Tugging at right ear while drinking from a bottle

[busymama77]

DS just started tugging at his right ear a couple of days ago and did it again last night before bedtime. Could this be a sign that an ear infection is brewing? Or teething? He's eating well, sleeping well and playing just fine. He's been a little clingy - fussing when he's crawling...etc.,

[Mawood]

Hi busymama
My daughter started doing the same thing when she was as old as your DS and still does on and off. I thought she was going to get an ear infection as well and looked up the symptom in Dr. Sear's Baby Book. Apparently a lot of babies do that and a lot of Moms think of an ear infection at first but if it is not accompanied with a fever it is nothing to worry about. It might be a symptom of teething and since the ears are right in that area the little ones start pulling the ears as a way of dealing with the discomfort.

[ErinYay]

It *could* be. V is an ear and hair-puller when she's tired- for some babies it's a self-soothing thing, so you'll see it more when they're nursing/eating, as they're relaxed, tired, and making themselves more cozy.

[Molliejo]

Mine do this when they are tired. None have ever had an ear infection. I wouldn't worry about it unless other symptoms arise.

[beebalmmama]

My little one does this right before he's about to nurse. I keep trying to figure out if he's associated it with the sign for milk. But it seems it's just his own soothing sign for getting ready to nurse.

[hakeber]

Mine was doing this around five or six months, so hard she separated her ear at the back and was bleeding. I was utterly distraught.

Then she cut her first tooth and she stopped.

She started tugging again the last few days when sleepy, though nothing like before, but I am pretty sure she's cutting more teeth.