What Causes Low Appetite In Breast Feeding Baby?

Posted on Sun, 29 Jun 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 29 Jun 2014 Answered on

Mon, 21 Jul 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : My baby is 4 months old. She is on mother's milk only. She is having a habit of thumb sucking. From the past few weeks she doesn't show much interest in breast feed, though she is hungry, because she keep sucking her thumb. Her weight in 3.5 months was 5.8 kgs.

Answered by Dr. Omprakash Ashokrao Deshmukh (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
It is normal

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for the query.

Thumbsucking is a normal, natural behavior for many children, and is something they do to comfort themselves and alleviate anxiety.

If everything like urine output, child's activity, weight gain is normal there is no reason to worry.

As baby may get tired sucking at thumb she might not show interest in feeding.

Try a band aid, a finger cot, a small finger puppet, or a thumb guard. If thumbsucking occurs mainly at night, try putting a mitten or a sock over the hand.

Hope i help you.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T