Fist Sucking?

The one thing that really undermines my nursing confidence is my 8 week old's
tendency to suck on his fist like a madman, even minutes after a nursing. I
was under the assumption that this was a feeding cue especially when he would
also open his little mouth and turn his head to the side, however he almost
always opens his mouth when I tickle his cheek. He seems to ALWAYS be hungry...

He is gaining weight and I desperatley want to believe my body is producing
enough milk for him, however the fist sucking really gets to my heart I
always think he's hungry and not getting enough. However when I put him to the
breast again after a decent nursing period he'll only suckle for a minute or
two and get lazy or fall asleep.

Maybe ths is just a nervous habit?

What do you guys think?



Lisa

Zucca4 wrote in message
The one thing that really undermines my nursing confidence is my 8 week
old's tendency to suck on his fist like a madman, even minutes after a
nursing.
What do you guys think?



Lisa


That babies innate desire is to suck and it doesn't necessarily mean they
are hungry. It doesn't mean you are doing anything wrong and it definitely
should not be something that breaks your heart. Babies like to suck, if he
is hungry, he will let you know or when you put him back to the breast, he
eats. That's why lots of people use pacifiers because they have a sucky baby
and they don't want to be a human pacifier. OTOH, many moms don't mind being
the pacifier, but sometimes babies get mad if they get milk when they really
just want to suck.

--
Sue (mom to three girls)
I'm Just a Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll World...

Zucca4 wrote:

He is gaining weight and I desperatley want to believe my body is producing
enough milk for him, however the fist sucking really gets to my heart

Some babies are just sucky. If he were starving because you weren't
producing enough milk, he wouldn't be satisfied sucking on his fist.
He'd cry. Hang in there; you've got milk a-plenty.

Mary S.
mom to the Sproutkin, 22 months
and a new wee babysprout, due October 1

you guys are the best!!! Thanks a mil
Lisa

The one thing that really undermines my nursing confidence is my 8 week old's
tendency to suck on his fist like a madman, even minutes after a nursing.

Eh. Many little babies will suck on anything, anytime. It's not necessarily a
hunger signal. It could mean he's tired or uncomfortable for some other reason
and is sucking for comfort, or it could just be that he's exploring his own
body. Anyway, if he's hungry, anything with no milk in it won't satisfy him
for long -- he'll stop sucking it and cry for you pretty quickly.

If you don't have much of a daily routine or schedule, you may want to develop
one now. Since he's gaining well, there's no reason you can't give it a try.
Pay attention to when he really eats hungrily for a few days, and when he falls
asleep most easily, and build your schedule around that. The advantage is that
if he seems uncomfortable, or does something you can't interpret, you'll have a
much better idea of whether he's hungry, tired, or something else based on what
time it is, and know what to try first.

Holly
Mom to Camden, almost 3
EDD #2 6/8/04

"Zucca4" wrote in message
...
The one thing that really undermines my nursing confidence is my 8 week
old's
tendency to suck on his fist like a madman, even minutes after a nursing.
I
was under the assumption that this was a feeding cue especially when he
would
also open his little mouth and turn his head to the side, however he
almost
always opens his mouth when I tickle his cheek. He seems to ALWAYS be
hungry...

He is gaining weight and I desperatley want to believe my body is
producing
enough milk for him, however the fist sucking really gets to my heart I
always think he's hungry and not getting enough. However when I put him to
the
breast again after a decent nursing period he'll only suckle for a minute
or
two and get lazy or fall asleep.

Maybe ths is just a nervous habit?

What do you guys think?



Lisa


Both my babes did this even after they went to the bottle and I could see
they had had tons of milk. I used a dummy with success both times. My 2yo
now sucks his thumb every time he goes to sleep and it doesn't bother me one
little bit :-)

Judy

If sucking only indicated hunger, the pacifier companies would be out of
business!

:-)


"Zucca4" wrote in message
...
The one thing that really undermines my nursing confidence is my 8 week
old's
tendency to suck on his fist like a madman, even minutes after a nursing.
I
was under the assumption that this was a feeding cue especially when he
would
also open his little mouth and turn his head to the side, however he
almost
always opens his mouth when I tickle his cheek. He seems to ALWAYS be
hungry...

He is gaining weight and I desperatley want to believe my body is
producing
enough milk for him, however the fist sucking really gets to my heart I
always think he's hungry and not getting enough. However when I put him to
the
breast again after a decent nursing period he'll only suckle for a minute
or
two and get lazy or fall asleep.

Maybe ths is just a nervous habit?

What do you guys think?



Lisa

"Zucca4" wrote in message
...
The one thing that really undermines my nursing confidence is my 8 week
old's
tendency to suck on his fist like a madman, even minutes after a nursing.
I
was under the assumption that this was a feeding cue especially when he
would
also open his little mouth and turn his head to the side, however he
almost
always opens his mouth when I tickle his cheek. He seems to ALWAYS be
hungry...

He is gaining weight and I desperatley want to believe my body is
producing
enough milk for him, however the fist sucking really gets to my heart I
always think he's hungry and not getting enough. However when I put him to
the
breast again after a decent nursing period he'll only suckle for a minute
or
two and get lazy or fall asleep.

Maybe ths is just a nervous habit?

What do you guys think?


My baby will try to suck her fist while at the breast. I wouldnt worry about
it, babies ejoy sucking and exploring.

"Sue" wrote
That's why lots of people use pacifiers because they have a sucky baby
and they don't want to be a human pacifier.

I hate that term.IMO it signals a whole different mindset from mine. To
think of yourself as a human pacifier, means you feel you are being in place
of a pacifier. I think I like the term "dummy" just because it
indicates,imo, the proper relationship. The pacifier is a dummy, a fake
teat. THe pacifier is the substitute mom, not the mom a substitute pacifier.

"Sue" wrote
That's why lots of people use pacifiers because they have a sucky baby
and they don't want to be a human pacifier.

Nina wrote in message
I hate that term.IMO it signals a whole different mindset from mine. To
think of yourself as a human pacifier, means you feel you are being in
place of a pacifier. I think I like the term "dummy" just because it
indicates,imo, the proper relationship. The pacifier is a dummy, a fake
teat. THe pacifier is the substitute mom, not the mom a substitute
pacifier.

I was just using a term that I have heard used here often, sorry. I meant
nothing by it. It wasn't something that I came up with on my own.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)
I'm Just a Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll World...