Show MAY MAYBE l BE SIGN OF OTHE 0 THAN HUNGRY BAI BA While nothing dr drastic Uc need be bedone bedone bedone done to the baby who occasionally nibbles at its thumb it is a 0 situation situation situa situa- I tion which needs some change when I the baby sucks It its thumb day and night When the baby is young pull the sleeve of the nightgown down over the hand and pull the thed d draw aw string together making a lit lit- tb bag i Or put baby's arms underneath tho covers so that ho cannot raise I them to his mouth The sleeve treatment ent is often better as babies II so love to sleep with their arms straight up and there Is no reason why they Mrs R. R S. S writes write My first was a bottle baby and my second seconda a fed breast-fed one She was slightly slight slight- ly premature and weighed only about five pounds at birth At first she gained better than than a half a pound a week and then from tram 2 to 3 months gained only 14 ounces This isn't enough Isit is isit isit it She is now 3 months old and weighs 10 pounds If I I seem to have to-have have plenty of breast milk She gets five feedings a aday aday aday day and the last one at 7 at night But she sucks her thumb all night nightlong nightlong nightlong long and while she's good during the day she sucks her thumb most of the day Do you think I ought to put her on on a bottle Or dont don't you you think the thumb sucking Bucking indicates hunger Please tell me what to fo do Distribute the feedings different different- ly Feed at 7 11 3 and 7 and then once more more at night if it the baby awakens for it If It not omit this night feeding Nurse on both breasts each time I 1 see no reason for depriving the baby of the benefits of ot the breast I milk but if the gain next month is no better than last Id I'd offer orter a complementary bottle after each cach regular nursing If It you x will send me a self-addressed self and cent 3 stamped envelope I shall be glad to send you the leaflets The Nursing Nursing Nursing Nurs Nurs- ing Mother rother Complementary Feedings and Feeding From 2 to 9 Months which will about fill your needs for some time While a baby might suck its thumbs or fingers when hungry it would be a mistake to include all an reasons for Cor thumb sucking under the heading hunger The Tho baby's weekly gains In weight are arc area a more accurate indication indication indication indica indica- tion of whether his nutritional needs are arc being satisfied and his thumb sucking may be just a habit with little relation to it Id I'd watch the gains and let those indicate when there should be changes in the diet and deal with the thumb sucking as suggested above |