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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Hand chewing

7 replies

jasperc163 · 06/07/2009 16:21

in a 3 month old. Is this a sign of hunger or is it just a developmental phase ?

OP posts:
Olihan · 06/07/2009 16:25

Developmental, ime. They've just started to gain some control and awareness over their limbs and the hand to mouth is a fairly instinctive movement.

tiktok · 06/07/2009 16:30

Signs of hunger in a baby are crying and distress. Hand chewing is a normal phase of development which all babies are 'programmed' to do.

Has someone suggested your baby is hungry because he is doing this, jasper?

jasperc163 · 06/07/2009 16:33

thanks both - no, and she is not distressed, hence my feeling that it was probably developmental. Just wanted to check though :-)

OP posts:
Powdoc · 06/07/2009 17:00

I agree with the others. However, I have also noticed that my DD sometimes starts what I can only describe as a frantic hand-suck if she's hungry. The rest of the time it's more like a gentle slobber!

tiktok · 06/07/2009 17:18

Powdoc, prob what's happening here is that she has sucking on her mind, knows a feed is coming shortly, finds her hand and/or fingers, and just gets going

Powdoc · 06/07/2009 17:49

Sounds right. She once gave me a large lovebite on my collar bone by sucking frantically whilst I was unclipping my bra!

fifitot · 06/07/2009 21:41

Ah tiktok that's such a nice thought.

I wish you were around when I was learning to bf....

I am only on this board to complain about Coronation Street and have been on here too long now. Stopped ebfing about 4-5 months ago and now feel really broody and missing it...Poor old me.

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