Why do babies moan when eating? This is a rather common question that has been asked by parents alike. Moaning whilst eating can spark worry in many parents but why the continuous groan? Are they hurt? Am I feeding incorrectly? Parents whether first-time or experienced can find themselves mind-boggled as to why babies moan during feeding times.
Why Do Babies Moan When Eating?
A baby moaning while eating is common practice for many babies and toddlers. It can be a cute trait and they are showing enjoyment. It can be misinterpreted. A moan whilst feeding can signal pain. Your child could be suffering from reflux issues or tummy troubles. To prevent your baby from moaning you need to identify the reason why they are groaning.
Babies and Food
Whether you are dealing with a newborn or a busy toddler, they all spring surprises on us from time to time. No matter if you are a first-time mom or a mom to 5 each child is different. Showing us sneak peeks of their little personalities which is why a baby making a moaning noise when eating can make us jump into panic mode. Are they hurting? Are they enjoying? Read further to identify the many reasons a baby can whinge during meal times.
Baby Moaning in Mealtimes
Your baby will make noise during meal times, some can be cute and others you may find troubling so let’s unpick exactly why you and your baby could be suffering from moaning mealtimes.
Firstly we need to look at it from the angle of whether it is a moan to be concerned about. Both my daughters are noisy eaters. From newborn they happily groaned whilst drinking their milk, I took this as an enjoyment cue rather than an indication something was wrong. Even now my daughter is 5 and can make humming noises whilst she eats, coupled with her happy Squirm in her seat I acknowledge she’s content with her food!
On the other hand, my youngest daughter, who’s only 9 months old, can moan to communicate she’s tired but the need for a full belly of milk is undeniable. Sure to say that nap time can come quickly afterward.
So that means that moaning during mealtime doesn’t have to set off your mom alarm bells, it can be just a quirky habit your little one picks up.
If the moaning signals unhappiness then you could consider that you are not feeding them fast enough, this is usually hand in hand with an open mouth and a lunge to grasp the food. It takes a baby time to recognize that their belly is full. This can lead to overfeeding, vomiting excess milk/food, or moaning and groaning of an overstretched tummy bloated at the seams. It’s typical for us as moms to want our babies to clear their plates or finish their feed but it’s important we take instruction from our children. Learning the ‘I’m full’ cue will benefit them from overeating as they grow.
Another reason for a noisy baby could be comfort. Eating is a relaxing sociable time yet doing so in a wet or dirty diaper can make them irritable and unable to enjoy their food.
The worst scenario for any mom is to see her baby wincing in pain. As they cannot string a sentence together your baby can groan to signal tummy pains, acid reflux, or feeling sick.
Tummy pains can coincide with trapped wind which as you probably know is blinking painful at times. Gas bubbles trapped within the stomach and bowel leaving behind mild to extreme pain episodes.
Acid reflux is also another contender. My youngest suffered from acid reflux and was an extremely noisy eater. In fact, this could explain a lot! Stomach acid can affect little ones if the entry to the stomach hasn’t matured enough. Usually, the stomach will have an entrance flap. It can prove to be underdeveloped at the beginning of a baby’s life allowing acid to travel upward and creating a burning sensation.
Is it a Moan?
Grunt
If you can hear grunting from your baby when they feed it could just mean they are getting used to the motions of breathing whilst drinking/eating. This familiar grunt can make itself known when they are filling their diaper too so it’s good for signaling a butt change is impending.
There are times when the grunt will need to be discussed with your doctor. My eldest child always had a grunt whether feeding or not. She seemed breathless and had a continuous wheeze. Fast forward to many doctor visits and hospital stays and the grunting was down to asthma. It was her way of trying to breathe. Make sure you keep an eye on the whole situation and if your snorting little piglet is showing signs of distress then pop to the doctor.
Humming
The Humming noise is my favorite. I associate this with pure satisfaction! It’s likely as a parent you will have pet names for meal times, ours is bo bo for bottle and num nums for food, using these pet names I found my daughter copying Humming ‘num num num num’ whilst she eats.
Gulping
Think of yourself when you are thirsty. The desire to quench it is the most important. The same goes for your little one. The sound they can make is no reason to panic, just a side effect of them satisfying their need for a drink.
When they gulp there is a chance they will be inhaling more air than usual so look for signs of wind pain build up.
Wrapping Up
We have sought answers to Why do babies moan when eating?
There can be a number of reasons from gas to acid reflux. If you feel your little one is in pain when eating then you may wish to seek medical advice. On the contrary, depending on their moan you could just be witnessing their enjoyment, whether it’s the golden nectar of breast milk, nutrition of formula, or a new favorite food you will be able to decipher the norm for your baby relatively quickly so trust your gut instinct.
More to read:
