My Baby Wants To Suck All The Time: What Are The Causes And Solutions?

“My baby wants to suckle all the time, what should I do?”, “What could be the underlying reasons for this?” you wonder. While everything may be fine for the baby who wants to breastfeed constantly, this may also be a harbinger of some discomforts. For this, you need to observe your baby and interpret the signals well. We have listed why babies want to suckle constantly, item by item. If you’re ready, let’s get started!

Why does my baby want to suckle all the time?

The baby’s constant desire to suckle is a situation encountered especially in the newborn period. The experts’ opinion is that the baby should be allowed to decide for himself how much he wants to suckle. So, if your baby wants to suckle all the time, he should. Since each baby has a different suction speed, some may breastfeed for a longer period of time, while others may reach satiety in a shorter time.

However, the baby who wants to suckle all the time may be trying to say “I have a problem”. So, this condition can also be caused by a health problem. To understand this, you need to observe your baby after breastfeeding.

In addition to all these, since the breastfeeding process, which should continue for 2 years, establishes a bond between the mother and the baby, the children may not want to leave the breast with the motive of being close to the mother. Let’s dig deeper into the underlying reasons why babies want to suckle all the time!

1. Physical hunger

The main reason behind babies’ desire to suck is to satisfy their physical hunger. Babies want to breastfeed frequently, especially in the first years after birth. You can complain that my baby is less sucking and sleeping more. During this period, babies’ stomach volumes are quite small and they digest breast milk quickly. This causes them to feel hungry in a short time. So, it is normal for the newborn baby to want to suckle all the time, and you should breastfeed your little one for short periods during this period.

In this case , you may wonder what the newborn baby breastfeeding schedule should be like . Since breast milk is easy to digest, the baby gets hungry in 1-2 hours. For this reason, you should adjust the newborn baby breastfeeding frequency to 1 time every 2 hours. Breastfeeding intervals should not exceed 3 hours.

When babies are born, their jaw muscles are not very strong. The sucking time, which is 10 minutes in the first 10 days after birth, may take 15-20 minutes as of the second week. Thus , how many minutes does the newborn baby suck , let’s answer the question. If your baby is suckling for less than 10 minutes, he may not be able to empty your breast well. This causes her to get hungry more quickly and to want breasts all the time.

2. Insufficient breast milk for the baby

Does my baby want to breastfeed constantly? Under normal conditions, his body’s natural mechanism has the potential to produce enough milk for two babies. However, the stress and sadness you experience during breastfeeding can negatively affect milk production.

Not only that; Breastfeeding your baby in the wrong position also leads to insufficient milk production. Your baby’s sucking reflex does not stimulate your breast enough because it is positioned at the wrong angle, and this causes your little one to not be fed enough during breastfeeding. Breastfeeding your baby in the wrong position also causes sores on the nipple. In short, it is important to feed your little one in the right breastfeeding position .

By tracking how much weight your baby gains each month, how many times he poops a day, you can understand whether he is getting enough nutrition.

3. How much

“ My baby wants to suckle all the time, he doesn’t sleep .” If you are saying that, colic may lie under it. Especially if this situation is accompanied by crying crises!

Your baby’s prolonged and incessant cries can make you nervous, too. If you have a stressful breastfeeding period, your baby will feel it. Most babies who breastfeed for 5 minutes have a desire to let go of the breast as soon as possible. The baby swallows air and suffers from gas pains. Since he cannot reach a sufficient satisfaction, he gets more grumpy and wants to suck constantly.

You can try breastfeeding your baby with vibrations and music similar to those in the womb. You will find it very helpful to provide the atmosphere in the womb to calm him down. Also, babies feel safe when swaddled. If you swaddle your little one to sleep after breastfeeding, she may sleep longer and more peacefully.

4. Gaz

If you have a baby who cries after breastfeeding and still wants to continue breastfeeding, you might also ask, “ Does a gassy baby want to suckle all the time ?” question may arise. Mothers’ experience says that babies with gas tend to suckle more. The baby, who is in pain, wants to stay in his mother’s lap and spend more time in order to feel safe, that is, he wants to suckle more. This is usually caused by the baby swallowing air during breastfeeding.