I must add my $.02 worth to thumbsucking.  My first two sons never sucked
anywhere but at the breast. They taught me everything I needed to know and I
was smart enough to pay attention to them.  My third son came along and he
liked to hang out on the tips of my nipples, did not want to open his mouth
wide, and he slept a lot.  I had to take off all his clothes for 2 weeks
just to get him to eat every 1.5 - 2 hours.  My rational with all 3 of them
was if they were acting anything but happy, the first thing I tried was the
breast.  I fed them all on demand and offered the breast often even when
they weren't necessarily wanting the breast. I figured if they were fussy,
they either must want the breast but if they did not they could not fuss as
easy with their mouth full.  Son #3 was and still is a thumb sucker.  He was
sucking his thumb within the first minutes after birth.  He would be nursing
at the breast and about to fall asleep and he would try to insert his thumb
into his mouth while still at the breast.  I am convienced that some babies
just like non nutritive sucking.
He is now six years old.  He broke his right elbow (jumping on the bed) and
could not suck his thumb for 5 weeks.  I thought we were going to break that
habit.  It took 3 days after the cast to come off for him to return to his
thumbsucking.  He tells me "Mom, I like to suck".  I think that is why he
was such a good breast baby.
I know some parents, encourage the pacifier and thumb to space feedings.  I
see it all the time.  But some babies just want to suck even when they are
not sucking for nutrition.
Again this is just my $.02 worth.
Debra Knight, R.N., ICCE, IBCLC2B

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