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My baby makes a clicking sound when nursing.
Is this a problem?
By Kelly Bonyata, BS, IBCLC
A clicking (or clucking or chucking) sound during nursing indicates
that baby is repeatedly breaking the seal or suction.
Try to notice when it occurs in the feeding. Is it more noticeable
during let-down, or is it constant? Also try to notice if you have
discomfort of any kind during the clicking.
If the clicking causes discomfort or pain, or if baby is not gaining
weight as expected, it would be a good idea to get an evaluation
by an experienced lactation consultant.
Sometimes the click is normal and not an indication of a problem.
Whatever the cause of the clicking, as long as baby is growing well
and mom is comfortable (no nipple soreness or pain), don't worry
about it.
Some things that can cause clicking include:
Engorgement
can make latch on difficult and baby may have a hard time maintaining
suction.
Poor
positioning and/or latch: for example, if baby is
retracting the tongue or curling the tongue up when nursing, it
can cause a clicking sound as the suction is broken. With poor positioning,
baby may have a hard time maintaining a good seal at the breast.
Breastmilk
oversupply
and/or fast let-down. Baby will often break suction
if the milk is coming too fast for him to handle.
Teething
may be a cause of temporary clicking. If your baby has a sore mouth
from the teething he may be trying to relieve it somewhat by not
getting as tight of a seal around the breast or by repeatedly breaking
the suction (thus the clicking). He could also be doing the same
thing just because he's not yet used to the feel of teeth
in his mouth when he's nursing.
Ear
infection could throw baby's suck "off"
temporarily. There is usually some pressure that builds in the ear
when sucking and when there is ear pain, that pressure can be extremely
uncomfortable. Baby may try to relieve it somewhat by not getting
as tight of a seal around the breast or by repeatedly breaking the
suction (thus the click).
Thrush
can make baby's mouth sore or itchy, causing him to break suction.
Babies who
suck their tongues sometimes click. Such a baby is accustomed
to the sensation of his own tongue up against the roof of his mouth
and may latch too quickly with a shallow latch as soon as he senses
something entering his mouth. You'll often see cheek dimpling when
this sort of clicking is going on.
Less commonly, anatomical
variations in the infant's oral cavity can cause clicking,
if baby cannot get the nipple/breast fully into the mouth and compressed
against the roof of the mouth. Examples include:
- Tongue
tie/tight frenulum: A baby with tongue tie may be unable to
keep the tongue extended for the relatively prolonged job of nursing,
and thus the tongue will "snap back" when baby can no
longer keep it in place. When he pulls the tongue back, suction
is broken and you hear a click.
- Highly-arched
palate or other palate variations;
- Cleft
of the soft palate;
- Unusually small or large tongue, etc.
Page last modified:
10/10/2005
Written: 04/20/02
