Patient's question:
My baby is now 19 months old and has started wanting to eat hands and breast milk again. They were weaned at 13 months, and I'm wondering what's going on. During the day, they sometimes eat their hands, but at night or as soon as they open their eyes in the morning, they demand breast milk. Sometimes they fall asleep while holding their hands. I haven't taken them to the doctor yet. If they don't get breast milk, they cry uncontrollably, which is really frustrating. What could be the reason for this, and what should I do, especially regarding the breast milk demand?Doctor's answer:
Children sucking their hands at this stage is a normal manifestation of growth and development, and it's not abnormal for children to be attached to breastfeeding. 1. Pay attention to correcting this by engaging the child with other activities, diverting their attention, and over time, the child will forget about sucking their hands. 2. Pay attention to hygiene. 3. Apply something scary on the nipple to make the child afraid and stop wanting it. 4. Be patient in comforting and engaging the child, but also be mindful not to let the child become too stubborn. Can the child still suck your milk?