Lactnetters,
I am working with a mother of a 17 month old.  She needs some more
suggestions to help with how to stop her baby from pulling and clamping
on her nipple during breastfeeding--usually during an MER when the flow
is fast.  Though sometimes it is at the end of a feeding.  This has been
going on for 3 weeks and mother has painful nipples for which  current tx
with diflucan as of a couple days ago is helping considerably.  I'm
thinking the damage inside the nipple is what precluded the probable
infection.  Baby has all front teeth and incisers.  Top teeth are painful
on mother also when baby is pulling back to nurse and leave marks that
are sometimes purple looking from the ongoing pressure.  Nipple and
breast tissue are intact and show no signs of irritation/infection.  More
painful nipple is however firmer as if there is internal swelling.

So far she has tried taking her baby off the breast, telling baby to stop
because it hurts, watching baby for signs that she is going to do this
and take her off ahead of time.  The hard part is that baby does most of
her nursing at night and mother who is nursing while half asleep can't
monitor her as well.

Can you give suggestions for this mother who would like to continue
nursing until 24+ months.  Her first baby was weaned at age 2 for similar
problem.

TIA,
Natalie Shenk, BS, IBCLC
private practice in NW Ohio