Ashley does this NEW "pinch" thing - OUCH!!!!

MommyToAshley wrote: Ashley has always been one of those babies that pulls, pats, kneads, pinches when she nurses. I can usually distract her or hold her hand (or let her hold my hand) and she stops. But, the last couple of days, she has been doing a new kind of pinch. She will pull up the tiniest piece of skin up with her thumb and forefinger and then dig her nails in! OUCH!!! She really only does this when she is nursing. It is almost like she thinks my boob is finger food...LOL. Maybe she is practing her finger food technique while she nurses. She gets really really mad when I try to distract her or move her hand away too. She kind of throws a temper tantrum... I have never seen her do that before. But, it hurts too bad to let her continue. I don't think she understands that she is hurting me, but she does understand "no". I just don't want her to think I am rejecting her and want her to quit nursing. Any ideas?

Kaitlin'smom replied: ouch! have your tried pinching her back, not hard but just enought to get the idea? or I would tell her no and pull her hand away and hold it. or maybe giving her something small to hold like a sock of hers or something. Just my HTH!

MommyToAshley replied:
Thanks for replying and your advice. You are right, distracting her with other things has worked and will work when she does the normal pulling/pinching... but it doesn't with this new pinch. She gets really upset if I stop her... it is odd, I don't quite know how to explain it. I am not sure I would want to pinch her.. I don't know that she would understand why I am doing it.

Schnoogly replied: I just posted about this on another thread...get a nursing necklace! I hear they are great for 'grabby' babies and I just ordered one. This woman can personalize it to any color you like and will put her name in it too.
/http://www.lorisnursingnecklaces.com/

Kaitlin'smom replied: ya I am not sure about the pinching thing, dont think I would want to do it either, unless its a last resourt. the nursing necklace sounds like a good idea. maybe its something you can make also, dunno. I am lucky Kaitlin just like holding on to my shirt right now but if it changes at least I have some ideas from everone here!

heres to stop hurting mommy Ashley!

MommyToAshley replied:
Thanks... I tried a homemade version of one. She usually can be distracted but this time it is different. She is determined! Hopefully, it is a phase that will pass soon.

kit_kats_mom replied: OWIE!
Katherine was doing this for a week or two. She'd grap a small piece of aureola and pinch the be-jeepers out of it. It really really really hurt. I took a small stuffed toy (a plush pink beanie bear) and stuck him between us then I guided her hand to him. She can mutilate his ear all she wants.

victoire2002 replied: Ouch! Aidan does this, too. I usually try to guide his hand to the material on my shirt, or something else he can grab. He usually gets me right under the arm on my bicep.... thin skin and that hurts!!!

Also, I have recently started reprimanding him and telling him DON'T DO THAT! OFF LIMITS! He looks startled when I do this, but he usually stops after a few reprimands.

HTH

Vicki

supermom replied: Wish I could offer some different advice, and just my but if you pinch her back, you are teaching her that it's ok to pinch......

If you've tried distracting, then I don't know what else would work....maybe get something that feels like skin for her to pinch instead, like maybe a "feel like real" baby doll or something?? That's about the only other thing I can think of. Occasionally Anders still does this, but he did outgrow it, it wasn't something he did for very long, for sure (but he's a nurse-a-holic and I gave him what-for!! - teehee)

MomToMany replied: Hannah does this too! OWWWWWWWWIE! She usually gets my areola. She's been doing it for a long time now, and I just take her hand away and tell her "No, that hurts!". She usually whines and does it again, but I think it's wrong to pinch them back. I try to keep myself as covered as possible, but that doesn't always work ! She still manages to get her hands up in there!

Another joy of nursing our children!

supermom replied:
That we wouldn't trade for anything in the world - teehee

Cute new avitar, BTW - what a dollie!!

MomToMany replied:
Thank you! I actually got a nice picture of her; she stood still for about 5 seconds!

MamaMartie replied: Ouch that does sound painful. The suggestions about giving her a toy sound good to me. Hannah likes to hold onto my shirt or my finger while nursing. But it sounds like Ashley has moved beyond that. Good luck!

MommyToAshley replied: She's back to her normal pulling, grabbing, pinching... not so painful. And, I can distract her again without her throwing a temper tantrum. It must have just been a phase. Thanks for all your tips!

Hillbilly Housewife replied: I'm taking notes...I totally plan on breastfeeding this baby, so all advice is duly noted!! heh ehe!