My 4 Month Old Seems to Be to Distracted to Eat

S.,
your little one may be teething!!! then, his gums hurt, and feel uncomfortable, and he cannot enjoy the feeding time like before.

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My dd has rarely eaten for more than 10 min. and nuses one side for no more than 8 min. As long as he is still growing, he's getting enough.

It normal that this age to become very distracted during feedings. Are you noticing this on both sides equally or more on one side than the other. Sometimes the baby notices on one side the milk isn't as pleantiful so prefers the otherside, or sometimes the baby's neck hurts on one side and therefore prefers the side that puts the least pressure on the side that hurts--take baby to a chiropractor for this and it'll no longer be a problem. If you're doing scheduled feeding rather than by demand, I'd switch at least for now...he may be trying to tell you the schedule you've picked isn't working for his body. I'd also highly encourage you to pay special attention to the position you're choosing to nurse in, he may not be comfortable...try laying on the bed, using the football hold, hold him in your arms as if you're going to nurse on one side but put him to the other...experiment, it all may be as simple as a position change.

Don't forget the milk in your breast comes out pretty quickly especially in the mouth of an expert nurser...five minutes on each side may be all he needs...follow his lead...he may prefer lots of small meals rather and a few large meals, too.

I've had the same problem when my youngest was trying to nurse. He'd eat a little at a time and often. I ended up switching him to formula because I wasn't producing enough milk for him. Some kids, as they get older get distracted because they are discovering the world around them. My sister uses a blanket to nurse. Good luck!!!

Yes, I've had both things happen: 5 mintues can be enough for some. On the other hand, it was time for my daughter to wean. She was just done breatsfeeding, and was so much happier on the bottle that it didn't bother me too much. But you're the Mom, so you make the best choice for both of you--just don't rule it out completely.

Hi,

I had the same "problem" with all of my children. The Dr. assured me that at this point they are very efficient - they've got the sucking and swallowing thing down - so all they really need is five or so minutes on each side. They will definitely let you know if/when they need more! :)

Hi!
My son is the same way! He is way to active to sit still long enough to eat! Our pediatrician isn't worried as he is gaining enough weight. I have noticed he does better if there aren't any distractions around. Unfortunately, he doesn't do the blanket over the head anymore, it's a toy now! Anyway, sometimes he eats well and sometimes it's a wasted effort. He'll eat when he's hungry and play when he's not. So, you're not alone! Hope this helps! Hang in there, you'll both be just fine!

5 min a side? yes. it all depends on how strong a sucker your baby is, and sometimes how fast. my son's the same age. he likes to suck, look around, come back for a few more sucks, etc. i don't put up with that. after a few minutes, i tell him he's done, and wait until he decides he's still hungry which might be as soon as a minute later. if your boy looks healthy and has wet diapers, i wouldn't worry. :)

Hi S.,

I don't know about stopping mid-feed issue,by my baby has always (he is 6 months old) only nursed on one breast per feeding for 7 minutes total per feeding. Of course, he eats every 2 1/2 hours around the clock, but he seems happy and well nourished, and is a good weight.

My first son would breastfeed for 15, 20, 30, or even 40 minutes at a time. My second son would graze --- 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there, etc. I think it has to do with personality or something. Make sure you are nursing in a place that is comfortable and not distracting. Your baby will eat when he's hungry. As long as he is gaining weight, I wouldn't worry about it. Also, make sure he is latching on well. Try different positions. Pay attention to what you are eating. Maybe something you are eating is upsetting his tummy. Give him mylicon before he nurses.

My DS1 used to nurse only one side per feeding, 4 minutes, every 4 hours. And he was totally healthy, right up the middle of the growth chart (except for his huge head!). He nursed 'til he turned 2 and then self-weaned.

If your little guy is coming back soon for more milk, then you'll need some ways to keep him from getting distracted (darkened room, nursing necklace, etc.). If he seems fine for a couple of hours or more, then it sounds like he's getting all the milk he needs.

Take your signals from your son. Regardless of teething or whatnot, he will let you know whether or not he's getting enough. :)

One of my babies would only nurse for 5 minutes on one side, and he grew just fine. 4 months is an age where they get more distractible, I would try putting a little receiving blanket over your shoulder and the baby to minimize distractions, or going into a quiet room. It will probably pass.

My son, now 2, did the exact same thing. My daughter turned 2 shortly after he was born and when he was about 3 or 4 months old he became very aware of her and his surroundings and nursing him was very difficult. It's not necesarrily a breast fed issue though, I've known plenty of bottle fed babies that were just as distracted and hard to feed. Anyway, a little trick I used to get him to eat longer was switching him from side to side- more than letting him finish on one side, then switching to the other- I'd let him nurse on one side and when he got fussy I'd switch him to the other, then back again, until he just refused... I'm sure it's not the most conventional way to nurse, but it worked for us! Hope this helps!

My son is 6 months old and this sounds exactly how he is. He gets very distracted and sometimes would stay latched on and look away which didn't feel so good. I call him more of a "social" eater. Lots of time he just wanted to take a little drink and then was done, he would also become cranky when I offered the breast again. He also eats very quickly. I am still feeding him pretty often - every 2-3 hours at times and I think this is because he only eats for about 5 minutes like your little one. So I really don't have any advice, but my little boy did it too. Good luck,

I have a 4 month old also and she is doing exactly the same thing! My pediatrician told me it's because she has become aware of the world around her and is distracted by everything going on around her. He said it's just a phase and to be patient, it should only last a few weeks. I usually take her into my bedroom or someplace quiet (away from my other kids) to nurse. That seems to help. Also all of my kids have only nursed for 5-8 minutes and got enough. Hope this helps! Hang in there!

My son never nursed for more that 5 minutes per side unless it was middle of the night and he was really sleepy. He did fine and was getting plenty to eat. He just got right down to business.

Hi S.--

I had that problem with both my boys. Does he eat on one side better than the other? For me, it turns our it was the boys gall bladders were unhappy due to food allergy. When the fat in the milk hits their stomach it upsets their tummies. If this is the case for you, then the baby will do worse on the right breast. Other signs of food allergy include a red ring around the anus, eczema, and not having a bowel movement every day. If you find these other symptoms I am happy to share with you the treatments to get him better. As for eating only five minutes, my youngest is 11 weeks old, only eats for five minutes per feeding and is 13 1/2 pounds and 25 inches long. Some baby's are just good at emptying the breast quickly. :-)

It sounds like it could be distraction, but it's worth talking to your doctor about if you suspect reflux. If he's a spitter, he could be too uncomfortable to eat. They outgrow the reflex that makes them eat around 4 or 5 months. Starting at 4 months our little guy stopped gaining weight from not eating enough. After a few weeks, you might just see if you can get him weighed. If he hasn't slowed in weight gain, then you know you have nothing to worry about. I don't mean to scare you. Just somemthing I wish I had known when I had a 4 mos. old.

It is pretty common to have a baby start to get distracted at this age. Try to nurse somewhere where there aren't as many things to catch his attention (not easy with a 22 month old!) and hang in there. If it's not working, try again at the next feeding. If he is hungry, he will eat eventually. My babies always went in phases with this kind of thing. Also - my daughter got to a point where she would eat on just one side for 6-8 minutes and be done. She was always on a healthy growth curve and is now a healthy 4 year old. Some kids are just more efficient nursers and some just don't need as much. In my experience with 3 kids - 2 good nursers & 1 terrible nurser, I'd be more worried if they were nursing forever than if they are only nursing for a few minutes. As long as he is gaining weight well, you have nothing to worry about. If you're ever curious & it's in between pediatrician visits, just go to your pediatrician's office & ask to have him weighed. My doctor's office will do that free of charge. It may give you some peace of mind. Good luck!

I have a great book all about breastfeeding I got from my Mom. It looks very 70's but it has answers to pretty much any question you might have. It is by Karen Pryor. I'm not sure what the exact title is. My 5 month old was doing the same thing recently. In the book it says it is normal for babies to get distracted very easily from eating at this age. They can't eat and listen to noise so they will stop eating even if you talk while feeding them. So I tried to cut out distractions like the tv, my other kids and talking while feeding her and it helped a lot. I hope this helps. Also I have to burp her more often during feeding her. I sit her up for about 5 five minutes and try to get a burp out of her.