Babies don’t usually self-wean until they are around 18 months old. There are, however, a number of things that could cause your baby to lose interest in breastfeeding temporarily before then. If you are hoping to wean your baby before 18 months, you could gently use one of these periods as a way of encouraging your baby to wean.

True self-weaning is a very gradual process, and it can take months for your baby to stop breastfeeding. He may slowly begin to reduce the number of feeds he has throughout the day until he is having just one or two. Self-weaning occurs when your baby gives up that feed of his own accord. If you want to initiate weaning sooner, you can gently encourage your baby to gradually reduce feeds over a few weeks or months.

Why has my baby lost interest in breastfeeding?

It is not uncommon for babies aged around nine or 10 months old to temporarily lose interest in breastfeeding. This could be because:

• your baby is eating more solids – as your baby’s reliance on solid food grows, he’ll need less breastmilk to fill up his tummy. Though your baby has been eating solid food for months now, it may have taken him a while to start getting most of his nutrients this way. You’ve probably noticed that your baby feeds less frequently and for shorter periods now that he’s enjoying three meals a day.
• bottles are faster – if you’ve recently introduced a bottle, your baby may have grown accustomed to the flow of milk from a bottle. When breastfeeding, your baby needs to suckle before milk is released. For a baby used to getting milk straight away from a bottle, this can be frustrating.
• your baby is going through a developmental stage – the first year of life is pretty hectic for babies. They are developing lots of new emotional, social and physical skills. You may have noticed that your baby goes through short periods where he doesn’t seem quite himself, only for him to impress you with a new skill a few days later. During these developmental phases, your baby may be fussy, distracted and grumpy, all of which can interfere with breastfeeding.
• your baby is teething – some babies find breastfeeding soothes their gums, but others would rather skip the breastfeeds when their gums are sore. If your baby is teething, this could be what’s making him resist feeds.
• your baby is unwell – if your baby has a blocked nose, he may struggle to breathe during breastfeeds. Try gently suctioning the snot from your baby’s nose before feeds. You could also try breastfeeding in a steamy bathroom to help clear his airways during the feed.

If you would like to continue breastfeeding, you’ll need to keep offering your baby feeds during the day. Using a sling or carrier for skin-to-skin may encourage your baby to feed. Be patient and try to follow your baby’s lead.

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Why is my baby putting everything in his mouth?

Babies love to explore. For babies, learning is a sensory experience and as many of the senses must be utilized as possible. This includes taste, so you should expect your baby to explore things with his mouth. He will gum down, suck, chew and drool all over toys and pretty much everything else he can find. It won’t be particularly attractive, but it will be one of the ways he learns about the world around him. By putting an object in his mouth, your baby can learn about the taste, texture, feeling and other properties of the object.

Some babies find that gumming down on toys and other objects help to alleviate teething pain. If your baby is drooling lots and gumming down on everything in sight, it could be a sign that his teeth are bothering him. There are plenty of teething toys on the market to help your baby cope with teething pains. If you’d rather save your pennies, you can knock up a teething toy for free at home. Simply stick a flannel in the freezer for a few hours, your baby will find the cold soothing as he bites down on the flannel when his soon-to-arrive teeth start to bother him.

When does the oral phase start?

Most babies are aged between three and four months old when they start putting things in their mouths. All of a sudden, anything and everything will end up in their mouth. The oral phase will last until your child is between 12 and 18 months old. Especially in this phase, you’ll need to take steps and be extra careful to protect your child.

Small objects present a choking hazard and should be kept out of reach of babies. If you don’t want something to go in your baby’s mouth, keep it out of your baby’s reach. This goes for smartphones, remote controls and car keys. Choose toys or objects which you are happy for your baby to explore orally. The oral phase should pass shortly after your baby’s first birthday, but until then you’ll need to keep a close eye on him to make sure he doesn’t put anything dangerous in his mouth.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve had to persuade your baby to remove from his mouth?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Breastfeeding is a pretty amazing thing and leaves you in awe of just how incredible your body is. Well, it does until your baby bites you for the first time, then all of a sudden it’s not quite the warm and fuzzy bonding experience you were hoping for. Some moms choose to give up breastfeeding when their baby bites, but this isn’t necessary. There are things you can do to gently teach your baby not to bite your nipples.

The important thing to bear in mind is that biting is a temporary stage. Just because your baby has bitten once does not mean that he will bite during feeds forever more. Some babies only ever bite once, others may trial it for a few days and for other babies it may take a few weeks until the behaviour dies down, this will all depend on your baby.

Biting often accompanies teething and is simply a way of your baby relieving some of the discomfort he feels on his gums. Unfortunately, this then passes the discomfort onto you which is certainly not ideal. So what can you do to stop your baby biting during breastfeeds?

How to stop your baby biting when breastfeeding

1. Recognize teething signs

Your baby may be using feeds as a way of reducing discomfort caused by teething, unfortunately this may mean he’s like to gum down or bite your nipples. Ouch. If you think your baby may be teething, try offering a teething toy for him to bite instead of offering a feed.

2. Look out for signs of boredom

Some babies bite at the end of a feed simply because they are bored (and, clearly, ungrateful). Babies can’t feed and bite at the same time, so a break in feeding could be a warning that a bite may be around the corner. If you think your baby may be done, immediately remove him from the breast.

3. Give your baby attention

Some babies bite for attention during feeds. Try to resist the urge to look at your phone or watch TV and instead focus your attention on your baby during feeds. It may just be that he wants to look into your eyes for a little while and doesn’t know a better way of getting your attention.

4. Remove baby from the breast

If the baby bites, you should stop the feed. You can do this without saying anything or you can say something to gently let him know that the feed is over. Scolding your baby won’t work because he’s too young to understand, so silence or gentle explanation is the best way forward.

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Teething is an anticipated milestone. Although it can vary, teething typically starts about six months. But every baby’s teething timeline is different. Anywhere between three and 12 months is considered normal. It’s also important to understand, teething symptoms can start several weeks before the appearance of a tooth.

The sight of your baby’s first tooth popping through is adorable. What’s not so exciting is the teething symptoms she may experience. Although some babies sail through teething without much fuss, others may have a few bumps along the way.

Recognizing teething symptoms can help you ease your baby’s discomfort. For example, babies who are teething often gnaw on whatever they can find. The pressure from your baby’s tooth cutting through the gum is painful. He baby may bite on anything he can find to apply counterpressure to the gum, which can decrease discomfort.

Offering your baby a teething toy may help since it can provide counterpressure that may decrease pain. Cool teething toys often work best. Consider placing a teething toy in the refrigerator for a bit before you give it to your baby.

Another common sign of teething is drooling. All babies drool a bit. But if the floodgates have opened, and your little one is always soggy, teething may be the cause. It may be helpful to put a bib on your baby to keep clothes dry and wipe his chin often to prevent chapping.

You also might find your smiling bundle has become a lot fussier at times. His little mouth is hurting, and that’s no fun. So it’s no wonder he is not feeling his happy self. Teething may also spell trouble for getting a good night’s sleep for both of you. Don’t be surprised if your baby is crying and waking up more at night due to the discomfort.

Cranky babies with sore gums may also not eat as well. If your baby is eating solids, the pressure from the spoon may irritate his gums. Babies who are nursing or bottle feeding may pull away since the sucking can put pressure on the gums, which are already inflamed. Cold foods, such as chilled applesauce and yogurt may sooth your baby’s irritated gums and be a good choice.

Some babies also develop a fever when teething. Studies indicate that fevers from teething tend to be lower than 101 degrees Fahrenheit or 38.3 degrees Celsius. If your baby has a fever higher than that, it is more commonly due to illness.

If nothing seems to help your baby’s teething discomfort, baby acetaminophen may do the trick to reduce pain. But always check with your pediatrician first before giving your baby any medication.

Lastly, your baby also needs some extra snuggles and a little patience. On the tough days remember, teething won’t last forever. Pretty soon that gummy little grin will be a pearly white smile.

Written by MaryAnn DePietro @ writerlady34

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.