Thumb sucking

Winnie1 · #1 (**permalink**) 29-09-2008, 01:10 PM

DD has taken to sucking her thumb, she is about 4 months, breastfed (and comfort fed).

I was trying to feed her this am and she kept bopping off and putting her thumb in her mouth.

Thoughts??

**Marguerite** · #2 (**permalink**) 29-09-2008, 01:39 PM

Despite having thumbsuckers I have not been in the situation with either coming off the breast to suck her thumb. Have you been in contact with the Australian Breastfeeding Association?

Dorasmum · #3 (**permalink**) 29-09-2008, 02:42 PM

Gee that's a tricky one, maybe she wasn't quite hungry enough?? My DD2 sucked her thumb a lot under six months but always preferred the boob. Can you tuck the arm under her or wrap her?

Em

Bronnie · #4 (**permalink**) 29-09-2008, 04:45 PM

I'm probably what would be called a nasty mum - one of mine (can't remember who) tried to suck a thumb. Might have been Josie. I kept pulling it out of her mouth and it wasn't long before she stopped trying. I'm one who believes the risks aren't worth the benefit she may have received.

Jamie · #5 (**permalink**) 29-09-2008, 07:18 PM

My 5yo is a thumb sucker. She started sucking her thumb at about 10 weeks. She had refused a dummy for the weeks prior to this. I remember that when she was a baby she would sometimes try to pop the thumb in while she was breastfeeding! I went on to feed her for 4 years.
Thumb sucking is a bit of a personal preference thing for parents, I think. My DH tried to encourage our DS's to suck their thumb as he believed they would sleep better (our DD was waking only once a night at 12mo and sleeping through from 14m, but our DS#1 woke 6 times a night until 2years and DS#2 wakes more than that at 13m) and that the sleep would be worth the cost of the dental work! Our DS's didn't take to it, unfortunately.

Craig&Kel · #6 (**permalink**) 30-09-2008, 04:15 PM

Yep, got a 3yr old thumb sucker here too. Indi stuck it in from about 2 months or so. Occasionally she would try and pop it in while she was feeding, toward the end of the feed.
She still does the sucking motion even when her thumb isn't in her mouth when she is asleep.

lcorteen · #7 (**permalink**) 30-09-2008, 11:13 PM

Wow Jamie - feeding for 4 years - good on you!

I love the sound of my 3.5yr old sucking her thumb as she dozes off to sleep... She used to sometimes suck her thumb in when I was trying to feed. I figured she wasn't hungry and fed her later. She was obviously also happy enough to comfort herself rather than use me for comfort at the time too. I wouldn't worry about it too much