Teething and Biting Solutions for Nursing Moms

Babies will often play with their mothers' nipples with their gums, not meaning to cause any harm. But once their little chompers start coming in, the playfulness often isn't so amusing anymore. Babies who are teething may think mom's breasts seem like the ideal teething toy.

However, if your baby is positioned correctly on your breast (with not just the nipple, but much of your areola in the mouth), your little one won't physically be able to bite you. Why? Because your nipple should be far back in your baby's mouth.

You often can tell when your baby's about ready to bite, usually when he or she is satisfied and starting to pull away from your breast. In this case, you can pull your potential little biter closer to you to make it more difficult for him or her to pull off easily, or break the suction by slipping your finger into the corner of your baby's mouth.

In some cases, though, biting may be a sign that your baby is done a nursing session, is distracted, or is just plain bored. The breastfeeding advocacy organization La Leche League offers these tips to help reduce the biting potential:

Say, 'Mommy is not for biting. You can bite this,' and offer your little one a teething toy or ring.

Try nursing in a dark or dimly lit room or initiate a new activity if your baby seems distracted and is pulling off your breast a lot.

Praise your baby, with a hug, kiss, or cuddle whenever he or she nurses without biting or trying to bite

But if your baby is biting on a regular basis, it may be an indication that it's time to consider weaning him or her off the breast. Be sure to talk to your child's doctor and/or a lactation consultant, though, before deciding to stop breastfeeding based solely on your little one's biting.