once the baby has finished eating and sits and plays on the boob a little while.

most who have been bit will stop the feeding, tell the child in a firm voice "no" and end the feeding. im not sure at 4 months your daughter will get the message though as it is a bit young.

you can try using a frozen face cloth or chilled soother for her to suck on to sooth her gums before you start nursing, so she doesnt use your nipple as a teether.

there is also natural rememdies like camilia and all natural teething tablets that you can use to sooth the babies pain.

how many of your family members have breastfed a child with teeth ? do they know first hand it hurts ? did they seek help with correcting a bad latch or other possible ways to resolve the issue or did they just quit ?

if you dont want to stop then dont ! im sure plenty of women on here will have loads to tell you as many have nursed their kids through teeth and to 2 -3 years old.


and holy crap at 4 top teeth at 4 months !! yikes ! from what i have read thats unusual ? usually its the bottom middle 2 then the top middle 2 . oh and also i have heard that many times teeth will go "in and out" before they stay out. so it could be temporary before they make a permanent appearance later on.

also the pulling with her gums could be the milk not coming out fast enough for her liking, try some breast compressions while nursing, or a massage / rolling the breast just before you feed.

have you checked with your finger to see if there are in fact teeth coming through ? sometime a pinch with the gums can hurt like a bitch in the absence of teeth !