Clicking on the Bottle? Why It Happens and How You Can Help
Hearing a clicking sound while your baby drinks from a bottle can stop you in your tracks. What does it mean—and is it something you need to fix?
Clicking during bottle feeds doesn’t automatically spell trouble, but it can point to a latch that's not quite right—whether it’s the bottle itself, the flow, or how your baby is using their tongue during the feed.
Figuring out why it’s happening can help you feel more confident—and more able to tweak things so your baby stays comfortable and content while they eat.
Why Clicking Happens With Bottles
Clicking sounds during bottle feeding usually mean your baby is losing suction somewhere in their latch. That little “pop” noise? It’s what happens when the seal between your baby's tongue (or mouth) and the bottle nipple gets momentarily broken. It’s the same sound you’d hear if you pulled up on something that was suctioned to a surface.
There are a few places where suction can be lost, but they all trace back to one core issue: your baby’s latch on the bottle isn’t sealing well enough to hold suction consistently.
They might be struggling with the nipple shape, the flow might be too fast or too slow, or their tongue might not be coordinating smoothly with their jaw. Any of these can lead to that click-click-click you hear while they’re eating.
Is Clicking a Problem?
Not always. A little clicking here and there—especially during sleepy or frantic feeds—can be totally normal. Babies don’t always latch perfectly every time, and that’s okay.
But if your baby is clicking often, seems frustrated, gassy, or takes a long time to finish a bottle, that’s a good sign to get curious. Repeated clicking usually means they’re working harder than they need to just to eat—and it might be worth looking into their bottle latch a little more closely.
It’s not about chasing perfection. It’s about making small tweaks so feeding feels better—for both of you.
Clicking isn’t always a problem—but if it’s happening often, there are a few simple tweaks you can try to make feeding smoother for both of you.
Every baby is different, but these are some of the most common things that can help:
Try a different nipple shape. Narrow, wide, or sloped nipples all work differently in a baby’s mouth. A better match can help your baby seal more easily and maintain suction.
Adjust the flow rate. Too fast? Your baby might gasp or slip. Too slow? They may get tired and lose suction from working too hard. Watch how they respond to the flow.
Double-check their position. Try a more upright hold or paced bottle feeding. Starting with the bottle below your baby's lips so that the bottle makes contact with your baby's chin can help them open wider before they latch and get a deeper latch on a bottle, too. Here's what that looks like in practice.
Watch their overall coordination. If your baby struggles to get started, seems disorganized, or gets frustrated mid-feed, it might be worth looking at how their mouth muscles are working together during feeding.
Remember, clicking is just a clue. Try one thing at a time and see how your baby responds. You don’t have to fix everything overnight—you’re learning together.
Just like learning to nurse is a process, finding the right bottle fit takes some trial and error too. You’re doing great.
When to Look a Little Closer
Sometimes clicking is just a temporary blip. But other times, it’s part of a bigger picture—and if that picture includes feeding frustration, slow weight gain, gassiness, or constant latch slipping, it’s worth digging a little deeper.
If you’ve tried different bottles, adjusted position, slowed the flow, and it’s still happening often, your baby might need more support. Persistent clicking can be a clue that their mouth muscles are having trouble working together efficiently, or that their reflexes aren’t being triggered as fully as they could be.
That doesn’t mean anything is wrong—it just means your baby might benefit from a few extra tweaks, or even a quick consult with someone who can help assess their oral function and bottle feeding coordination.
Bottle Feeding with Confidence
Clicking sounds can feel confusing—but they’re often just your baby’s way of saying, “Hey, something’s not quite right" in this moment. And the good news? Most of the time, the fix is something simple and totally doable, and its not an emergency.
You're not doing anything wrong.
Bottle feeding takes practice—and learning what works best for your baby is part of the process, and you are getting there. One feed a time.
Definitely not. A tongue tie is just one of many possible reasons a baby might click on the bottle—but it's far from the only one. Sometimes it’s something as simple as the nipple flow being too fast.
If your baby keeps clicking, taking a closer look can help you figure out what’s going on—and what small changes might help make feeds go more smoothly.
Clicking itself isn’t the issue—it’s just a clue that something might not be working quite right. But whether that “something” actually matters depends on how feeding is going overall.
If your baby is happy, feeding comfortably, gaining well, and it feels good for both of you, then there’s probably no need to worry. You can pause your detective work for now—just keep an eye on how things go when solids start, as that’s another great time to check in on oral function.
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Meet Avery. The voice behind Nourished Young.
Hi there! I’m an IBCLC and educator with over twenty-five years of experience supporting families.
I built this space to share the kind of guidance I wish I had as a new parent—answers grounded in real-world experience, not guesswork. The kind that reflect real babies, real bodies, and the real challenges that don’t always fit the textbook.
Because when you understand why something is happening, it’s so much easier to feel confident about what to do next.
