Funny Breastfed Babies Reactions to Boobies
This article was originally published on May 2, 2018. It was updated on October 14, 2020 by Kirstie Landry.
Breastfeeding is widely known to be the most nutritional thing for a newborn baby. However, breastfeeding is also a unique bonding experience for new moms. Breastmilk definitely helps a little baby's immune system, but the act of breastfeeding itself actually releases a hormone that helps mama and baby bond, according to verywellfamily.com.
Moms feeling their baby on their skin and knowing they are doing everything they can to nourish them is beautiful. While breastfeeding is known to take a lot of calories from the mother, it also helps women lose some of that extra baby weight. For many women, this seems like a magical solution because they get to feed their baby and slim down to their pre-baby size. Of course, breastfeeding is not always sunshine and rainbows. If it were easy, everybody would be doing it, but the fact that so many women have to turn to formula simply shows how hard nursing can truly be, especially for a new mom.
Also, babies can actually do some really weird and surprising things while they are breastfeeding. Even though these next 15 things listed may seem crazy or worrying, they are completely normal. Every baby is different but there is a good chance that mamas who breastfeed will relate to a few of these odd behaviors.
15 Pick A Favorite Side
This one might not come as much of a surprise to some of the more experienced moms out there. Any woman who has breastfed before knows that babies definitely have a favorite side. This might seem crazy because one might assume that all the baby wants is their milk. However, according to babycenter.com, this is completely normal.
A newborn may reject one side because it's simply harder for them to latch on that side, or they might notice that one breast has a lower milk supply. Allowing the baby to keep their favorite for too long might result in some uneven boobs. This can be remedied by simply trying to encourage them to nurse on the other side whenever that is possible. However, this is probably not a good idea when they are fussy.
14 Over-Stuff Themselves
Many people have been there before. They just want one more slice of pizza or that delicious-looking dessert. Whatever their food of choice may be, overstuffing oneself is never fun. Usually, that can leave a person feeling so full and sick. Unfortunately, this same fate can happen to babies too. According to essentialbaby.com, sometimes babies even throw up if they have taken more milk than they needed.
It actually seems easier for babies to overeat because someone else is putting their food supply in their mouths. All they have to do is drink the milk. It can be easy for babies to get carried away with the sucking and nursing, and not register how full they are until the consequences come later.
13 Pull Their Hair Out
This one definitely comes as a surprise to most moms. The idea of their baby pulling their hair out while breastfeeding seems rare and quite odd. As it turns out, this is actually a pretty normal occurrence among babies.
According to community.babycenter.com, this is also something that some babies do when they are drinking from a bottle. Even though this is odd behavior for a baby to show while breastfeeding or drinking from a bottle, it seems to be quite common. But if it gets to be a big issue, moms should not hesitate to speak with their child's doctor about it, as there could be some serious reasons behind it.
12 Need Love, Not Milk
When babies begin to cry and fuss, many moms pick them up and pull out the milk supply almost as a reflex. It becomes second nature for moms who breastfeed a lot. However, there comes a time when these moms realize that there is just no way their babies are hungry. Maybe they had just been fed, or maybe it is not even close to their normal feeding time.
If a little one is trying to nurse even when they are not hungry, it probably means that they simply want some attention and skin to skin contact. Sometimes some love really can do the trick. But, this can be quite inconvenient for the busy mom who can't sit around and play human pacifier for their baby. According to parenting.com, switching a baby to a pacifier after they are fed, or wearing them around the house so they feel that intimacy can be solutions to this problem.
11 Grab At Your Breasts
New moms usually do not expect their babies to play with their breasts. While lots of women discuss how important breastfeeding is, they usually do not discuss some of the weird behavior babies might demonstrate while they are breastfeeding, and this kind of thing is a really good example of that.
Since so many babies are different, it can be hard to gauge what one mom's experience breastfeeding will be. According to kellymom.com, almost every baby has curious little hands that grab, squeeze, pull, and pinch.
Although some moms might find this to be painful, it's hard to picture anything cuter. Also, some moms might wonder "what if my baby touches my face while breastfeeding?" However, that does not seem to be something that they should worry about. It is quite normal.
10 Bite Down While Nursing
Babies can't actually bite down while nursing since their tongue covers their teeth. However, a bite every once in a while from a teething baby is probably inevitable.
According to parenting.com, babies will bite down on just about anything when they are teething because it helps to relieve the pain. Of course, reacting with a loud "ouch" is only natural, but moms are encouraged to try to control their reactions, at least with younger babies. The best thing they can do is stop breastfeeding if they feel a bite. This shows them that they get their milk taken away if they bite.
9 Fall Asleep When They're Still Hungry
There are legitimate reasons why a baby would stop nursing and fall asleep. One of those reasons could be because they are full, but the other option is a low milk flow. Sometimes if the milk is not coming out fast enough, babies will fall asleep while they are waiting.
While some moms choose to gently try to wake their babies up enough for them to keep sleeping, others don't like the idea of nursing their baby to sleep in general. If a mom is struggling to see if her baby is full, she should try feeling her breasts. If they feel softer and less full, there is a good chance her baby got what they needed. According to kellymom.com, the important thing is doing what works for them and their family. Nursing to sleep is nourishing but it's also nurturing.
8 Need A Diaper Change
It is possible for babies might poop while they are nursing or right after. This is actually an important sign because it tells moms that their newborns has had enough to eat.
Newborns have the tiniest tummy capacities, and so it is hard for them to hold anything inside of them for very long. That means whatever goes in, is going to come out very quickly. According to Baby Care Advice, breast milk also contains enzymes that improve digestion. Therefore, plan to have a new diaper ready after just about every feeding session. After all, isn't it better to be prepared for anything?
7 Make Grunting Noises
The little noises that babies make while breastfeeding are arguably the cutest sounds you will ever hear. According to momwoot.com, a baby grunting during nursing is nothing to worry about. When babies are little, every little sound they make can be a cause for concern since they aren't able to talk yet. A little bit of anxiety is normal as a new mom.
Luckily, baby grunting is common and can occur in babies as young as a few weeks old up to several months. However, it isn't necessarily a good thing.
When babies consume milk very quickly, it can hurt their little intestines and cause intestinal distress. As a way to cope with this, babies will usually grunt. The experience is not pleasant for baby or mom.
So, moms might stress out when they hear their baby vocalizing while nursing, or when their baby makes noises while breastfeeding. However, moms can try are leaning back or occasionally pulling your baby off your breast if the milk flow is coming too fast.
6 Become An Acrobat While Nursing
Nursing passively is something many moms take for granted until their baby starts breastfeeding standing up, upside down, and all twisted. If moms discover that their baby is twisting and pulling while breastfeeding, or that they are kicking while doing it, they should know that they are not alone.
Once a little one doesn't look so little anymore, it will be much harder to try and calm their activity levels while breastfeeding. According to Parent24, babies and toddlers are busy. They just want their milk, but don't want to be bothered with anything stopping their daily movements. While this can be challenging for mom at times, try to cherish these moments because they will be gone soon enough.
5 Completely Zone Out
It may be the first signs of a food coma, or it could be a genuine lack of interest. Often times, many breastfeeding moms have this idea of what that time will look like. Usually, moms want it to consist of bonding and a truly intimate connection. However, many babies end up zoning out during the feeding and don't even give you the time of day.
If a mom is easily offended, she should not take it out on her baby just yet. According to Health Daily, a baby staring off into space is actually a sign that they are working on their cognitive development.
During the first year of life, a child's brain will double in size and make extreme cognitive leaps. Many of the baby's first responses like crying when hungry or crying when they had a dirty diaper were all just reflexes. So, it's possible that this zoning out is just a milk high, or it could be the massive amount of brain activity currently at work.
4 Throw Some Kicks And Punches
Gymnastics is one thing, attacking is a whole other story. One may think an attack from a baby will be light and harmless, but that is not the case at all. Babies can pull, punch, and kick all while they are simultaneously nursing. New moms be surprised if they suddenly get a sharp kick in their stomach or a punch in their face.
Face slapping might also happen. Feeling baby kicks while breastfeeding is normal, and so are some other movements.
According to Romper, these attacks usually occur between six to nine months because that is typically when they can start using their hands and feet more. These attacks can get frustrating, especially if they are aggressive, but moms are advised to try giving their babies a toy or sternly telling them to be still.
3 Have No Interest In Nursing
It can be extremely frustrating for a mom when she knows that her baby is hungry, but they are continuing to squirm, and wiggle, and do everything they can to not nurse. This lack of interest is actually just the baby being distracted and it usually occurs around 2 to 6 months of age.
While it's easy for a sleep-deprived mother to get frustrated with her baby, try to remember that everything is new to them. They are just learning how to use their neck and lift their head.
According to mayoclinic.org, mothers who are struggling with this breastfeeding strike should simply keep trying. Moms can change positions, try to prevent distractions, and even cuddle their baby with skin-to-skin contact. Something is bound to work eventually.
2 Become Stuffed Up And Congested
Not very many people see a baby with a stuffy nose and connect it to breastfeeding. Interestingly enough, breastfed babies have had fewer upper respiratory infections than those who were formula-fed, according to livestrong.com.
If a baby is often sick with a stuffy nose or congestion, it could be linked to the cow's milk found in formula. Cow milk-based formula has also been proven to cause ear and upper respiratory infections. However, the other side of the argument shows that babies could also have chest congestion due to saliva and regurgitated milk. Therefore, breastmilk technically could cause these issues as well, but cow milk products for infants are more likely.
1 A Sick Baby Could Be Caused By Mommy's Diet
It's common knowledge at this point that what a woman eats while she is pregnant will directly affect her growing baby. However, what many people often forget is that when a new mom is nursing, her diet still needs to be critically monitored. This is why women who are breastfeeding still can't drink alcohol because the bad elements would be transferred through the milk, into the baby.
According to sciencenorway.no, the nutritional content of a mother's breastmilk reflects her nutritional status. Therefore, if she is lacking in all major vitamins and nutrients, so will her breastmilk.
At the same time though, breast milk does a good job of adapting to the baby's needs as best it can, despite a mother's relatively low nutrient levels. If a baby is constantly sick or not seeming well, changing the mother's diet could be a good first step.
READ NEXT: 15 Things Babies Do In Mom's Stomach That Are Weird AF
References: Verywell Family, Essential Baby, Baby Center, Parenting, Baby Care Advice, Kelly Mom, Mom Woot, Parent24, Health Daily, Romper, Mayo Clinic, Live Strong, Sciencenorway
Source: https://www.babygaga.com/15-things-babies-do-while-breastfeeding/