Do Breastfed Babies Need Winding?

Q: Is it true that breastfed babies don’t need winding?

A: No, I am afraid it is not true. I find it extraordinary that so many mothers are told this, because anyone who works with babies on a regular basis should know that breastfed babies can produce just as much wind as a bottle-fed baby.

My 29 years of experience as a midwife, mother and breastfeeding specialist has taught me that, regardless of whether they are breast or bottle fed, some babies are very windy, others less so and a small number never need winding at all. This is mainly down to luck rather than technique, but a breastfed baby who is latched on badly or who is gulping his feeds too quickly (from breast or bottle) is likely to suffer more from wind than a baby who is feeding calmly and steadily.

Until you get to know your new baby, it’s best to start off by assuming that he will need winding both during and after feeds. If you then find that he never produces wind, then of course you can stop winding him. But if your baby does take in some air when he feeds, both you and your baby will be glad that you took the time to discover that some breastfed babies do indeed need winding.