Don’t be concerned if your baby sucks thumb for a few minutes before mealtimes. It is just because he or she is hungry. Appetite is one of the many reasons babies suck their thumb.
Breastfeeding and thumb sucking
Babies who are breastfed are less likely to suck their thumbs. Breastfeeding usually satisfies the baby’s need to suck. The baby decides when she is full and done sucking. A baby sucks most of the milk from the mother’s breast in about 5 or 6 minutes.
Bottlefeeding and thumb sucking
Thumb-sucking develops in the average bottle-fed baby when it takes only 10 minutes to finish the bottle instead of the average 20 minutes; the baby’s need to suck will then not be satisfied. This happens because as the baby grows older she or he becomes stronger. Keeping more of a vacuum in the bottle and buying new tops with smaller holes can provide more of a challenge to your baby, resulting in a longer feeding time. But make sure the baby may doesn’t stop sucking altogether.
