Is sucking baby hungry?

This is an automatically translated article.

In fact, sucking is a natural instinct of a newborn baby. This could be a sign that your child is trying to convey a message to you, such as being hungry, feeling upset, or simply self-soothing.

1. Why do babies often suck their thumbs?

The reason babies often suck their thumbs will depend on their age as well as the different developmental stages they are going through. Here are the most common reasons:
Baby is hungry: During the first few months of life, a thumb sucker may be trying to signal to you that they are hungry. This is supposed to be a baby's natural instinct to let you know that it's time to breastfeed.
In fact, most babies' hunger cues are related to their mouths. When children open, close their mouth or purse their lips, they are ready to eat.
Self-soothe: sometimes you may also notice your baby sucking his thumb even after you have given him solid foods and he is quite full. In this case, thumb sucking could be a sign of self-soothing. Young children are more likely to fall asleep while breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, so they may associate the thumb-sucking reflex with the early stages of sleep, when this action will help them relax and ease difficult episodes. bear.
Also, you may also see older babies (between 7-8 months) sucking their thumbs for the same reasons. It creates a calming sensation that helps the child relax.
If you notice your child sucking his thumb during times of stress, such as when he meets strangers or gets upset about something, this is a self-soothing strategy.

Baby teething: most babies will start teething between 4-7 months old, so babies may involuntarily suck their thumbs. This is because when teething, babies are prone to pain in the gums, while rubbing your fingers against the gums can help relieve the pain and feel more comfortable.
Teething may not be a happy time for some children, with many even drooling more, being more grumpy than usual, or waking up more often.
Exploration: for a baby as young as 2 or 3 months old, hands may feel strange, like a source of entertainment that makes them feel curious and want to explore.
Newborns at this age are starting to realize that their hands are like a useful “tool” attached to their bodies, allowing them to wave, pick up objects, and even put their mouths on them. And yet, children are also beginning to learn about their senses and know that everything will have very different tastes, textures and temperatures.
Expressing emotions: babies are often used to a certain schedule at first, such as eating, crying, and sleeping. However, when children spend more time awake each day, a whole new feeling is born: Boredom.
Letting your baby spend a lot of time exploring and playing outside is often very good for their health. However, in the end, children still feel tired and uncomfortable after a period of play on their own without you to hold or cuddle. At that time, children can suck their thumb to self-soothe and tell you that they want to change to a different place, or a new and different space.

2. Some risks when children suck their thumbs

Thumb sucking is not a bad behavior for a child, but you should make sure that:
Your baby's hands are clean Your baby doesn't hurt or feel uncomfortable The child's surroundings are safe and comfortable Some people worry Worried that thumb sucking may interfere with mouth development. However, according to the American Dental Association (ADA), this behavior usually does not cause any problems for the baby in the first few years of life. When children are over 4 years old, it is best for parents to start giving up this habit of children gently to avoid future oral problems.

3. How to prevent children from sucking their thumbs?

You can only get your child to stop sucking by feeding if that's a sign he's hungry. However, most infant thumb sucking is considered a form of nonverbal communication, so how you respond will depend on what your baby is trying to tell you.
As children get a little older, they start to use their hands to explore things around them by touching, holding or grasping. Reaching for objects is perhaps one of the most important stages of a child's development. This is the best opportunity to introduce your child to new exciting toys like rattles or jigsaw puzzles. However, you still need to ensure that it is safe for children to access toys, avoid children putting small objects in their mouth, causing choking and choking.
If your baby is sucking his thumb because of the pain of teething, let him play with a toy at that time. Alternatively, you can also give your child medication, such as infant acetaminophen or ibuprofen, especially if teething has a major impact on the quality of your baby's sleep.
Thumb sucking to self-soothe or relieve boredom is not an urgent situation, but if you don't want your child to have to use sucking to soothe himself, first find out the cause Where is the root of this problem? Does the child have trouble falling asleep on his own? Is the child overstimulated? In these cases, a pacifier can be a useful alternative.

4. Does thumb sucking go away on its own as the child gets older?

Newborns often grow and change quickly from one stage to the next, so they are quick to look for something new and more interesting instead of sucking. In particular, as children's language begins to develop, they will communicate their needs and desires with gestures and, eventually, words.
Most children will quit sucking their thumbs between the ages of 2-4, only a small percentage will continue to suck their thumbs into adulthood.
However, if your child has entered kindergarten and they continue to suck their thumb, you should talk to your pediatrician to find out the cause as well as effective solutions. In general, forcing your child to stop sucking before they are 4 years old is not going to be the right approach, but there are actually a few ways you can help redirect children to break the habit.
First of all, if your child is over 4 years old and still sucking, you should take him to the pediatrician to monitor his oral development. For babies who continue to suck their thumbs even though you've fed them enough, it's best to seek help from your doctor. Maybe your baby isn't getting as much breast milk as you think. This makes them feel hungry all the time, even having problems with their sucking or sucking reflexes.
For children to be healthy and develop well, it is necessary to have a nutritious diet in terms of quantity and quality balance. If children are not provided with adequate and balanced nutrients, it will lead to diseases of excess or lack of nutrients, which adversely affect the comprehensive development of children in terms of physical, mental and motor skills.
Children who do not eat properly are at risk of micro-mineral deficiency causing anorexia, growth retardation, malabsorption,... If they notice the above signs, parents should supplement their children with products. The supplement contains lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, and B vitamins to help fully meet the nutritional needs of children. At the same time, these essential vitamins also support digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, help improve anorexia, and help children eat well.
Parents can learn more:
Signs of zinc deficiency in children
Micronutrient deficiency and failure to gain weight in children
Please regularly visit Vinmec.com website and update useful information to take care of your child. Take care of the baby and the whole family.

Reference source: babycenter.ca; healthline.com