How to Stop Biting while Breastfeeding

If you've landed on this page, it's most likely because you've recently been on the receiving end of a bite by your baby while breastfeeding, which also means you're familiar with the unmistakable pain of a biting baby. Ouch!! Those teeth are small, but they can seriously do some damage! For a lot of moms, biting at the breast can be the reason for choosing to wean from breastfeeding. And if you're okay with that and just ready to be done--that's totally okay! But if you're dealing with biting at the breast and still want to continue breastfeeding, hopefully you can take comfort in the fact that biting is usually just a phase and can be managed effectively by employing a few helpful strategies.

Why Do Babies Bite?

The first step toward overcoming biting at the breast is to determine what is causing your baby to want to bite. Babies bite for various reasons, depending on their age and developmental stage. Understanding the root cause can help you respond appropriately.

How to Handle A Bite

Stay calm.

A commonly advised strategy from other moms is to “flick” baby’s cheek or scare them after a bite to discourage a repeated biting incident. While this can sometimes be successful in preventing a future bite, this often actually backfires. A big reaction from mom can create aversions to breastfeeding, triggering a nursing strike. Babies are not always able to understand the correlation between cause and effect, so they may associate the negative experience with breastfeeding in general rather than the bite. Alternatively, your baby might find your big reaction funny or interesting, and could respond with curiosity by biting you again to see if you react the same way again, thus perpetuating the problem.

It's best to do your best to stay as calm as you can immediately after a bite. This is easier said than done, and your reaction to pain is often largely instinctual. So just do your best and take a breath!

Break the latch.

Pause or end the feeding by gently breaking the latch using your finger. If you think baby is done eating and is now biting due to playfulness or boredom, or to signal fullness, then simply end the feeding and move forward with your day. Otherwise, take a short break so you can both reset.

Use a verbal cue.

After removing your baby from the breast, say something like, "No biting," using a firm but gentle tone. Use the same phrase every time. Your baby may not be able to talk yet, but they pick up on more language than we sometimes realize, and consistency is key here.

Offer a biting alternative.

Especially if you suspect teething is the issue, offer your baby a teething toy or cold washcloth to chew on before nursing. This can help soothe their gums and reduce the likelihood of biting at the breast.

Resume feeding.

If you think baby is still hungry and want to resume the feeding, re-latch and continue the feeding after you and baby are both calm and ready.

Be consistent.

Responding the same way every time is the easiest way for your baby to understand that biting means no more milk, and will hopefully hasten the cessation of biting.

Nipple Pain & Damage After a Bite

If the bite was quite hard, especially if it was enough to break the skin, you may have to deal with some ongoing nipple pain and breakdown. Focus on healing the nipple with hydrating nipple balms and protect them using nursing pads, breast shells or silverette nipple covers. If you have a break in the skin and are pumping, you might notice a pink tinge to your milk indicating there is some blood in the milk. While definitely uncomfortable for you, it is safe for you to feed to your baby. If it bothers you, you can leave it in the fridge overnight and it may separate slightly, allowing you to pour off the milk and leave the bloody milk in the bottom of the bottle to discard. For a deeper dive into healing sore nipples, check out this blog post!

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Preventing Another Bite

While biting is certainly not your fault, there are a few things you can do to try to prevent repeated biting.

• Watch for feeding cues. Feed baby as soon as they are hungry, and maintain a deep latch during the entire feeding.
• Recognize signs of discomfort or distraction. If you are able to notice signs that your baby is about to bite, gently break the latch right away. 
• Use nursing necklaces or accessories if baby is easily distracted. Engage with baby while breastfeeding, avoiding looking at your phone or watching tv. 
• Watch for signs of low supply. Practice hands-on nursing or breast massage while baby is feeding to encourage milk flow.
  
• If you are dealing with an oversupply and/or forceful let-down, focus on managing your supply. Utilize a laid back nursing position to use gravity to your advantage and make your let-down more manageable for your baby. Alternatively, you can use a hand pump or hand express the first letdown before latching baby to make the flow more manageable.
  
• Seek evaluation from baby’s provider and/or lactation consultant to rule out any infant conditions illness.
• Use teething remedies before nursing such as teething gel, teethers, cold washcloth, etc. Massage baby's gums prior to feeding.

If Biting Persists...

For most babies, biting while breastfeeding is a phase that will soon pass with some patience and consistency. Remember that this is often a sign of your baby’s development, whether due to teething or just exploring their environment. Stay calm, set clear boundaries, and offer alternative comfort measures, and hopefully you and your baby can get back to a positive breastfeeding experience! If biting becomes a persistent issue and you're feeling frustrated and overwhelmed, it might be time to reach out for more support. A biting baby can really derail a previously well-established breastfeeding journey, which can be distressing for both you and your baby. A lactation consultant can provide personalized advice and techniques to help manage the situation. Sometimes, a slight adjustment in positioning or nursing routine can make a big difference.

For some moms, biting at the breast is too much to manage, so you may decide that it’s best for your family to wean at this point.  You may feel disappointed or frustrated at this unexpected ending to your journey, or you may feel relieved to be moving on to the next chapter of feeding your baby, and all of these feelings are valid!  No matter how long you were able to breastfeed, it is a great accomplishment and something to be celebrated!

Feeling like you need more in-depth help with feeding your baby? I'm here to walk beside you on your feeding journey with my Bottle & Breastfeeding Course! It's full of comprehensive, evidence-based strategies for feeding your baby to help you feel more confident and prepared. Click the link below for more!

Access the Bottle & Breastfeeding Course Here!