Help! 4 Month Old Gets Distracted While Breastfeeding

Milkology Q&A

Question:

My 4.5 mo old seems to pop off a lot during his daytime feedings lately. I have to lay down with him to really get a good nursing session in. He’s distracted during the day and has seemed to be really gassy again like he was as a newborn. Any ideas of what could be going on? He is also teething but I just want to make sure he's getting enough from breastfeeding.

What to do if your 4 Month Old gets distracted while breastfeeding

Answer:

I know this is super frustrating, but I can’t tell you how common this is. In fact, it’s so common for babies to be distracted during nursing at this age that it’s been referred to as the “four month fussies.” Four months is an age when babies are just waking up to the world around them and it can be hard for them to coordinate nursing while also absorbing all the sights and sounds around them. They will get better at doing this in a few months! Right now, you are doing the right thing by lying down with him to nurse. Nursing in a dark room also helps. You can also take advantage of sleepy times, like naps and bedtimes, and get some good sessions in there. This age is also when babies are prone to gassiness and constipation. As long as your baby is growing and well, it’s usually just something that passes. Occasionally, babies seem to react to something you are eating, such as dairy, but usually it’s just a passing phase. If you have any concern about the gassiness, please touch base with your pediatrician.