Quick Answer
A baby who chews the bottle nipple instead of sucking and drinking is one of the most common bottle feeding challenges parents encounter. It can happen at any age but is particularly common in breastfed babies, babies who are teething, and babies encountering a bottle for the first time or after a gap. Chewing instead of sucking is almost always about technique, familiarity, or comfort rather than a structural problem, and in the majority of cases it can be resolved with the right approach.
Why Babies Chew the Bottle Nipple
They Do Not Yet Know How to Suck From a Bottle
Breastfed babies use a different oral motor pattern to feed from the breast than is required to feed from a bottle. At the breast, the baby draws the nipple and areola deep into the mouth and uses a wavelike tongue motion to extract milk. A bottle nipple sits differently in the mouth and requires a different suction action. A breastfed baby encountering a bottle for the first time may default to a chewing or chomping motion because that is the closest pattern they have available, not because they are unwilling to feed.
Teething Discomfort
From around 3 to 4 months, and more noticeably from 6 months onward, teething discomfort can cause babies to chew on anything that enters their mouth, including the bottle nipple. Chewing provides counter-pressure on the gums that temporarily relieves teething pain. If your baby has recently started chewing the bottle and is also drooling more than usual, is more irritable than normal, and is chewing on other objects, teething is likely a contributing factor.
The Nipple Is the Wrong Shape or Size
A bottle nipple that is too wide, too long, too firm, or too narrow for your baby's mouth can make effective suction difficult or uncomfortable. When a baby cannot achieve a comfortable latch that allows efficient sucking, they may resort to chewing as an alternative way to get some milk out. This is particularly common when the nipple shape does not match the geometry of the baby's mouth or when the nipple is firmer than they are accustomed to.
The Flow Rate Is Too Slow
A baby who is not getting enough milk from sucking may shift to chewing in an attempt to compress the nipple and force more milk out. This is an instinctive response and is more common with very slow flow nipples, particularly in older babies who have outgrown the flow rate they started with.
Comfort and Exploration
For babies who are in the oral exploration phase (roughly 2 to 6 months), mouthing and chewing objects is a primary sensory activity. The bottle nipple is a soft, interesting object that is frequently present, and chewing it can be as much about sensory exploration and comfort as it is about feeding. This type of chewing is typically accompanied by a relaxed, contented body posture rather than the frustration signals that accompany hunger-driven chewing.
How to Help Your Baby Switch From Chewing to Sucking
Check and Adjust the Latch
The most immediate intervention is to check how the nipple is sitting in your baby's mouth. For effective sucking, the nipple should be drawn well into the mouth, with the baby's lips flanged (turned outward) around the base of the nipple, not clamped around the tip. If the nipple is sitting too shallowly, gently wiggle it further into the mouth or tickle the baby's upper lip to encourage a wider, deeper latch.
Trigger the Sucking Reflex
Before offering the bottle, gently touch the nipple to your baby's upper lip and wait for them to open wide and draw it in, rather than pushing the nipple into a closed mouth. Pushing the nipple in often results in a shallow, chewing position. Letting the baby open and latch actively encourages a deeper, more functional sucking position from the start.
Try a Different Nipple Shape
If your baby consistently chews rather than sucks, the nipple shape may not be a good match for their mouth. A nipple with a more graduated shape, wider at the base and narrowing toward the tip, encourages a deeper latch and a more breast-like positioning in the mouth. The Emulait Starter Kit includes a breast-shaped nipple designed to sit naturally in the mouth in a way that encourages the same tongue and jaw movements used at the breast, which can help breastfed babies in particular switch from chewing to sucking more readily.
Address Teething Discomfort Before the Feed
If teething is contributing to the chewing, offering a chilled (not frozen) teething ring for a few minutes before the feed can reduce gum discomfort enough to make focused sucking during the feed more comfortable. Starting the feed when your baby is calm and not in active discomfort gives the best chance of a productive sucking session.
Check the Flow Rate
If your baby is chewing with visible frustration, try a nipple with a slightly faster flow to see whether the chewing resolves when milk delivery increases. If the chewing is relaxed and exploratory, the flow rate is less likely to be the driver.
Keep Feeds Calm and Short
A baby who is already frustrated or overtired is more likely to chew than to suck effectively. If a feed is not going well, it is better to take a break, offer comfort, and try again when your baby is calmer than to persist through escalating frustration, which can create negative associations with the bottle.
When to Seek Further Help
Speak to your pediatrician or a feeding specialist if:
- Chewing persists across multiple nipple types and shapes despite consistent effort
- Your baby is not gaining weight adequately due to ineffective feeding
- Feeds are consistently very long or very small in volume
- You suspect a tongue tie or other structural issue that may be affecting oral motor function
Key Takeaway
Chewing the bottle instead of sucking is most commonly caused by an unfamiliar oral motor pattern (particularly in breastfed babies), teething discomfort, a poorly fitting nipple, a too-slow flow rate, or sensory exploration. Start by checking and adjusting the latch, trigger the sucking reflex by waiting for a wide open latch rather than pushing the nipple in, try a nipple shape better matched to your baby's mouth, and address teething discomfort before feeds if relevant. Most cases resolve with consistent technique and the right nipple shape.
Parents Also Ask
What to Do When Your Baby Is Refusing the Bottle
How Do I Get My Baby to Accept a Faster or Slower Flow Nipple?
Why Does My Baby Pull Away from the Bottle While Feeding?
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your pediatrician or a qualified healthcare provider with questions about your baby's health.