A Thumbsucker?

[jd11365]

Kayla has put herself to sleep the past 2 days for naps and bedtime with a suck of the thumb. I read the archives and I see that the majority of you are ok with this...I guess I just don't want her to have a bad habit. Should I just encourage her to stop this early on...introduce something else? She doesn't take a pacifier and won't suck my pinky much anymore... Also, does this mean she will be a sucker all the time or do some kids just suck their thumbs at night/naptime?

[loewymartin]

I can understand your concern, my husband sucked his thumb until he was 11! But, my ped said that Alia's thumb sucking was fine, and actually helped her self-soothe. She only sucks her thumb when she's tired or going to sleep. The rest of the time she's too busy playing :-) I think most people say to try and break this habit before the kids go to school, and that's what I plan on trying to do (unless she just gives it up on her own).

Michelle - Mom to Alia born 5/16/02

[stillplayswithbarbies]

You probably read the thread in the archives where I asked a similar question. I am now totally okay with the thumbsucking. In fact, I am quite proud that she can soothe herself when she needs to.

She got her shots yesterday, and as soon as she realized she was upset, you could see the lightbulb go on and the thought "oh, I have a thumb" cross her mind and that thumb went in her mouth and she sucked like there was no tomorrow. :) We held her and I nursed her too, but the thumb definitely helped her to feel better, and I think it will help foster a sense of indpendence in her.

Besides that, it's really cute. :)

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[lizajane]

my mom kept telling me that i shouldn't be excited that DS sucks his thumb because "you can take away the pacifier, but you can't take away his thumb."

well, duh, mom. i can't take it away NOW either!!!

as soon as i give him the binker, as we call it, he spits it out and puts his thumb in his mouth!!

so i think- be happy that she has the ability to self-soothe, and deal with the "thumb weaning" when it becomes an issue.

hth.
liza

[kss611]

I sucked my thumb when I was a kid for a very long time and it resulted in 4 years of braces, so I was so upset when DD gave up the pacifier and started sucking her thumb. I tried to have her take the pacifier time and time again and she only wanted to suck her thumb. She is now a year and only sucks her thumb at bed/naptime. I will tell you there is definitely an upside to a thumb. DD can easily find it during the night. Since she started sleeping through the night at 2 months, I have only had to get up with her once during the night. I have grown to be all right with her sucking her thumb after I have seen how soothing it is for her.

Karen

Mom to Meredith June '03

[AngelaS]

Mine only sucks her thumb to sleep of if she needs a few moments of a 'thumb fix' at a stressful time. :)

My oldest weaned herself from her thumb all by herself at 4 years. Her teeth are still perfect. :)

[jd11365]

I guess there's nothing for me to do at this point...she's found it and has used it everytime she has taken a nap or at bedtime for several days now...even if I pull it out it pops back in. We wen't to JC Penny's yesterday for pictures and for her "special delivery" pic (laying down on her side with nothing but a diaper and a ribbon attached saying "special delivery"...adorable) and she was sucking her thumb. My mom didn't like it, but I kinda thought it was cute and bought it. I guess I am learning to live with it... It has been easier to put her to bed and she has been sleeping longer because she can soothe herself... Just hope I don't have future problems with it...

[parkersmama]

Amy Grace is a thumbsucker, too! I was shocked because my first two were addicted to the pacifier. She has also been sleeping through the night pretty consistently since she figured out how to get to that thumb and I'm taking that as a blessing! I'm not looking forward to the days of "Amy Grace, please quit sucking your thumb. I mean it...stop it!" LOL! but for now it sure is nice. Maybe they'll give it up before it becomes a braces-type problem!! :-)

[egoldber]

There are no guarantees about future orthodontic work. Your child could suck their thumb until they are 10 and not need braces OR they could NEVER suck their thumb and STILL need braces. A lot of whether or not you need braces is genetic and has to do with the shape of the mouth and other things. I NEVER sucked my thumb and needed $$$$$ worth of braces as an adolescent. My teeth were just bizarre, turned and twisted and my mouth is very small.

My DD is a thumb sucker, and to be honest, I'm glad. It makes her going to sleep SO much easier because she can self soothe. I have noticed a fairly marked decrease in her thumb sucking lately. And most everything I have read says that MOST children give it up on their before the age of 4.

HTH,