Some babies can appear to be in significant discomfort during feeding - whether at the breast or the bottle and it can be hard to pinpoint why. However, there are factors you can have some influence over, or at least adapt how you feed, to minimise your little one's discomfort.

Air-swallowing is one of these contributing factors. I bet we've all had that experience when taking a drink and then, perhaps someone makes you laugh and you find yourself gulping quickly and taking in air which is not comfortable for anyone!

My point is, gulping in air is not fun and will mean an uncomfortable feed for your little one (and for you). So...where does the air come from with your baby? Here's some suggestions:

• Latching at the breast or bottle - If your baby is struggling to get a wide open mouth and a tightly sealed latch with their tongue cupping the teat or breast tissue, then air is likely getting in while they are suckling. It is a good idea to perhaps seek some support with positioning and attachment so that a feed can be observed, any adjustments made, and, if necessary, further steps taken to help achieve an optimal latch! For example, if a tongue-tie is present and hasn't been identified yet, it may be preventing this optimal latch from occurring as your baby is unable to lift their tongue and create suction. When bottle-feeding, you want to ensure the bottle and teat you are using encourages the same wide open mouth and deep latch, teat aimed at the back of the roof of the mouth, as at the breast. If milk is leaking out of the side of baby's mouth, there's likely something that could be improved. Not all teats and bottles are created equal and NOTE: the more a bottle or teat is advertised as being breast-like...the further from a breast it usually is! 

• Tightness/tension from birth - Birth is a big deal physically for your baby as well as you, in all cases and particularly if there's had to be any form of intervention such as forceps or a c-section. For 9 months, they've been all tucked up inside you and now their tiny body is adapting to all the space around them...but, much like after sitting on a plane or on a long car ride, babies often benefit from some kind of help - such as an osteopath - to relax all that tension in their bodies. Tension, if present, may hinder your little one''s ability to comfortably feed, to tip their head back and open their mouth wide. All of this could contribute - as with my first bullet-point - to excess air intake and subsequent discomfort. At home, you could help your baby by exploring infant massage techniques.

• Crying - If you're trying to feed an unhappy baby, they will be gulping in air each time they suck on the teat or breast. This is why it's helpful to identify your little one's early feeding cues so you can catch them and offer a feed before they resort to crying - this isn't always possible I know but, doing so when you can, will help!

• Milk coming too fast - a forceful let-down at the breast (the sometimes forceful initial burst of milk when a baby starts suckling) or a teat that is too big (i.e. the hole through which the milk exits is wider allowing more out more quickly) may mean that you little one doesn't have time to suck and swallow slowly and at their own pace, leading to gulping. Stick to a size 0 or 1 teat when bottle-feeding. Gravity can also contribute to this issue so you could try: laid-back breastfeeding and paced bottle-feeding to help give baby more control over the flow. 

This list is a useful starting point to help you think about ways you can minimise the air your baby is taking in when feeding. Let me know how you get on and, if you need support, reach out and we can have a chat!