A lot of little ones suck their thumbs. So, if your baby is sucking on their hand, it's not that surprising of a reach. According to Stanford Children's Health, about 90% of newborns show some form of hand sucking just two hours after birth. It's a perfectly normal and common behavior in babies. (If they're still thumb-sucking years down the road, that's another story.)
But what makes your little one favor their hand? There are many reasons your baby prefers to suckle on their hands. Let's find out why your precious peanut won't keep their hand out of their mouth and if any of those should make you try to break their habit.
Newborns and infants seem to be constantly hungry. Putting their hands to their mouths is one of many hunger cues for babies. It's actually first in the CDC's list of hunger cues for babies zero to 5 months old, followed by turning head to breast or bottle, smacking or licking lips, and clenching hands.
It's a natural sucking instinct for babies, and the first thing you should check for. Whenever they drink milk, they are suckling, so they when they feel hungry they start sucking on the only thing available to them - their hand!
Think about when baby last ate to clue you into if your baby sucking on their hand is a hunger cue. Don't feed your baby immediately every time they chew on their hands though, since there are a few other things this behavior could be indicating.
If you do want to try getting your baby to stop putting their hands in their mouth, it's a good idea to know why they are doing it in the first place.
Another reason babies suck on their hands is they use this as a self-soothing method. It's like using their fingers as a pacifier. Sucking is one of the most soothing reflexes for babies since it's associated with feeding. This action is relaxing and comforting mentally and physically for them. They feel safe and satisfied after being fed (don't we all) and they often start practicing this reflex in utero, so it feels familiar.
At 4 to 7 months old, babies may chew on their hands because they are starting to teethe. Yes, that early! As teeth start to move down toward the gums, chewing puts counter-pressure against the sore gums. If your baby doesn't have a teething toy handy, they'll use their hand as one. Offer silicone teething toys that have been in the refrigerator as a hand alternative for that painful gum relief.
Besides hunger, self-soothing, and teething, babies might eat their hands simply out of boredom. If they have nothing around them to do or hold, their hands are the next best thing to a toy. We all know an adult who idly bites their nails, so some of us never really grow out of it.
They also might be excited that they've discovered their hands for the first time and want to experiment with them. You may notice them find their feet at some point, too, and even put their feet in their mouth. It looks way more adorable than it sounds, we promise. Your little one just wants to check these new things out, and that includes a taste test.
With the normal ones out of the way, there are a few reasons why your baby sucking on their hand that you want to keep in the back of your head.
If your tot has a small wound in their mouth, the sucking could make it feel better, but it could also make it worse. There could also be something in their mouth they can't get out. We know how babies will taste test anything.
But once your child is 4 years old, they should be done with sucking on their hand. If your kiddo is older and it worries you that they still do it, consult with the pediatrician. Of course, if you feel the chewing is at all excessive and are concerned, check with your child's doctor.
Pediatricians and dentists say not to worry about this habit until they are at least toddlers, so your baby should be fine. Your baby is going to put things in their mouth anyway, so it might as well be their own hand. They often naturally grow out of it and it's a typical developmental stage.
While your baby is in their hand-eating stage, make sure you keep their hands clean and their nails trimmed, so that they aren't putting themselves in any risky bacteria situations or scratching their face up or the inside of their mouth. Your baby sure isn't going to care how dirty their hands are.
Since drooling often goes hand in hand with this behavior, consider getting drool bandanas, so your baby isn't sitting in soggy clothes, and you don't have to change their outfits so often.
Some kids are thumb suckers, some chew on their clothing, and some can't keep their pudgy hands out of their mouths. It's all a part of being a baby and learning the ropes of life. Know that this behavior is common, normal, and just means your babe is a regular baby doing regular baby things.
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