Other breast feeding moms: Do you have this problem?

Question

When I'm breast feeding my three month old, she likes to curl her hands around my breast. The problem is that she has little nails like talons even when I clip them and she will scratch my breast while I'm feeding her. It hurts like H-E double hockey sticks!! Any other breast feeding moms encounter this and how do you deal with it?

Answer 1

I never had this problem and this is just a thought but they sell those little baby scratch mitts... why not have her wear them when you breastfeed?  

Answer 2

Oh goodness... My daughter does this as well!!! I just always lift her hands off of me, that's really all I know what to do. My daughters 3 and a half months old. She really though, she claws me... she squeezes skin and grabs! It's horrible, but I just kind of ignore it!

Good luck!

Answer 3

you need a "nursing necklace!"  its a necklace that's safe for her to grab and even chew, and its shiny and attention grabbing!

go to a craft store and find the biggest pennant you can string on a necklace.  she'll curl her hand around that instead!

Answer 4

I have a similar problem with my now 6 month son grabbing my b*****s.  I try to to get him to hold a blankie or my finger while he's nursing to keep his "claws" from getting me!  But in the early days, when that didn't work, I would just put a soft sock on the problem hand for the duration of the feeding.  Congratulations on still breast feeding!

Answer 5

My son is 9 months old and I can tell you, IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER!

The only thing you can do is A. put some of those no scratch mittens on him (I do this still once in awhile when I am feeding Henry) or B. you can just try to teach him not to do it.

B. is working out ok for me, I just kept on taking his little hand away when he started scratching.

Just wait till he starts the biting, and the pinching, NO ONE WARNS YOU ABOUT THE PINCHING! With those little razor sharp nails pinching RELY hurts!

Well good luck! your not alone!

Answer 6

I had this problem too, but I started filing her nails, I cut them and then I file them gently so she can not scratch. Also I would tuck her arm under my armpit and kinda hold it gently while she is eating. She would try to escape but then would just settle and relax. and I had to hold arm since she used to pinch me also, not just scratch lol. Hope this helps.

Answer 7

I had this problem with both of my children.  I also had a really hard time clipping their nails.  What I ended up doing was actually biting their nails while I was nursing.  

Answer 8

my little DD now grabs my nipple just before I put her on, ouch! or she will  lightly touch me and it tickles or she will dig her nails into the other breast while shes feeding, maybe you could file her nails down to get rid of the sharp edges thats what I did, or put mittens on her while she feeds

Answer 9

Yep, I have the same issue! I know it can be quite painful, but they are just looking for something to hold onto. I found that by having him hold onto something like a stuffed animal or "bankie" helps. If not, you could put mittens on her while you nurse and then remove them when you are done.  

Answer 10

Yes, yes, yes!  Hello Edward Scissor Hands!!

I try to give my son something interesting to hold on to - a rattle, a soft cloth, a teething ring.  Anything!  It also helps to hold that hand with your other hand.

It never got this bad for me - but I read on here from another mom that she took an old white t-shirt and cut small feeding holes in it and wore it while feeding (at home obviously!!).

Good luck - keep at it!  4 months is the honeymoon month where everything seems to get into a nice routine and feeding got much easier!

Answer 11

OMG@!!!! I have the exact same problem with my 2 month old and he has been doing it since birth..Those lil nails hurt sooo bad...He puts both hands around my breast kind of like he is holding it...I think it is mabey just natural instinct (kind of like when bottle fed babies learn to hold ther bottle perhaps???:S)..I unfortunatly dont know anythig to make them stop but keeping there nails short and filing them after kind ofhelped me because after i file them they dont have the sharp little edges as bad..You can also put the scratching mittens on her but it is kind of a hassle to put them on everytime you nurse!!

Answer 12

baby socks over the hands.  :D

Answer 13

Try giving her something else to hold or using your own hands to hold her little hands.  It is good to break bad nursing habits when they start because it needs to be mutually satisfying if you are to do it for very long.

Answer 14

If you can't keep her little hands away and cutting nails doesn't work, then maybe you should try mittens. I've never had this problem.