Reason #3 for dialling up at the breast: baby needs richer sensory motor experience

A baby's powerful biological need for rich and changing sensory motor experience is still poorly understood in our world. Unfortunately, you are more likely to hear that your baby is fussing because she is overstimulated, which misunderstands the latest neuroscience!

Babies dial up when their neurologically hardwired need for rich and changing sensory and motor experience is not being met.

The interior environment of our home is remarkably low in sensory motor stimulation for babies, no matter how hard we try with interesting mobiles and toys. It's very hard work meeting a baby's sensory motor needs when it's just you and the baby inside your home! Inside the home, your baby is likely to dial up just because she is wanting a change of sensory experience. You might generously offer your breast, which she takes (because there is nothing more interesting happening!) but she is also frustrated and fussy at the breast because what she really needs is a wonderful new sensory adventure outside the home.

This kind of fussiness at the breast happens very often. But if you experiment with planning days outside the home, and use the breast frequently and flexibly as one superpower which dials your baby down, at the same time as you use your other superpower of rich and changing sensory motor nourishment (outside the home), this kind of fussiness at the breast disappears.

You can find out about your baby's need for rich and changing sensory motor nourishment here.