Are breastfed babies more clingy

[Hope54321]

Do you think breastfed babies are more clingy than formula fed babies?

I think it's dependant on the child's personality.

I formula fed my first and breastfed my second, #2 was an absolute leech and 8 years on she's still painfully shy! But i know plenty of other breastfed babies who aren't clingy in the slightest so I do think it's luck of the draw.

I only have experience with a breastfed baby but I wouldn’t say she has ever been clingy (now 4 years old, breastfed for a year, exclusively until weaning) xx

*started weaning at 6 months though, my last post looks like I left it til she was one!

Breastfed all my kids and switched to formula around 6 months once weaning started I think mine have all been clingy to an extent but I would use feeding as a way to comfort after vaccinations, any upset really so that's probably why mine were clingy, my 14 month old will go to others but does prefer to be with me if given the option

My first was formula fed and clingy. My second was breastfed and not clingy. I don’t think there is a link. Just their personalities I think.

Indeed I believe from my university days that there is evidence breastfed babies/ children are less clingy due to forming stronger initial attachments. The more secure the attachment the less clingy a child as they’re confident in returning to the care giver. Can’t be bothered to look it up the exact research though!

I'm still BF my 19month old and I'd say he is very clingy but who knows what that's down to.
Also, the word "clingy" is so negative towards a very young child who wants to be close to their main caregiver :(

I have two bf children. One was a classsic velcro baby, wouldn't be put down/left with anyone else etc. Now a confident and sociable 4yo. Second has been fiercely independent pretty much from birth! Think it depends on personality more than how they are fed.

I bf DD (22 months), and she was clingy for the first few months, would only nap on me etc.
But she had no problem taking a bottle of expressed milk, never any issues when she started being left for a couple of hours with grandparents, and perfectly fine starting nursery so she’s certainly not a clingy toddler and I still bf her first thing in the morning - she self weaned off all other feeds.

No. Personality is the decider, not food.
DD went to nursery at 13.5 months after mat leave during Covid, EBF, co-slept and was never left with anyone before-settled straight away and is really not clingy at all.

Depends what you mean by clingy - if you mean he won’t let you go, won’t play, is shy around new people & won’t let them care for him then DS is NOT clingy. But when he’s tired or scared / overwhelmed or hurt he does tend to breastfeed for comfort even if it’s just for a few seconds.

Nah. DS, BF for 4 months then bottle fed, was incredibly clingy. DD, still BF at 18 months and also most of her life in lockdown, is sunny and smiley and goes to most people, settled better at nursery. Individual personality I'm afraid. Also building a secure attachment is a real positive thing for brain development.

I think sometimes clingy* babies are breastfed because they are clingy, so they won't take a bottle, want to be close to mum all the time etc so are breastfed at all or for longer because of those things. I don't think breastfeeding makes the baby clingy.

*Agree with pp that this is unnecessarily negative

I think with a formula fed baby because anyone can feed them when they’re hungry enough people (particularly parents) equate that to them being less clingy & are more likely to leave them with others. The fact is any baby with a healthy attachment to their parents wants them first and foremost regardless of the method of feeding.

I suspect formula fed and breast fed newborns are both equally stressed if parents leave them with someone else, no matter how nice they are.

For those who were offended by my use of the word ‘clingy’, I definitely didn’t mean it in a negative way. What I meant is a baby who is hard to put down and only wants to be with mum most of the time.

Hi OP. I have 4 children, all breastfed. They are all very different personality types. One exceedingly independent and sociable from birth, the others more of a middling mix!

I don’t think so. DS2 is EBF and coming up 6 months. He’s super sociable and confident, considering that he’s also a lockdown baby as has had limited social exposure until very recently.

My DD is nearly 1 and been formula fed since birth and she’s super clingy 🤣 I think it just depends on their personality.

2 EBF babies both ultra clingy
Fed until 2 years and 4 years
Didn't bother me I just felt they want to be near their milk haha

I breastfed for 2.5 years, co slept for 5 and lugged her around in a sling until she was too long for my very short torso and she has never been clingy. Skipped off into preschool/primary school no issues whatsoever.

Attachment theory is ace.

Breastfeeding is the biological norm so you’re phrasing it the wrong way. Do you mean are ff babies less attached to their mums?

If so, do you think that’s a good thing?