Personality on Tap

Breastfeeding Patterns Reveal a Lot About Your Baby's Individuality

By Phyllis Edgerly Ring

Lisa Sanders was anxious when her infant son, now 2, tended to vomit after she nursed him.

"The doctor said that it was not a problem, that he was still getting his nourishment," says the Hume, Va., mother of two. "Little did I know that it was his 'mannish' eating habits – he still gobbles everything and swallows without chewing!"

By contrast, his older sister was a steady, more focused nurser, and this difference in their breastfeeding styles shows in their personalities today, Sanders says. Her daughter, now 4, is a more consistent eater, while her son is less so, is "easily distracted, and continues to be very active and interested in everything."

Nursing patterns are usually as individual as the babies themselves – and part of the way parents come to know more about their child, notes lactation consultant Vicki Nizin of Ridgewood, N.J.

"I had three very different eaters," notes Tina Pavich of Noblesville, Ind. "My first was like a turtle, extremely slow. She savored every morsel and didn't seem to want to give up the time that she nursed."

Baby No. 2 was "a gobbler – no stops, just gulp, gulp, gulp," says Pavich. "She nursed until she was ready to drink from a cup at 7 months. She was also like clockwork every four hours, whether I was ready or not."

Daughter No. 3 was "a 'suck and stopper.' After a few sips, she would happily look around as my breasts leaked, then she would latch back on when she was ready."

Some newborns "snack" in this way, says Nizin, taking in just enough to satisfy their appetite, waking and nursing more frequently to take in these smaller amounts.

A child's nature often shows in her nursing patterns. "Alyssa, the dainty eater, is today a very girly-girl, petite and sensitive," Pavich says. "Andra, the guzzler, tackles life head on; she is full of life and full of energy. Alivia, the take-it-or-leave-it eater, did things at her own pace when nursing and that is true of her today."

Want to see more?

• Breastfeeding: Starting Out Right
• Dinner Theatre: Breastfeeding the Distracted Baby
• What to Do if Your Child Refuses to Nurse
• Talk about it!