What Are Flutter Sucks in Breastfeeding – And Why Are They So Important?
- frombumpstobabies
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Hello, I’m Lily, a midwife with many years of supporting families on their feeding journeys. Today I want to talk about something I get asked about a lot: flutter sucks. If you’ve heard the term but aren’t quite sure what it means, you’re not alone.
What are Flutter Sucks?
When your baby is breastfeeding, you might notice two different types of sucking:
Initial start of feed sucking – strong, deep sucks where your baby is actively drawing out milk.
End of feed sucking (flutter sucks) – gentle, light, almost fluttery movements of the jaw - you might feel them or see them, or both!
Flutter sucks usually happen once your baby has taken in a good amount of milk and their tummy is starting to fill. Instead of gulping, they slow down into these little rhythmic flutters.
Why Are Flutter Sucks Important?
Many new parents worry when they see flutter sucking, thinking baby has “stopped feeding properly” or "using them as a dummy" – but actually, these small, gentle sucks are a really important part of breastfeeding.
Comfort and bonding – Flutter sucking helps soothe your baby. It’s their way of staying close, feeling secure, and keeping that skin-to-skin connection with you.
Breast stimulation – Even when your baby isn’t swallowing big mouthfuls, the gentle stimulation helps maintain your milk supply. Your body gets the signal to keep producing milk.
Transition to sleep – Flutter sucking often happens as your baby drifts off. It’s completely normal for babies to feed actively, then flutter suck, then fall asleep at the breast.
Oral development – The action of flutter sucking supports your baby’s jaw and facial muscle development, which is important for both feeding and later speech.
Should You Stop Flutter Sucks?
In most cases, no. They’re a natural, healthy part of feeding. As long as your baby is having plenty of wet and dirty nappies, is gaining weight, and also has periods of active nutritive sucking, flutter sucks are nothing to worry about.
If you ever feel unsure, that’s exactly what midwives, lactation consultants, and feeding specialists are here for – to guide and reassure you.
Breastfeeding is a journey, and it’s full of little things like flutter sucks that can feel confusing at first but make so much sense once you understand them.
If you’d like to learn more, I’d love to welcome you onto one of my classes where we go through feeding in detail and give you practical tools to feel confident.
You can book a place on my classes and follow me for more tips and support at @frombumpstobabies.
You’ve got this – and I’m here to help every step of the way.
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