Newborn babies do some strange things and pull some silly faces. But if you notice your newborn baby sticking their tongue out after a feeding, you may wonder what’s up with that.
Babies sticking out their tongues is a little silly to look at, but if it happens frequently, it can start to worry some parents.
In this article, we’ll cover why your newborn sticking tongue out after feeding is often a normal behavior.
We’ll talk about the tongue thrust reflex and the anatomy and tendencies of your baby’s mouth. By the end of this article, you’ll have answers about why babies stick their tongues out.
Newborn sticking tongue out after feeding
Your newborn baby’s tongue is an exciting thing.
They stick their tongues out for all sorts of reasons. These reasons depend primarily on their age and whether your baby’s tongue thrust reflex is still present.
It can concern some parents because it looks odd, and when a child repeats an odd behavior several times, we naturally start to worry.
Why do very young babies stick their tongues out
There are a few reasons your infant aged six months or under is sticking out their tongue.
If you see your baby sticking it out right after a feeding, it can mean one thing. If you see your baby’s tongue leaving its mouth before feeding, it can mean something else.
If babies stick out their tongues all the time, regardless of eating, it can mean something else entirely.
Don’t worry yourself silly. The following are some reasons they stick their tongue out of their mouths:
1. Tongue thrust reflex
The tongue thrust reflex is present from birth and is similar to the sucking reflex, meaning they simply don’t control the tongue protrusion.
If your baby sticks their tongue out when their lips are touched, regardless of whether they have just been fed or is about to be fed, then the tongue thrust reflex shows itself.
Perfectly normal for this age, a newborn baby has no control over it. Babies often stick their tongues out involuntarily as a reflex response until up to six months of age.
Some babies have a little more sensitive reflex and tend to stick their tongue out more often than others, but that doesn’t mean there is cause for concern.
2. Hunger
If you notice that your baby sticks their tongue out and turns their head to the side or starts to root for a nipple, it could be a sign that they are hungry.
Most babies give cues to their parents when they are hungry or want to eat. Until they are big enough to feed themselves solid foods, they entirely rely upon parents and caregivers to notice that they are hungry and need to be fed.
3. Large tongue
Sometimes, your baby sticking out their tongue can signify certain congenital issues or conditions that may require your child’s doctor to intervene.
Some babies have a large tongue that causes this muscle reaction of sticking their tongue out because it simply doesn’t fit well in the mouth.
One of these conditions is rarely the cause for your baby sticking its tongue out here and there.
Most of the time, babies have no control over their tongues before six months and are unaware that they are doing it.
4. Mimicking
If you see your baby sticking its tongue out shortly after you do it, or after older babies or children do it, there’s a good chance that your baby sticking out their tongue is nothing more than mimicking.
Babies sometimes stick their tongues out because it looks silly, and when they see someone else do it, they want to try it, too.
5. Rejecting solid food
Solid foods are sometimes rushed by parents who are excited to hit developmental milestones. Sometimes before their child’s pediatrician would recommend it or before their child is ready.
Some parents get the okay to start on purees at around four months. It’s important to remember that just because you may be ready doesn’t mean your little one is.
If you see your baby sticking its tongue out when you try to feed with a spoon, then that tongue thrust reflex is coming out, and you probably need to wait a bit longer to try solid foods.
6. Small mouths or jaws
Babies affected by very small mouths or jaws can have an issue that causes the tongue to protrude.
Other symptoms, if present, can help diagnose a possible congenital issue such as Pierre Robin Syndrome, Marfan’s Syndrome, or other conditions.
It can also result from babies born with a cleft palate or other mouth issues that can usually be surgically or medically corrected.
Most of the time, these little mouths catch up and grow at a rate that will allow your little one to house their tongue better.
7. Poor muscle tone
Poor muscle tone can cause the tongue to simply hang out of the mouth, with very little control on your baby’s part. Your baby’s mouth lacks the muscle strength necessary to keep their mouths closed and its tongue in.
This is most present in conditions such as Down Syndrome but can also be the product of other issues. In cases of Down’s Syndrome, low muscle tone may also mean that the natural reflex to swallow or have a tongue extrusion when fed can be poor.
What is a normal reflex for some babies may not be the same for little ones with Down Syndrome.
With some therapy and many patience, your sweet baby with Down Syndrome should have no issues eating and gaining weight like any other baby.
Poor musculoskeletal control in other body areas may also occur in these children.
Babies who engage in physical therapy early in life may not have any difficulty adjusting and excelling and can often get around and function just as well as other babies and children.
8. Mouth breathing
If your baby has a cold, nasal congestion, or other symptoms of a respiratory infection, it may result in mouth breathing.
If you see their tongue sticking out while your child is sick, it can be due to their little mouths opening to breathe, which may also mean their tongues will stick out.
9. Gas or acid reflux
Acid reflux and excessive gas can cause your baby’s behavior to appear odd. Depending upon your baby’s age, they may have no way to let you know that they are in pain due to these gastrointestinal issues, so they pull faces, and the tongue stick is mainly due to discomfort.
Tongue thrusting when in pain is common for any age.
Think of times when you may have been hurt or had a nasty tummy ache and bit on your tongue to alleviate it. It’s a bit of a pain response that we often don’t even realize we are engaging in.
10. Teething
Excessive drooling, constantly sticking hands, toys, and everything they can get into their mouths, swollen gums, fussiness, and changes in eating and sleeping habits are all signs of teething.
While most babies grow teeth around the six-month mark, others may start to teethe much earlier than that.
There are even some documented cases of babies having been born with teeth!
Babies stick their tongues out when they teeth sometimes. It’s a way to help them self-soothe, as the gums are swollen and often hurt.
11. Mom isn’t producing enough breast milk
Some little ones stick their tongues out because they are breastfed and still hungry after the breasts are empty.
This can be a sign that breastmilk is not enough for them.
You may need to try to amp up your milk supply, supplement with formula, or talk to your baby’s pediatrician to see if you should start on semi-solid food soon to help curb that hunger.
12. Baby is full
Sometimes when little ones stick their tongues out and push food back out of their mouths, it’s a sign that they are full and want you to stop feeding them. It’s a normal part of development, and your child attempts to communicate fullness to you.
Don’t force your child to eat more than they are comfortable with. This can trigger their gag reflex, spit up, or belly aches.
If your child is one to experience acid reflux regularly, it’s even more important to recognize the early signs that your baby is full.
13. An infection or a growth
The salivary glands can become infected, or growth such as a tumor or a cyst can occur in babies’ mouths.
Because these can be like solid objects, if there is a mass, it can lead to the tongue inside having no room to fit in the mouth.
If you look inside your baby’s mouth and notice any growths or white protrusions that are not teeth, and the tongue seems more crowded than it used to be, it may be a good idea to give your child’s doctor a call to get it checked out.
14. Abnormal tongue
Sometimes, conditions such as Down Syndrome or Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome can cause the tongue to be abnormally thick or large, meaning that babies have a larger-than-average tongue that they cannot contain in their mouths.
Babies with a sensitive gag reflex may even have issues with gagging or choking when they attempt to keep their tongues in their mouths.
Babies continue to expel the tongue because it’s simply more comfortable in these cases. It also helps prevent difficulty breathing when there is not enough space in the mouth for air.
Why do infants stick their tongues out
If your baby sticks that little pink tongue out more often than other babies seem to, you probably don’t need to worry too much. For the most part, it’s just something that young babies do, and eventually, they grow out of it.
In some cases, complications or medical concerns come with babies engaging in this behavior.
Still, if your child’s breathing, eating, and development don’t seem to be impeded, and your baby isn’t in any distress, your baby is likely simply being a normal baby.