Q'n about toddler

[Oblena]

Hi everyone.

Why does a toddler swap back and forth and back and forth from the breast during a feed?

It is sooooooo annoying. She also tries to twiddle the 'unused breast', and gets really angry when I try to stop her.

Does the swapping go on for long - it has been a couple of months so far - and getting worse.

I am trusting that it is not a supply issue, so what is it.

Bub is 17 months.

Thanks

[Sheer Bliss]

I wish I knew for certain too!! LOL. DS has just turned one, and often does it at the start when waiting for the let-down. I try and put the other one away, as i can't stand the twiddling, he seems not to be too annoyed that i stop him. He mostly stop, starts about 50 times, he's too busy wanting to play & look about, but I am in sooo much trouble if i put it away before he is finished! LOL.

From what i can remember reading stimulating both boobs at the same time can help make let-down faster, so that's possible why the twiddling happens? I remember reading that it's an instinctive thing for them to do.

[~Emmylou~]

From what i can remember reading stimulating both boobs at the same time can help make let-down faster, so that's possible why the twiddling happens? I remember reading that it's an instinctive thing for them to do.

My DS does this too. He's at the stage now where he'll push my shirt up to my neck, pull at both sides of my bra so they're both out before he starts and then swap between them They'll get one going, then the other, so by the time they switch back to the first one the let down is there and they don't have to wait..buggers.

I think by the time they get to his age they understand how it all works and know how to get things happening asap and to their satisfaction

[the_queen]

Yep - it's completely normal. They've worked out that a few sucks here, then a few sucks there, brings the milk down on both sides. Some kids like the hindmilk better, so they suck here then there so that both have hindmilk in them.

I had this trouble a while ago, it is annoying but it's really normal toddler behaviour and it's just a matter of getting used to it.


At our early-morning feed, around 6am, he used to latch on and then whinge to be put onto the other side. Then he started working out that he could climb over me and help himself. Now, he has one side, jumps out of bed, runs around to the other side, jumps in, and gets on the other boob

I put an article in here somewhere the other day, about breastfeeding a toddler - have a look for it And check out http://www.breastfeeding.com for more articles

[Oblena]

Thanks everyone. I will just ride it out like the other phases .

thanks for the link the_Queen. Lots of really interesting articles