sucking when not hungry?

[Jessleigh]

Do babies ever just want to suck for pleasure? i read somewhere that they don't but that got me really confused because my DD who is 7wks sometimes acts very odd at the end of feedings and I'm not sure if she's done nursing. I have a fast letdown so she never nurses for too long, but sometimes she pulls on and off at the end of a feeding and goes wild at the nipple like she's ravenous and can't find it. I put it in her mouth, she suckles a bit then pulls off when milk comes out crying. If it's late at night and OT this is always more exaggerated. It doesn't have every time, but when it does it's so frustrating. I've received lots of help for my overactive letdown and she seems to handle it well so i don't think it's that. I usually just end up giving her a pacifier to appease her which usually works. Do you think she was still hungry or just wanting the comfort of sucking??
Thanks!

[Roseii]

I absolutely think some babes just have a v strong sucking reflex that they need to satisfy, that's why  dd1 had a dummy, so I wasn't one! She also did the squirmy nipple pulling when she was gassy, could that be it? A good burp usually sorted it

[Jessleigh]

Could be gas...I have tried burping every 2 mins into the feed to remedy this but doesn't seem to make too big a difference. I guess, as long as she's gaining weight, which she is doing with gusto (!!), I'll just hope it sorts itself out. (Her birth weight was 6lbs 13oz and she's up to 11lbs in 7.5wks!!) The nipple frenzy can be so frustrating though! thanks

[Shiv52]

Mine were both really sucky babies too.  It seems like she could be looking to comfort suck especially as she is getting frustrated with milk coming out!  I used a dummy and it really helped.

[Diana1981]

In the book the BWSAYP Tracy did say that babies under 3 months need sucking time between feeds and that's when we should introduce a pacifier unless we want them sucking on our breast the whole time.

[Jessleigh]

Thanks everyone. Yes, I did read that in Hogg's book, however, I was on some doctor's site recently that had me second guessing myself. He said, "Babies don't suck for comfort. A sucky baby is a hungry baby." I should have just stuck with my instincts that DD does in fact just want to suck. The pacifier has been working great for that. I'm learning her cues at the breast when she goes into her "nipple frenzy" to pull her away from the nipple and just give comfort and maybe the paci, but sometimes just taking her away from the nipple helps (although she initially cries). I think she just can't resist wanting it in her mouth when it's right in front of her, even though she's full. Man, motherhood is such a steep learning curve! Slowly but surely...