Clicking on its own can be normal and nothing to worry about though its worthwhile seeing an IBCLC if it presents alongside other concerns eg. latching issues/ sore nipples / fussiness at the breast or unsettled behaviour after feeds. Clicking is a temporary loss of suction/seal and can have many causes, such as:
- Fast flow. It may simply be evidence of a baby trying to keep up with a fast flow of milk though I find mothers are often told this is the case when its more likely to be a red flag for the other underlying issues below.
- Tongue tie. If the frenum under the tongue is too short or too tight then the tongue can “snap back” and lose suction when sucking.
- Cranial nerve compression. The nerves that control the tongue / suck swallow breathe coordnation may not be functioning optimally eg. due to cranial bone compression from birth.
- Jaw issues. If there is assymmetry in the temporal bones (around the ears) from birth or restrctive inutero postitioning then the jaw will be off balance and unstable. this can also cause clicking. Clicking may also be from loss of suction because of a tight jaw muscle (digastric or pterygoid muscle).
Babies who click when feeding may swallow more air and as a result may struggle with gas and trapped wind leading to unsettled behaviour. Cranio and lactation support may make a difference.
Flow Cranio and Lactation 