Few images convey as much harmony and peace as a baby devotedly drinking milk from the breast. But appearances are deceptive. What seems so peaceful and natural is actually hard work for your baby.
To actually elicit milk from the breast, the baby has to make a real effort. A baby first has to learn the right technique to drink effectively from the breast. Although there is an innate sucking reflex, there is more to breastfeeding.
This learning process can be disturbed in the first few weeks of life by aids such as pacifiers and bottles - resulting in sucking confusion. But what can indicate such sucking confusion? What if your baby goes on breast strike? And is it even possible to avoid sucking confusion? You can find answers to these questions in this article.
Signs of sucking confusion
If your baby suffers from so-called sucking confusion, he or she will have difficulty drinking from the mother's breast at or sucking at . This can happen if they have been offered different sucking alternatives repeatedly in the first few weeks after birth - for example, the nipple, the soother and the bottle teat.
Babies are not yet cognitively developed enough to be able to assign nipple, bottle and soother to the different sucking methods. Incidentally, sucking confusion has not been known for very long. It was only in 1995 that this phenomenon was first scientifically described in the USA under the term "nipple confusion". Since then, we know a little more about the causes and background.
Other causes of nipple confusion
It's hard to believe, but some babies have already gotten into the sucking reflex wrong habit in the womb because they always sucked their thumb there. Sometimes incorrect latching on can also lead to sucking confusion. So-called breastfeeding shields can also be problematic. This causes the baby to forget how to hold the breast in order to empty it optimally. It is not uncommon for such breastfeeding problems to result in milk stasis or breast inflammation.
How can I recognize a sucking confusion?
There are a number of signs that indicate a sucking disorder. If your child exhibits the following behaviors, you should pay attention.
- Your baby sucks a lot, but it is not effective because it cannot manage to drink anything.
- It is noticeably restless when drinking, fidgets and sometimes pushes the breast away.
- Once it has docked , it keeps losing the nipple.
- It pulls its cheeks in conspicuously.
- Your baby does not manage to empty the breast sufficiently or stimulate the milk production reflex.
- It sucks, lets go again and so on. It often cries.
- It refuses the breast, despite an increased need to suck.
- Your baby wants to be at the breast more than usual without sucking properly.
Breast, bottle or pacifier: this is how sucking confusion arises
In order for breast milk to flow, the baby has to perform highly complex movements when breastfeeding. However, the optimal interaction of lips, jaw and tongue is not so easy for a newborn. Many mothers therefore find it practical to feed their little one with a bottle from time to time, which is much easier and less complicated for the child.
However, when mothers pump or feed, this can lead to confusion if the child is sometimes supposed to drink from the bottle and sometimes at the breast. It cannot yet understand why it is so terribly strenuous with one and works effortlessly with the other. If the baby is then given a pacifier, the chaos is perfect and it can lead to sucking confusion.
What is the difference between sucking on the breast, bottle and soother?
Sucking at the breast is by far the most difficult for your baby. It is much easier on the bottle because he doesn't have to open his mouth as wide or make any special movements with his tongue as when sucking on the breast. It is enough to press the teat against the palate. The confusion arises because the milk sometimes comes very easily and sometimes only with great effort. As this is seemingly unrelated for the child, it causes confusion and frustration. Sucking confusion can also occur if you exclusively breastfeed your baby but also offer him a pacifier.
What to do if your baby is confused about sucking?
Although there is no guarantee of success, you may be able to solve the sucking confusion with the following tips. The most important advice right at the beginning: Be patient with your baby and yourself:
- It is best not to give your child a teat or pacifier right from the start. It should only be fed with the mother's breast or the breastfeeding person's breast.
- If your baby rejects or even refuses the breast, this may be due to overstimulation. Put your baby to the breast when it is still half asleep. Ensure a calm environment with as few stimuli as possible and a comfortable breastfeeding position. Close physical contact between mother and child also has a calming effect.
- If you stimulate your nipples before breastfeeding so that a little milk comes out, you make it easier for your baby to suckle because the milk flow has already started.
If these tips are also unsuccessful, it is best to contact a midwife or a lactation consultant you trust who is familiar with the issue of confused sucking. It is important that you don't lose patience and don't blame your baby for the sucking confusion.
How can sucking confusion be prevented?
The good news is: Not all babies get sucking confusion. However, of course you don't know in advance whether your baby will be affected or not. It is therefore recommended that you do not yet feed or switch to bottle feeding as long as the baby is still learning how to feed properly at the breast in the first few days and weeks. You should also refrain from using a pacifier during this time.
Wait a few weeks with both until you notice that your baby has mastered drinking from the breast. After a few weeks, the sucking process will have become routine thanks to the several times daily practice. This learning and habituation process can take around six weeks and should not be interrupted if possible so as not to jeopardize the breastfeeding relationship.
Soothe baby with the swing2sleep bassinet if breastfeeding is difficult
It is not only the sucking reflex that helps babies to calm down and relax. Movement, in the form of rocking or bouncing, as well as a pleasant boundary are also a basic need for almost all babies and allow them to calm down much better by creating a kind of deep relaxation.
A perfect case for the innovative spring cradle from swing2sleep: You place your baby in the cozy hammock. There it is rocked to sleep by the intelligent spring cradle motor with gentle up and down movements. Conveniently, you can easily control the cradle via smartphone and be notified when your baby wakes up.
Thanks to its unique effect, our spring cradle is recommended by midwives and osteopaths. It has already won over 192,000 families. Take a look at the spring cradle from swing2sleep and find out more about its effect.
