BF 3 month old and Constant Thumbsucking

[Lady Love]

Hello, I am currently nursing my three month old exclusively and I am a little worried about her constant thumb sucking. She sucks her thumb when I'm holding her, when she wakes up in the middle of the night and even when she's breastfeeding (she will repeatedly break the latch and go for the thumb.) I'd say this has been going on for 2-3 weeks. I'm worried that it's because she feels lonely or needs more care. My DS is 3 now very high-maintenance right now. My DH is gone many evenings a week and there are times throughout the day I have to lay the baby down in a safe place to attend to his needs. Any thoughts on this? DS never sucked his thumb at all.

Thanks in advance!

[Katie Shell]

Babies naturally suck their thumb.  If he's hungry or lonely he will let you know and as long as you are responding to those needs you have nothing to be concerned about. Which doesn't mean you need to be concerned if it takes a little longer to get to baby #2 then it did to attend to baby #1. It's the babies that are left to CIO and not allowed to nurse on demand that suck their thumbs well past the natural age. Dr. Sears says secure babies/children won't go much beyond the age of 2 with thumb sucking.

[Lady Love]

Thanks for your reply. I'm a little touchy about thumb sucking because I sucked my thumb until maybe 8 or nine. I was definitely left to cry it out and generally pretty insecure. So I'll just enjoy my little cutie's habit and not worry.