My niece began sucking her middle finger at about 2 years of age, after she
was weaned from the bottle. She had never been breastfed. Her parents
separated; my sister then lived with a string of different people in
different places over the next 15 years. (My niece is now 17 years old.) Last
time I noticed, she was still sucking her finger (albeit discreetly) at about
13 years of age. She's had a very unsettled and insecure life; sucking that
finger has been the only comfort she's had! As a small child, she was very
much attached to me; lived with me briefly when I was still at home w/my
parents. I moved away from her (out of state) when she was 11 years old; it
was the most difficult things I've ever done. I wanted to take her with me.
She's like my first child.

I don't know the why's and wherefore's of other children and fingersucking,
but I certainly understand Summer's (my niece). Her mother used to ridicule
her for doing it, but I knew she needed that finger. It helped her relax and
unwind before going to sleep in yet another strange place.

My three boys, ages 5 1/2 years, 3 years, and 7 1/2 months have not been
fingersuckers. The first two weaned with subsequent pregnancies at about 2
1/2 years of age, but had cut back their nursing gradually before they
weaned. They didn't seem to miss the sucking at all, and of course, I don't
know what the third son will do. My first son had a fixation for the skin
between the thumb and first finger on OTHER people's hands. (Parents' and
grandparents' hands.) He would get sleepy and pinch that skin while going to
sleep. He also liked to pinch loose elbow skin! My second son didn't do
anything like that at all. He's a very easy-going little guy, though, while
my first is definitely very sensitive and serious. This third baby is another
rather spirited guy. He nurses only when hungry, sometimes gets sleepy while
nursing, then stiff-arms me, and looks at me as if to say,"Okay, now what?"
My husband gets him to sleep better than I do, unless it's the middle of the
night. THEN he'll nurse to sleep. But he doesn't seem interested in his own
hands at all. I've often thought it would be convenient if they WOULD want to
suck a finger, if only in the car! But none of mine have been the least bit
interested in their own fingers....Interesting how different kids can be,
even with similar nursing experiences!

JoAnn in OKC