The Boob Jail Technique That Nursing Moms Swear By

Watching your baby hit new developmental milestones is exciting—until those milestones cause sleep regressions or make breastfeeding nearly impossible. Enter the concept of ‘boob jail’. A lighthearted Reddit user (@Mayya-Papayya) suggested this technique to bring her baby back to the important task at hand—nursing.

“You know, when around three months, babies get their big first software update right after the smile patch goes live? They notice the world around them and want to check out the ceiling, the curtains, the cat the sound in the other room. The necks turn into owl necks and the mouth pointed everywhere but the boob?” she writes.

“With my first, I was so over feeding him in a dark room with blackout curtains forever, that out of desperation, I threw a gauze burp cloth over his eyes while on the couch…like little horse blinders…and magically he started nursing immediately. As soon as the distraction was gone, he went straight to work.”

Judging from the number of comments and likes this thread received, babies who become distracted while nursing can be a source of mild frustration for parents.

What Exactly is ‘boob jail’?

If you mention the term ‘boob jail’ to anyone who does not have children, they might immediately think you’re referring to a bra. But say it to a new mom six months into the gig, and she may nod knowingly or ask you to tell her more.

La Leche League Canada, a registered non-profit organization that provides peer-to-peer breastfeeding support for expectant parents and new families, acknowledges that somewhere in the six-to-twelve-month range, many mothers might find that their previously focussed nursing baby has become a wiggler that can’t nurse in public, if someone else is in the room, if the TV is on etc.  This essentially describes the predicament of the original Reddit poster (OP) that sparked the ‘boob jail’ thread.

After covering her first baby’s eyes with the gauze-y cloth and successfully removing nursing distractions, she said, “I didn’t know if it was just him and dubbed it “boob jail” or “throw him in solitary.” But I just tried it with my second, and it worked like a charm.” She’s careful to deliver the caveat that it works for babies who are not able to remove the burp cloth from their eyes and warns not to obstruct the baby’s ability to breathe.

Another poster, Mother-Leg-38, responded, “I’m going to try this. My 4mo gets mesmerized by his own hands. I can’t even take a sip of water without him unlatching to stare at the plastic water bottle”.

At its core, the idea is to remove distractions so that the baby can feed uninterrupted. In this instance, it means placing a light, breathable cloth over the baby’s eyes while they nurse. This might be worth a try if your baby no longer stays focused on feeding, even with a nursing cover.

Why it works

Covering the baby’s eyes while nursing is as straightforward as it sounds. One of the reasons that mothers use nursing covers, aside from personal privacy or discretion, is to create an environment where distraction is minimized, which can be hard in public places. The Reddit thread poster finds that even at home, things like noises or light sources create distractions. So, blocking the baby’s vision with a light cloth is a way for this mom to get her child to focus on the task of nursing.

Why do Babies get so easily distracted?

Distracted nursing can be a common behaviour that can happen anywhere from three months to toddlerhood and beyond for a variety of reasons. The La Leche League Canada website notes that between the ages of six to twelve months, babies can make big developmental leaps that include: crawling, standing or possibly walking, babbling and beginning to make words and eating solid foods. It is a sign that the baby’s brain is developing, they are becoming interested in the world and are also getting more efficient at nursing. This can lead to what some refer to as ‘drive-by’ nursing, or shortened nursing sessions, where the baby is seeking connection with their primary adult throughout the day. The baby is taking in the sights and sounds and learning about its environment, which can cause inattentiveness. This becomes less of a factor once the baby’s brain develops further and they are able to multitask.

On the other hand, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), Taya Griffin, cautions that distraction, at any point in a nursing baby’s development, could be a sign of an underlying issue. “Babies can get distracted and come off the breast, but it can be pathogenic – it can indicate a decrease in prolactin or flow proficiency,” she says. She would ask the mother when the distractions are happening. If it’s later in the day, this is when prolactin, a hormone produced by the pituitary gland, known for its role in breast milk production and breast tissue development during pregnancy and breastfeeding, is at its lowest.

The distraction, she says, might be a plea from the baby to the mother to figure out what might be going on and get to the root of the problem. She maintains that if a baby is hungry, it will stay on the breast and that the baby should be able to feed anywhere. If this isn’t happening, and the baby’s weight is dropping, it’s vital to seek help.

Is ‘Boob Jail’ Safe?

Griffin cautions new mothers against getting advice from Reddit or TikTok and encourages them to ask ‘What is normal? What is going on? Is my latch okay?’ She says that not all babies will tolerate ‘boob jail’ and some will try to remove the gauze. Mothers should be careful with the placement of the cloth so that the baby’s breathing isn’t restricted. She feels a nursing cover might be a better option.

Other Ways to Get Distracted Babies to Nurse

According to Griffin, there are other ways to return the baby’s focus back to nursing if they become distracted. She says some moms have success in feeding in darkened rooms or where there is no ambient light. Other ways to combat distraction can be to create other distractions, like lightly bouncing or moving during a feed, rocking the baby, nursing in a quiet room, switching sides, or using the side-lying position, which can remove distractions from the baby’s line of sight.

If the baby pulls away, turns their head and becomes distracted, Meredith Briglio IBCLC, suggests that, if they are at an age where solid food has been introduced, you could try offering something to eat to take the edge off the hunger before trying again.

The Bottom Line

“A baby feeding well doesn’t need ‘jail’,” Griffin asserts.  But above all, the consensus is that mothers should ultimately follow their instincts. What is right for one baby may not be for another.

Briglio reminds her clients that they should offer their babies happy times at the breast. She says, “Nursing shouldn’t be a source of stress for the mother or the baby; they should do whatever is necessary to make this happen, for example: taking breaks, deep breathing, or if you’re nursing a toddler, let them play for a little bit before trying again.” She encourages mothers to keep nursing at night, when prolactin is highest, the flow is faster, and there are fewer distractions.

When asked whether distraction is a sign that the baby should wean, Briglio believes moms should do what feels right for them. “Anthropologists have stated that the age of weaning in humans can be between the ages of four and seven. But weaning is an individual decision, and breastfeeding should work for the whole family.” Reddit jokes of ‘throwing your baby in solitary’ aside, as the saying goes, fed is best. There is no right or wrong as long as your baby is growing, and you are both in tune and connected.