09/02/2026
When a baby pulls off the breast and relatches repeatedly during a feed, the first thing most moms do is check the latch. The latch is almost never what is happening.
The most common cause in the early weeks is letdown speed. When milk releases faster than the baby can manage the flow, pulling off is how they regulate it until the pace slows enough to continue comfortably. As the baby gets older, around three months, the same behavior usually signals something different entirely.
The world has become more interesting than the breast and distraction during a feed is a developmental milestone, not a feeding problem. At any stage, gas or air swallowed during a session can create enough discomfort to interrupt the feed repeatedly in a way that looks like latch trouble from the outside.
Each of those causes has a simple adjustment that changes the experience of the feed without requiring a mom to restart the positioning and latch mechanics she has already worked hard to get right.
The problem is that moms who assume the latch is failing go back to square one, often without access to the right support at the right moment, and make changes that create new problems while the original cause stays unaddressed.
On October 2nd I am hosting a free virtual breastfeeding class covering exactly these kinds of questions. We will go through what to expect in the early days, how to establish a good latch, feeding frequency, milk supply basics, signs your baby is getting enough, and how to navigate the common challenges that send most moms to Google at 2am.
Comment LATCH below and I will send you the link to register.