Hand sucking « Back to Group Discussions

[SoonToBe]

Elliott has started really sucking his hand.  He will even do it right after he nurses.  Does this mean he needs to suck more or is this just a common baby thing?  I know it's common for babies to suck on their hands, but I assumed it was because of the need to suck and I don't get why he does it even right after he nurses.  Just making sure it doesn't mean something is off. 

[Beckily]

It's fine :)

[cat13]

River just started this this week, I think it's so cute! He still isn't too coordinated with it yet and will get upset if he accidentally pokes himself in the eye. It's funny, because I'm trying to get him to take a paci but he hates it, but will suck on his hand a lot, even after a huge feed. 

I love this pic, he's got such a great latch on that hand!

[veggiemomto2]

Finn has also started sucking is thumb! NO!

[Baby_Cakes]

I WISH my Finn would suck his thumb!!  Why don't mamas like this?  Am I missing something?  The ability to self soothe in the car and at night built right in to their little hand??  It would be a godsend.

Bree, did you see my status on FB yesterday?  The constant sucking on the hands stage is totally normal and natural, and doesn't mean hunger.

[Lynann]

Carrie the big problem with thumb sucking is getting them to stop when they are older. I was a thumb sucker and I was nearly 5 before I stopped.

Seth has been hand sucking since he was about a week old. I have mixed feelings about him becoming a thumb sucker though. Part of me thinks "great he'll be able to self sooth and no having to remember the binky," and the other part of me thinks "nooooo, it'll be next to impossible to break him of the habit before he hits school age." With DS1 being a binky baby like DH and showing no sign of giving it up anytime soon, I'm kind of leaning towards thumb sucking as good (for now.)

[Beckily]

I get confused, too. If you're just going to replace thumb with a pacifier, I don't get it at all. Thumbs are far handier. And if they need to be able to self-sooth until they're 30.. okay. I don't see a problem with finding comfort. I'm very much an odd one out on that, though :)

[Baby_Cakes]

Most of the articles I've read on thumb sucking say that by the time babies outgrow the mouth-everything stage, they also outgrow thumb sucking.  I get that not ALL kids do,and that some continue to suck their thumb for a long time and it can cause problems.  But of the two (paci or thumb) I feel like I'd rather they use their thumb.  Idk.  I might kick myself for that down the road!!

[kylaskye]

So I was in the store today, Liam was in the sling and fussing a bit. Finally he found his hand and stated going at it... Sucked himself to sleep. After I took him out of the sling I looked at his hand and he gave himself a hicky. Not bad, but noticable.

[MrsMike]

Originally Posted by Baby_Cakes 

I WISH my Finn would suck his thumb!!  Why don't mamas like this?  Am I missing something?  The ability to self soothe in the car and at night built right in to their little hand??  It would be a godsend.

Bree, did you see my status on FB yesterday?  The constant sucking on the hands stage is totally normal and natural, and doesn't mean hunger.

I'm all for thumb sucking. We don't use pacifiers and I wouldn't mind if she sucked her thumb or hand in the car to stop.the.screaming. It's very normal at this stage of development. They tend to really discover  their hands around 2 months and then they realize they can suck on them...all part of being a baby. Morgann started waking up and rooting around last night and I was about to whip my boob out when she found her hand, gave it a few sucks and passed back out. w00t! I had her sitting up in my lap today and she spent a good 5 minutes just staring at her hands and really studying them. It was so cute.

[cat13]

In addition to sucking on his hands, River has started trying to suck on the head padding of his swing and car seat. It's so cute, he turns his head to the side, makes his little grunts and goes to town for about 15 minutes. 

[SoonToBe]

Thanks everyone.  I just wanted to make sure it wasn't a need I wasn't providing.  He often tries to get his hands in his mouth the same time the nipple is going in so I wasn't sure if it was him needing to suck and I should keep offering the boob (sore boobs I should add). :)  Thanks again!

Oh, and totally weird question, but do you think that which hand they suck means they will be righties or lefties?  I sucked my left thumb as a kid, but I am right handed.  Probably has no correlation at all, but I was just curious.  Maybe you veteran moms can remember what your little one(s) did as babies and what hand they ended up using.

[Lynann]

Originally Posted by SoonToBe 

Thanks everyone.  I just wanted to make sure it wasn't a need I wasn't providing.  He often tries to get his hands in his mouth the same time the nipple is going in so I wasn't sure if it was him needing to suck and I should keep offering the boob (sore boobs I should add). :)  Thanks again!

Oh, and totally weird question, but do you think that which hand they suck means they will be righties or lefties?  I sucked my left thumb as a kid, but I am right handed.  Probably has no correlation at all, but I was just curious.  Maybe you veteran moms can remember what your little one(s) did as babies and what hand they ended up using.

DS1 was never a hand sucker so can't say about him. I on the other hand was a thumb sucker as a young child. I sucked my right thumb and I'm right handed. Doesn't sound like there is any reason for which hand they pick. Right now I think its just whatever hand they manage to get to their mouth. DS2 keeps trying to get his hands to his mouth, but so far most of the time he misses. Its so funny though, as he looks like he is concentrating really hard trying to make it work.
 

[amyjoyce79]

My little guy has been sucking on his hand since day one, hungry or not, but he's only actually gotten his thumb in his mouth once. (He is only 4 weeks though.) I am another mom that would rather have him suck his thumb than give him the paci..... I hope I don't regret that. The only problem I have is that he always wants his little fist or my boob in his mouth and when he tries for both at the same time he scratches my (already sore) nipple. OUCH! I've mostly learned to watch for it, but it will sure wake me up if I'm sleepy and not paying attention!

[Tear78]

DD wants to suck a lot, and I swear she nurses half-power when she's not super hungry so that it lasts longer. She uses a pacifier, but recently she has really gotten good at sticking her hand or thumb in there too. I am ok with that, but I do put the paci in instead if it won't wake her up. For one, she makes really loud slurping noises on her hand. SO cute (!) but hard to sleep for me. But also, I've seen w/my niece how a paci can be weaned out. Hard, but doable. My sis and I both sucked our thumbs for a long time and I had to have braces. Plus pacis are SO cute imo.

ETA - in the last day or two, DD has started to sometimes spit out the pacifier in favor of her thumb while in her crib. If I try to put the pacifier in there she sometimes gets really annoyed. To be honest, it's kind of nice because if the pacifier falls out she just pops her hand/thumb in there and stays happy. She's in there right now sucking on her thumb and still sleeping enough not to cry out for me. It's weird. I'm sitting here waiting for her to wake from her nap, and feeling a bit at a loss. I miss her! Lol...but I don't want to wake her up.
Edited by Tear78 - 10/12/11 at 8:05am

[SoonToBe]

Cute (re: thumb sucking). :)