Expert: Sally Wendkos Olds - 12/1/2006

Question
My six month old son is eating solids on a regular basis.  He eats three times
a day and often mid afternoon I'll also give him a little snack ie. cheerios or a
piece of rice cracker.  He now has 5 teeth and has recently started to bite me
so I have become a little hesitant when it comes to nursing him.  I am not
ready to stop nursing yet... How often does he need to nurse?  Will him
nursing only 3 times a day be enough?

Answer
Dear Jen,

First, congratulations for giving your son the best start in life by breastfeeding him.

Now for your questions:

* Nursing three times a day should be enough. However, if he gets sick or is upset for some other reason, he may want to nurse more often for emotional reasons. If this works out for you, you may want to nurse him more often at these times.

* You can teach him not to bite you when he nurses. I am attaching an excerpt from my book (see below), which I hope will help.

Good luck!

Sally

Sally Wendkos Olds
Author, THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING: Eiger & Olds, 3rd edition 1999, published by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books, and available in most public libraries, bookstores & La Leche League chapters.
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  BOX 10-6
  HOW TO DISCOURAGE BITING

A baby who is actively nursing cannot bite. Biting happens most often toward the end of a feeding, or when a baby is about to fall asleep. Babies are smart: once they realize that every time they start to bite, they get taken off the breast, they learn that this kind of behavior isn't getting them what they really want, and they'll stop. The following suggestions work well:
  * As soon as your baby starts to bite down on your breast, withdraw your breast. Break the suction by inserting your finger in the corner of his mouth.
  * As you take your breast away, firmly say "No" every time your baby tries to bite.
  * Do not smile when you say this; your baby may interpret this as a game you're playing. You might even look at your baby with a sad expression.
  * One mother we know begins socializing her children by saying, "That hurts Mommy. We don't hurt other people," as she takes her baby off the breast for biting. She repeats this same litany over and over again as her children grow into toddlers, providing a continuing way to teach them not to kick, hit, or do other hurtful acts.
  * If your baby is teething, give her a cold washcloth to bite down upon just before you nurse her. Also give her special teething toys and foods.
  * Try putting him down, walking away for a moment, and then returning to put him back on the breast.
  * If you can anticipate when the biting is likely to start, take your baby off your breast ahead of time.
  * If your baby keeps biting, keep your finger close to her mouth and watch her carefully; as soon as she stops nursing actively or looks playful, remove your breast.
  * Or quietly say your baby's name while drawing him close to you; this distracts him and gets him back to nursing.