Hello, All,

I'm taking a turn now to respond re: thumbsucking.  I have to
whole-heartedly agree that it is very INDIVIDUAL.

My 3rd exclusively BF baby was a thumbsucker.  I was trying desparately to
extend amenorrhea (longer than 7 & 8 wks. as with 1st 2 babies) and knew
full well how this was related to stimulation and feeding frequency.  My
first 2 exclusively BF babies, as neonates, would only VERY occassionally,
accidentally get their thumb in their mouths to suck for a minute or so.
BUT, baby #3 was a different story. He, too, would occassionally get thumb
and breast in his mouth.

At first, I would ALWAYS take his thumb out and try to coax him to BF.  If
he did latch on, he would suck only for a minute or so, let go of breast and
pop in thumb.  If not, he just refused to latch on and insisted on sucking
his thumb. This usually was after he'd BF on both sides.  As a side-line, he
quickly became a very quick, efficient nurser...5 min. a side and he was
done...couldn't encourage him to BF longer...AND he was a very plump,
healthy baby.  At 2 mo.immunizations at local health dept. the nurse was
concerned that he BF too much...he was off the charts.  I told her he was a
BF baby and asked how one would go about putting a BF baby on a diet?  She
just looked at me...no response. (I'm sure b/c she had no answer!)

Anyway, this delightfully, happy, healthy BF baby went on to suck his thumb
until one day after his 2nd birthday I noticed that he was no longer sucking
it. Just gave it up on his own.  He continued to BF longer than his older
siblings...WELL past his 3rd birthday!

So, who knows!  But I believe it is very individual, that mom's should
encourage BF instead of thumbsucking whenever possible, but we can't be
expected to perform the impossible, now can we?

Melody Engberg, IBCLC, LLLL
Memphis, TN