I am catching up on the posts of the past week. I am pretty upset about
the post on thumb sucking by Kathy Dettwyler (forgive sp. if
incorrect).In fact it has got my blood boiling!!!
I would venture a guess that you, Kathy, have never had a thumb-sucking child?

Well, I have- my first child, daughter Shoshana, now 8 1/2 yrs. old, and
still known to suck her thumb at times, esp. since we have just moved to
a new state a few months ago (stress).

Shoshana has sucked her thumb since a few weeks of age. Don't know when
for sure it started- i.e. was it age 2 wks. or 3 wks. or even 3 days.
but she has always done so. I assume she was one of those who "did it in
the womb."
I would also like to add that she was breastfed on demand for quite a
few years, until she weaned herself, when she was 3 yrs. 9 mos. old.
She was nursed through a miscarriage, and a pregnancy, and tandem nursed
with her brother for 4 mos., until she weaned herself. She would nurse
in the morning, before going to nursery school(where i might add she was
quite happy).

She nursed whenever she needed to , whenever she wanted to. She was in
our family bed for well over 2 yrs., and made a peaceful transition to
her own bed.She in fact is welcome to the family bed anytime she feels a
need. which for some years has been very rarely.
She is very happy . has a lot of interests.

So where do you get this idea that some needs of hers have not been met???!!!

Frankly I am offended by this theory of yours.

I have living human evidence that there are breastfed children who have
complete access to the breast, who do still suck their thumb, or finger,
or fingers.I have read postings from others who have additional living
human evidence!
(for the record, in case it wasn't clear, she was exclusively bf, no
pacifiers or bottles. in fact she was exclusively bf for about 11
months.)

Who can explain why some suck the thumb? Who can explain why some kids
have "blankies" or other special objects?
My first two children had no special blankets or other such objects.
They ignored the numerous stuffed animals.

Along comes baby #3, who became a "blanket baby" . It was quite
something to see him lunge across the room toward his "banket". He has
loved it to shreds.
He has intimate relationships with about 20 stuffed critters.And he was
also exclusively bf, still going strong in fact at age 28 mos.

No, he has never sucked his thumb.But then again couldn't you say that
he has had to develop relationships with blankets and animals because of
needs unmet by me, his mother?!B---s--t.

I have practiced attachment parenting to the max with all 3 kids- don't
tell me they have not had all their needs met.

Yeah, I am feeling pretty mad about this. What more can I say? My
experience tells me that you are not on the mark here. This despite
whatever they do in Mali.

Ellen Vegh, LLLL
Pittsburgh, PA