Let's Breastfeed

Why does my baby keep pulling off the breast?

Hi Geraldine,

I have been breastfeeding my baby well for 2 weeks now with no cracked or bleeding nipples my friends all seem to suffer. My problem is that my baby keeps arching backwards and pulling at the nipple. It is so painful and I feel nervous that he is going to snap it right off as he is quite strong! I guess my other concern is that I don’t want my nipples to stretch beyond recognition either – sorry to be so vain….

Why is he pulling at the breast and what I can do to stop him doing this during feeds?

Thank you in advance.

Jessie Brown

Hi there Jessie,

Ouch! As I know most little ones have an incredibly strong suck, I do sympathise with your dilemma!

Firstly, you need to practice breaking his latch quickly so as to restrict the damage he is doing to your nipple. To do this, use your index finger to his cheek away from his gum. This will break the suction quickly and effectively.

If he is clamped onto the breast and won’t let go, get your finger into the corner of his mouth, wiggle it pushing forward until you are between his gums, on top of his tongue and heading toward the roof of his mouth. Don’t let him pull back whilst you are doing this, apply gentle pressure just behind his shoulders and keep him close to the breast until you have broken the seal effectively!

Now we need to investigate why he is pulling back from the breast.

Answer these questions for me:

Are your breasts really full before feeds?

Does your baby make a lot of gulping noises at the breast at the beginning of the feed?

Does your baby only feed for short periods?

Is your baby gaining weight really well?

Do your breasts feel empty before feeds?

Does your baby have to work really hard to get enough milk in his mouth to swallow? (lots of sucking before a swallow)

Does your baby get frustrated and cry during feeds?

Is your baby struggling to gain weight each week?

If you answered yes to the first 4 questions, I would assume that you have a very fast let down and that your baby is struggling to cope with the volume and speed of milk flow. It is safer and easier to nipple feed as he is able to pull back and let go of the breast quicker. A fast let down can also lead to baby swallowing a lot of wind during the feed.

What goes in must come out. Usually the air your baby swallows during a feed will travel upward, forcing baby to arch back away from the breast. If you notice your baby gulping, clicking at the breast, wriggling and arching backwards – you need to take him off and wind him.

If you answered yes to the last 4 questions, your baby is probably trying to tell you that he is not positioned well enough to drain the entire breast, or that your supply is slightly low and needs a boost.

The Beginners Guide to Breastfeeding  is packed with practical tips to manage both these challenges. If you are still struggling, I would suggest that you pop down to the Practice in Twickenham or find help locally to assess your breastfeeds by sitting with you whilst you feed.

Let me know how you get on.

Kind regards,

Geraldine

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