4 Common Reasons Why Baby Grunt While Breastfeeding

Grunting is a common noise and it also occurs while breastfeeding. It happens mostly in two cases, the first,  it happens due to the mouthful of milk, and the second, when the posture of breastfeeding is not correct. In a deeper sense, the process keeps going with sucking, swallowing, and breathing in these patterns. Turns out, it becomes a rhythmic grunting. 

Parenting is a noisy task and grunting is just part of it. It is a guttural noise which generates such sound, while your baby is trying to do something, typically a bowel movement. So the sound comes just from the abdomen due to the restrain and relaxing posture of abdominal muscles. 

The mouthful milk and the way your baby sucks your breast causes this grunting sound. The sound is also described as a “K-AH” sound. Here in this article, we will share “Why does my baby grunt while breastfeeding” in detail. So don’t jump away and stick to this article.

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Why Is My Baby Grunting While Breastfeeding? 

A baby may grunt at different stages of breastfeeding timeline. There would be a number of reasons and thankfully, we detected them all. If you are not getting the right reasons why your baby is grunting then find the answers from the following discussions. 

1. Insufficient Milk Intake Due to Small Tummy Size

The first reason is pretty obvious, what we said above. Your baby is not getting the mouthful of milk at the beginning of breastfeeding.

Newborn babies have tiny stomachs and can only drink a small amount of milk at once. As a result, they may grunt while trying to breastfeed to signal that they are still hungry or are struggling to get enough milk.

2. Grunting Due to High Milk Volume

As the feeding progresses, the milk flow may increase, which can be overwhelming for the baby’s small tummy. The baby may struggle to drink the high volume of milk, leading to discomfort and grunting.

This issue can be especially common in mothers with an overactive letdown, where the milk flows too quickly from the breast.

To solve this problem, you need to slow down the process of letdown. But first, you have to pump out or hand express the milk until it starts flowing. By doing this, the letdown process activates and makes it easier for the baby to latch on. 

Then, gently press on one side of your breast. It’ll reduce the speed of the milk flow. As a result, your baby will find comfort while breastfeeding.

Now, if you’re wondering about the position, it’s best if you try laid-back nursing. Simply, put your baby in a belly-to-belly position for breastfeeding. As your baby will be against the gravitational force, the letdown process will automatically slow down. So, your baby will find ease while breastfeeding and eventually stop grunting.    

3. Incorrect Breastfeeding Position

 Another reason would be the wrong position while breastfeeding. It is indispensable to deal with your baby right away especially when the baby hasn’t latched ( (also known as breastfeeding attachment) perfectly.

In that case,insert a finger into the corner of the baby’s mouth to break the suction, and then adjust the baby’s positioning. 

Now, the trick to comfortable breastfeeding is having the correct latch. For this, you need to make the baby used to your nipples. 

So, first, you need to place your nipples gently on the baby’s top lips. Make sure the lower lip isn’t touching your nipple base. Lean your baby towards the breast first with the chin and then start latching. 

A good way to detect if your baby is latching or not is to check whether the baby has fully grasped your breast with its mouth. By properly latching, you can also ensure that the baby is in the correct breastfeeding position.

4. Stomach Discomfort and Gas Issues

Stomach discomfort in babies can be caused by a buildup of gas in their stomach. This can lead to discomfort, irritation, and frequent grunting while breastfeeding. This often happens when a baby takes too much air while breastfeeding, which can happen when they are gulping and not latching correctly.

To avoid this, it’s important to ensure that the baby has a good latch and to try not to allow them to drink milk too quickly. By taking these steps, you can help prevent stomach discomfort and reduce grunting during feeding times.

FAQ On Why Baby Grunt While Breastfeeding

Does grunting mean baby is in pain?

No, grunting doesn’t necessarily mean baby is in pain. Most of the time, a baby grunts while passing stool. But in some cases like irregular breathing, trapped mucus, and acid reflux make a baby grunt. So, you should check the underlying reasons of gunting first to identify if your baby is in pain.

Does grunting mean baby is hungry?

No, grunting doesn’t always mean the baby is hungry. A baby could simply grunt and squirm without any reason. However, if you notice the baby is grunting with eyes closed and leads to loud crying noises, it means the baby is hungry.

Do colicky babies grunt?

Yes, colicky babies grunt. It’s because they feel pain in the abdomen due to swallowed air, baby’s diet, mother’s diet, and gastro-intestinal issues. When the pain gets severe, the grunting turns into long hours of crying episodes.

Does latch improve as baby gets bigger?

Yes, latch improves as baby gets bigger. It happens because the baby becomes accustomed to breastfeeding positions. The more you change the breastfeeding position, the more your baby can improve on latching.

Wrapping Up

To sum up the story, a baby is grunting while not getting the right amount of milk or getting excessive milk. Later on, improper latching, overactive letdown, gaseous stomach of a baby, wrong breastfeeding posture etc. We tried to clarify those reasons, the timeline and a few possible ways to get rid of it.