Why Does My Baby 'Click' When Feeding? Understanding the causes

A clicking sound can be surprisingly worrying, particularly when feeding already feels uncomfortable, unsettled or exhausting. Parents often ask, “Why does my baby click when feeding?”

The short answer is that clicking usually means the seal between the baby’s mouth and the breast, bottle teat or both is briefly breaking. The sound alone does not tell us why this is happening, or whether it is affecting feeding.

Clicking itself is not necessarily a problem. It can be surprisingly loud and irritating to listen to, but the sound does not automatically mean that something is wrong. If your baby is comfortable, feeding effectively and growing appropriately, occasional clicking may simply be something you notice rather than something that needs correcting. It becomes more relevant when it occurs alongside other feeding difficulties.

There are several possible reasons for clicking, and more than one factor may be involved. The most helpful approach is therefore not to diagnose from the sound, but to consider the whole feeding picture.

Why does a baby click while feeding?

During feeding, a baby needs to coordinate sucking, swallowing and breathing while maintaining an effective oral seal. Clicking can occur when that seal or vacuum is briefly lost and then regained.

This can happen at the breast, with a bottle, or during both. The underlying reason may be quite different from one baby to another.

Clicking can be associated with:

• a changing or shallow latch

• loss of suction or vacuum

• difficulty maintaining an effective oral seal

• a fast or changing milk flow

• positioning or attachment

• a high palate or other differences in oral anatomy

• tongue or jaw function

• fatigue or developmental immaturity

• nasal congestion

• feeding coordination

• the shape, size, flow rate, material or flexibility of a bottle teat

There is limited research specifically examining clicking as an isolated symptom. Clinically, it is therefore best understood as an observation rather than a diagnosis. Its significance depends on what accompanies it: your baby’s comfort, feeding efficiency, milk intake, weight pattern, your comfort and the practical details of how feeds are going.

Position, attachment and changing milk flow

At the breast, a shallow or changing latch can make it harder for a baby to maintain a stable seal. You can read more about this in the D-Restricted Ltd guide to how to improve infant latch.

Babies may change their position as they become sleepy, as the breast softens during a feed, or when milk flow changes. A faster flow can lead some babies to pull back, cough, splutter or briefly lose their seal. A slower flow may lead to more active sucking and repeated adjustments.

This is not about achieving one “perfect” position. Families feed in many different ways, and what is comfortable and effective for one caregiver and baby may not suit another. Small, responsive adjustments to support and positioning can sometimes reduce clicking, but they will not address every possible cause.

Bottle feeding, teat choice and flow

Clicking can also occur during bottle feeding. A baby needs to maintain a seal around the teat while coordinating sucking, swallowing and breathing. If that seal is repeatedly lost, a clicking sound may result.

The bottle teat itself can sometimes be relevant. Its shape, size, flow rate, material or flexibility may affect how comfortably a particular baby can maintain a seal. There is not necessarily one universally “correct” teat for every baby; suitability depends on the individual baby, their oral skills and how they are managing the feed.

The way the bottle is offered can also influence feeding. A flow that is too fast or difficult for a baby to manage may result in gulping, coughing, spluttering, milk leakage or repeated breaks in sucking. A baby who is very hungry, tired or unsettled may also have more difficulty maintaining a consistent seal.

The D-Restricted Ltd guide to how to pace bottle feeds explains more about supporting a calm and responsive bottle-feeding experience.

It can be useful to notice whether clicking happens from the beginning of every bottle or only later in the feed. Does milk leak from the mouth? Does your baby cough or gulp? Does the teat collapse? Do they appear relaxed between bursts of sucking? These observations are generally more useful than the clicking sound itself.

Nasal congestion, tiredness and feeding coordination

Babies generally coordinate nasal breathing with sucking and swallowing during feeding. Nasal congestion can therefore make feeding more difficult and may contribute to frequent pauses or loss of seal.

Tiredness, overstimulation and developmental immaturity can also affect feeding coordination, particularly in younger or preterm babies.

Some babies may click more at particular times of day. A pattern like this may relate to fatigue, changing milk flow or a period when the baby is becoming less organised, rather than indicating a fixed oral problem.

Oral anatomy and tongue function

Differences in oral anatomy can sometimes contribute to clicking. A high palate, for example, may influence how a baby is able to maintain an effective seal.

A restricted lingual frenulum, often called tongue-tie, may also be relevant for some babies. However, a visible frenulum is common and anatomy alone cannot establish whether it is causing a feeding difficulty. Equally, a baby may have feeding difficulties without tongue-tie.

A meaningful assessment considers tongue function alongside the feeding relationship and the baby's wider health. It should include a careful history and observation of feeding where possible, rather than relying on clicking, appearance or a score in isolation. This reflects an essential principle in infant feeding care: anatomy provides information; function provides context.

The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine states that a decision about frenotomy should follow a skilled clinical breastfeeding assessment and shared decision-making, rather than being based solely on the presence of a frenulum (LeFort et al., 2021). Evidence from systematic reviews suggests that frenotomy may reduce maternal nipple pain in some breastfeeding dyads, but evidence for consistent improvement in infant breastfeeding and longer-term breastfeeding outcomes remains limited (Francis, Krishnaswami and McPheeters, 2015; O’Shea et al., 2017).

This means that clicking alone cannot tell us whether a baby has a functionally significant tongue-tie or whether frenotomy would be beneficial.

When clicking may need further assessment

Clicking does not automatically mean that something is wrong. If your baby is comfortable, feeding effectively, producing appropriate wet nappies and growing as expected, occasional clicking may not require any intervention.

Further assessment may be appropriate when clicking is persistent or occurs alongside other feeding concerns, such as:

• nipple pain or damaged nipples

• persistent milk leakage from the mouth

• frequent coughing, choking or spluttering

• very frequent or unusually prolonged feeds

• repeatedly coming off the breast or bottle

• difficulty maintaining a seal

• frustration or distress during feeds

• concerns about milk transfer

• concerns about weight gain or feeding effectiveness

These signs do not automatically point to one particular cause. Pain, for example, may relate to attachment, breast fullness, skin conditions, infection or other factors. A baby who repeatedly comes off the breast may be responding to milk flow, fatigue, congestion, discomfort or a need for a different feeding approach.

Looking at the wider picture helps avoid both missed concerns and oversimplified explanations.

If your baby has significantly fewer wet nappies than expected, signs of dehydration, is becoming unusually sleepy or difficult to wake, is not waking for feeds, is struggling to feed, or you are otherwise concerned that your baby is becoming unwell, seek urgent medical advice. If your baby is not waking or is difficult to rouse, seek emergency medical care.

What can a feeding assessment clarify?

A feeding assessment should feel calm, respectful and practical. It begins with listening.

When did the clicking start? Does it happen at the breast, bottle or both? How are feeds affecting the baby and caregiver? Has anything changed? What has already been tried?

A practitioner may also consider birth history, gestation, health, growth and the family's feeding goals.

Observing a feed can add valuable context. Depending on the type of feeding, a practitioner may look at the baby's cues, body support, latch or teat placement, audible swallowing, milk loss, pauses, parental comfort and how feeding changes over the course of the feed.

If oral function appears relevant, it can be considered as one part of this broader assessment.

For some families, simple changes to positioning, attachment, bottle feeding technique or teat choice may be enough. Others may benefit from a period of review or input from another healthcare professional.

Who can help with clicking?

If clicking is persistent or you are concerned about how your baby is feeding, discussing your concerns with your midwife or health visitor can be a useful starting point. They can listen to your concerns and help identify whether further assessment or specialist support may be appropriate.

An IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) is a specialist in infant feeding and can support families with breastfeeding, bottle feeding, expressed milk and combination feeding.

IBLCE provides the international register of currently certified IBCLCs, which can be used to verify an individual's current certification. In the UK, the Lactation Consultants of Great Britain (LCGB) also provides a directory of IBCLCs.

It is worth understanding who you are asking for infant feeding support. There are different roles and qualifications within infant feeding, with different levels of education, training, scope and professional accountability. LCGB provides a Who’s Who in Breastfeeding Support and Lactation in the UK resource to help families understand these differences.

A peer supporter, for example, may have undertaken a short programme of peer-support training, whereas an IBCLC has completed specialist education, clinical experience and an international examination-based certification process. These roles can both have value, but they are not equivalent qualifications.

When choosing someone to support you, it is therefore reasonable to ask about their qualification, training, professional registration or certification, experience and scope of practice.

Helpful observations to bring to an appointment

You do not need to fix clicking before seeking help.

A few notes can make an assessment more productive:

• Does clicking happen at every feed or only occasionally?

• Does it happen at the breast, bottle or both?

• Does it begin at a particular point during the feed?

• Does it change depending on the time of day?

• Is milk leaking from your baby's mouth?

• Does your baby cough, gulp or splutter?

• Does the clicking increase when your baby becomes tired?

• Is feeding comfortable for you?

• Does your baby appear comfortable and settled?

• Are feeds effective and is your baby growing as expected?

If you are concerned about growth, share the dates and weights recorded by your healthcare team rather than trying to interpret a single measurement alone.

A short video of a typical feed may sometimes help a clinician understand what you are seeing, provided it does not replace an in-person assessment when one is needed.

Most importantly, your experience matters. Feeding does not need to be painful or persistently stressful for you to deserve support.

Clicking is a clue, not a verdict

Clicking can be surprisingly loud, and it can certainly become frustrating when you hear it throughout a feed. But the sound itself is not necessarily a sign that something is wrong.

A baby may click because they are temporarily losing suction, adjusting to milk flow, struggling to maintain a seal, becoming tired, dealing with nasal congestion, adapting to a bottle teat or because of differences in oral anatomy or function. Sometimes more than one factor is involved.

The important question is not simply “Why is my baby clicking?” but “What else is happening during feeding?”

Whether your baby is breastfeeding, bottle feeding, combination feeding or receiving expressed milk, the aim is the same: safe, effective feeding that protects comfort, growth and the family's confidence.

Clicking is a useful clue, not a verdict. Looking at the whole feeding picture can help turn an unsettling sound into a clearer, kinder plan.

References

Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (2021) ‘Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Position Statement on Ankyloglossia in Breastfeeding Dyads’, Breastfeeding Medicine, 16(4), pp. 278–281.

Francis, D.O., Krishnaswami, S. and McPheeters, M. (2015) ‘Treatment of ankyloglossia and breastfeeding outcomes: a systematic review’, Pediatrics, 135(6), pp. e1458–e1466.

International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) (n.d.) ‘Public IBCLC Registry’. Available at: https://iblce.org/ (Accessed: 9 September 2026).

Lactation Consultants of Great Britain (LCGB) (n.d.) ‘Who’s Who in Breastfeeding Support and Lactation in the UK’. Available at: https://lcgb.org/why-ibclc/whos-who-in-breastfeeding-support-and-lactation-in-the-uk/ (Accessed: 9 September 2026).

O’Shea, J.E., Foster, J.P., O’Donnell, C.P.F., Breathnach, D., Jacobs, S.E., Todd, D.A. and Davis, P.G. (2017) ‘Frenotomy for tongue-tie in newborn infants’, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 3, CD011065. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011065.pub2.