Search results
A baby sucking hand is considered a normal part of their development and may begin at two months. Besides sucking hands, you may notice babies sucking fists or even trying to put their feet in their mouths. Most babies stop sucking their hands by themselves at around two to four years.
Sucking reflex begins to develop in a baby around the 60th day of intrauterine life, and the baby begins to suck and swallow in the 12th week. Suction and expression are two components of the sucking reflex.
Is your baby sucking on their hand? From teething to comfort-seeking, here are a few explanations for why your baby is sucking or chewing on their hands.
Suck reflex: The baby makes a sucking motion when the area around the mouth is touched. Image: IStock. Rooting and sucking reflexes are a natural phenomenon that causes the baby to put everything in their mouth to facilitate object exploration. There are some other attributes of mouthing in babies.
1. A pacifier allows for non-nutritive sucking. Obviously, if a baby is hungry, you need to feed him. However, sometimes newborns have a drive to suck even after they’ve finished eating. This is called non-nutritive sucking, which simply means sucking without gaining nutrition or calories.
There is no doubt that sucking is hugely soothing for babies whether it be a boob, a thumb or a dummy and it is also well-evidenced that sucking a dummy at nap and bedtimes is protective against SIDS.
For a baby, sucking can provide a feeling of relaxation that brings about drowsiness or sleepiness. 3 Because of this, sucking on a pacifier can be a valuable tool to help a baby fall asleep. In addition, since pacifiers can reduce the risk of SIDS, babies can sleep with a pacifier. 2
