What fresh hell is this!! Clicking sound/shallow latch

Bigdeluxe1 · 2022-07-26T15:59:23+00:00

Fellow mums, what is this? 😖Just when I had gotten over one worry (see yesterday’s post about hindmilk/foremilk) I seem to have been struck with something else to worry about. Since yesterday morning, my LO has been making a VERY LOUD clicking sound at EVERY feed. He is 5 and a half weeks old and we’ve never had this problem before. The day before yesterday he was cluster feeding so yesterday my boobs were a lot fuller. He’s also got a shallow latch which I only learnt about during my search on how to resolve the clicking. After every feed, my nipple is either lipstick shaped or has gone shrunk in size. He’s never latched deeply but I've never been in pain so I thought it was a non-issue. Why is he clicking now?! Could it be the extra milk? I have fast letdown which lasts for a minimum of 5 minutes but he’s still clicking throughout feed. He hasn’t been checked for tongue tie but as he was drinking fine before yesterday, it can’t be that (I think?)

Treesuphooray · 26/07/2022 17:07

I think it’s the latch breaking as he’s not latched deeply enough. My baby (now 4 months) did that for a while too. He took in quite a bit of air due to it and needed burping or the air would make him quite uncomfortable. I never could get him to latch deeper than he wanted to so I improvised by holding my boob at a slightly different angle to help him make a seal all the way round. Seemed to work and he feeds fine now. Although last week he discovered that he could feed laying down and now wants to do that all the time! Always something new!

donutosaurus · 26/07/2022 17:13

I would definitely get checked for tongue tie as I'm sure that causes a clicking sound (although I may be wrong)!

Good luck!

moggerhanger · 26/07/2022 17:15

Check for tongue tie, especially if your nips are lipstick shaped after feeds. I had this with DS and it was a nightmare!

Original poster

Bigdeluxe1 · 26/07/2022 17:15

Treesuphooray · 26/07/2022 17:07

I think it’s the latch breaking as he’s not latched deeply enough. My baby (now 4 months) did that for a while too. He took in quite a bit of air due to it and needed burping or the air would make him quite uncomfortable. I never could get him to latch deeper than he wanted to so I improvised by holding my boob at a slightly different angle to help him make a seal all the way round. Seemed to work and he feeds fine now. Although last week he discovered that he could feed laying down and now wants to do that all the time! Always something new!

😩 But why is the latch breaking all of a sudden?! He was doing so well before yesterday. Ive tried to get him to latch deeper by holding my breast in a c shape and ‘flicking’ my nipple in but it’s so difficult, my milk goes everywhere and everything gets slippery! Poor baby has milk all over his face and both our clothes are soaked before we’ve even begun!

OP posts:

YesItIsI · 26/07/2022 17:27

So I'm currently having all sorts of problems feeding my newborn but I can tell you what I have been advised to do....

From what you said about spraying milk everywhere and the fact he may have upped your supply yesterday. Do you think you have a fast let down? They can click when they are purposefully breaking the suction in order to give themselves a chance to deal with the fast flowing milk. I have a fast let down so my DS needs to do this to avoid choking!

They can also clamped down to try and slow the flow of milk to them.

Same with shallow latching on purpose, they're hesitant so they pull back, when actually a deeper latch would enable them to better deal with the milk but they need to learn this.

The solution I have been advised is to lean back to almost horizontal once he's latched on. This means the milk is flowing against gravity. You can also catch the first let down in a cloth and the theory is that subsequent let downs are slower and more manageable.

Doing these things has helped me a little bit. But my DS is 3 weeks old born at 38 weeks weighing 6lb7 so I think he just needs to get a bit bigger!

ABrotherWhoLooksLikeHellMugYou · 26/07/2022 17:58

YesItIsI · 26/07/2022 17:27

So I'm currently having all sorts of problems feeding my newborn but I can tell you what I have been advised to do....

From what you said about spraying milk everywhere and the fact he may have upped your supply yesterday. Do you think you have a fast let down? They can click when they are purposefully breaking the suction in order to give themselves a chance to deal with the fast flowing milk. I have a fast let down so my DS needs to do this to avoid choking!

They can also clamped down to try and slow the flow of milk to them.

Same with shallow latching on purpose, they're hesitant so they pull back, when actually a deeper latch would enable them to better deal with the milk but they need to learn this.

The solution I have been advised is to lean back to almost horizontal once he's latched on. This means the milk is flowing against gravity. You can also catch the first let down in a cloth and the theory is that subsequent let downs are slower and more manageable.

Doing these things has helped me a little bit. But my DS is 3 weeks old born at 38 weeks weighing 6lb7 so I think he just needs to get a bit bigger!

This is my thoughts too, try these suggestions and see. DD was the same (usually followed by an epic vomit) due to all the milk

BlackbirdsSinging · 26/07/2022 18:00

Mine did this. They were a bit older than 5 weeks but I can’t remember exactly. I found it uncomfortable. I just kind of assisted my nipple in further to their mouth which helped a bit.

Treesuphooray · 26/07/2022 19:26

mine Just suddenly started clicking and then stopped too. Maybe due to their changing size and shape? Or them learning what works and what doesn’t? Mine is currently feeding whilst trying out his new sounds “b” and grumpy old man grumble. They are a bit muffled!