3 weeks old and all of a sudden clicking during feeds - help!

[Jaans]

Hi,

I have 3 daughters all of which I have breastfed. My youngest is almost 3 weeks old. Out of nowhere she has started making clicking noises when we feed. My milk has settled down, my breasts are large but not overly firm, I have checked the latch (googled and tied everything) but nothing seems to work. Her suction is very foot and she has loads of wet and dirty nappies so the intake is fine, no myth thrush, not teething, not fussy at the breast or any or the usual cuprites.

I have a fairly solid let down, and sometimes she chokes a little when the milk flows too fast for her, but this clicking is driving me crazy. I'm not in any pain. I am concerned because she is taking in air (and getting tummy pains later) I burp her and bring up air after a feed each time.

I even pay particular attention when we Latch (nipple at nose, mouth open wide, tongue Down, fish lips, mouthful of breast etc...) and all the various positioning and heights (hand under breast, cupping breast, no assistance, feeding pillow, no pillow, lying on my side etc...)

Not sure what to do!

Help

Jaans

[Smoke Jaguar]

First thing I would do is google the Charm Hold - I think it's a La Leche League article and give that a go.
The second thing I would do (in fact, probably while the charm hold page is loading!!) is call the ABA hotline for a counsellor.
I ended up taking my DD to the osteo and a cold she contracted from a cousin at 2weeks of age tightened up her jaw muscles. Quite frankly, her latch has been dodgy ever since. She's just turned 4 and if it weren't for her latch and propensity to give me oral thrush frequently, she'd still be 'feeding'. I'm hoping she can help me when my next one is born next year, but only if the break has reset her latch!
Also, a IBCLC lactation consultant is worth her weight in gold. Good luck!!

[HotI]

if everything else is ok (no pain, good positioning and attachment, baby having enough milk ...) clicking isn't necessarily a problem. it can be baby adjusting to a fast flow. leaning back can reduce effects of gravity to decrease force of flow.

my son clicked for 4-6 months, and then one day I realised he had stopped. I think it is more common with 2nd or subsequent babies. either my flow slowed down by then, or he was able to handle it without the clicking. it did make 'subtle' breastfeeding more difficult, because he wasn't a silent feeder like #1.

[jellybean88]

My dd went through a stage of doing that l
I don't even remember when she stopped it was just get way if slowing down the flow

[Santosha]

All mine have clicked on and off to cope with my fast flow. I consulted a LC who assessed latch etc and said there was nothing to worry about, it was just bubs being clever and adjusting to avoid choking. Well worth getting someone experienced to watch a feed and ease your mind or give you feedback, but my experience has been that it's not a problem.

[black_rose]

Ds clicked all the time, he was checked by the midwives and our pead in hospital and he was feeding fine but it can be a sign of something not white right especially if it hasn't always happened.

[Saffy]

I agree it can sometimes be related to swallowing especially in the context of a fast flow. As long as everything is assessed to be ok-latch etc and nipples not suffering I would just see what happens.

[CinderToriella]

This happened with DD2 around the same time , I was worried , got her mouth checked out , she was ok .. Found out it was cause of my fast flow and she was clicking as she was trying to take all the milk in so would let go of nipple a little bit ..
She is now 14 weeks and I haven't heard any clicking for so long now

[onthefly]

Sounds like things are going well with the feeding, on the whole If everything else is good, it may not be anything to worry about - as others say, she's simply managing that flow and it will get easier for her as she gets older.
Have you tried maybe lying back, reclining in bed or on the couch supported by cushions, etc, and put her on top of you. Sometimes in this position it's easier for them to manage the flow as they're working against gravity.