Question
A nine-month-old baby, who has been weaned for over a year, has started seeking breast milk again and hand-sucking during the day, especially when waking up in the morning or going to sleep at night. The baby cries loudly when unable to obtain breast milk, causing concern for the parents. What could be the reasons behind this behavior? How should parents handle it, particularly in response to the seeking of breast milk?
Answer
At this age, hand-sucking is a normal growth and development behavior, and the attachment to breast milk is not unusual. Here are some suggestions:
- Distract the baby with other entertainment methods, and after a long time, the baby will gradually forget about hand-sucking.
- Pay attention to hygiene.
- Apply some flavors that the baby dislikes on the breasts so that the baby will no longer seek breast milk.
- Gently comfort the baby but also be mindful not to allow the baby to become too capricious (stubborn). Can the baby still extract mother’s milk?