Snacking at the breast: causes and what to do

Snacking at the breast is when baby feeds for only a few minutes, sometimes 5 – 10 minutes for a newborn or 2 – 3 minutes for a slightly older baby. Even though they aren't full, baby lets go of the breast and won't keep feeding. Then 20 – 30 minutes later, baby fusses and cries for another feed, and again only feeds briefly for a few minutes.

Why babies snack at the breast
1. Baby's stomach size
Snacking at the breast usually happens in babies under 12 weeks old. At this age, baby's stomach is still small, so they fill up after only a little milk. With that amount, one or two wees is all it takes for them to be hungry again, so they keep getting fussy and asking to feed.
2. You don't have enough milk for baby
This is easy to spot if there are some of these signs: baby isn't meeting the measures on the growth chart. Baby passes little urine. Your breasts don't feel full, and may even feel "slack". Baby isn't getting full, so sleeps lightly, startles easily and fusses and cries.
3. You have created a "habit" for baby
Every time baby fusses, you breastfeed because it is the quickest way to soothe them. Over time this becomes a habit, so baby always wants to suckle even when not really hungry.
4. Baby is going through a growth spurt
According to the UK website BabyCentre, during a growth spurt baby gets hungry very quickly because they need more energy and nutrients to grow. Baby may feed up to 18 times in 32 hours. Growth spurts happen at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months. After this phase, baby will go back to feeding as often as usual.
Some signs that baby is having a growth spurt: your newborn asks to feed very often and for a long time, wakes up more at night to feed, and becomes fussier and more irritable than usual.

What can you do when baby snacks at the breast? Try the tips below:
-Check that you are breastfeeding correctly; if not, adjust so baby is comfortable and can feed well. Pay special attention to baby's latch. Baby is latched on correctly when their mouth takes in a full mouthful of breast, both upper and lower lips are flanged wide, and feeding doesn't hurt you

-If baby is snacking because you are low on milk, drink plenty of water, eat a sensible diet, express milk regularly or breastfeed more often to stimulate more milk. Try to stay relaxed, as emotional issues can also affect milk production
-Soothe baby and try to lengthen the gaps between feeds so baby is truly hungry; their suck will then be stronger and they will take more milk. Remember to check the latch so baby feeds effectively
-At 2-3 months, babies become curious about the world around them, so they are easily distracted while feeding. To help your baby focus on feeding, breastfeed in a dark, quiet room with just the two of you, and limit interacting with baby during the feed
When baby snacks at the breast, don't worry; look carefully for the cause so you can find a way to help baby stop snacking!

If snacking at the breast goes on for a long time and baby's weight and height are growing slowly, take baby to the doctor for a check-up and suitable treatment

Reference: www.babycentre.co.uk