11 week old finger sucking- started yesterday, self soothed to sleep 1st time, and is still asleep from 7.30pm! is this a fluke? I know it may be a hard habit to break, but I feel like dancing!

[Whatabeautifulsight10]

So, as title states, this may be a fluke, and I'm getting excited for nothing, but since 11 week old dd discovered her fingers yesterday, she has fallen asleep on her own, and slept all night. Of course, I was still up all night checking she was ok, as I couldn't believe it, and finger sucking is LOUD!

So my question is, how hard is this habit to break in an older baby? She's still only tiny and the sucking instinct is so strong, so I feel I could encourage self soothing whilst still always being available to her..

Also, during the day she's an awful sleeper, only catmapping and needing to go for walks in her pram to sleep, refusing to sleep in Moses basket in the day (will happily sleep in this at night) and needing pram to be rocked every 20 minutes when she wakes, but still wishes to sleep. Has anyone else experienced a baby with very different sleep patterns for day and night?

I should point out she's only offered dummy during day time as sleep is scarce, I haven't been giving this at night as dd used to cry when it fell out.

Any advice on finger sucking and differing sleep patterns would be great, thank you

[HalleLouja]

My dc who are 6 and 3 still suck their fingers and I haven't tried to stop it. Its mainly when they are tired and helps them sooth. Though I lie with the little one to help her sleep first thing at night but that's another story.....

I used to suck my fingers and if its helps sleep why stop it. Was thinking when dc1 is 8 I might try and get him to stop if he's not stopped by then. Its great they can't lose their fingers. Ny dc1 definitely slept better as soon as he got his fingers in his mouth was a total nightmare before.

[animalsunited]

My dd is 13 weeks and desperately trying to find her thumb/fingers.

Wish she would hurry up and do it as she doesn't self settle yet and sleep/naps are still a bit of a battleground. Yawn.

[Whatabeautifulsight10]

Thanks halle, I guess as you say they can't drop their fingers, I just wish dd was consistent, today's naps were a nightmare and she refused to suck her fingers, it appears to only be at night. Not that she's fussy or anything! Thanks for your advice I feel better.

animals, I'm still struggling with naps, I feel like my whole days are spent trying to get her to nap, and today she forgot she had fingers, so I had to resort to my daily 2 hour walk so she can sleep in the pram... People keep staring at me walking along merrily with the screaming wiggling pushchair. Oh well, I sympathise with you, it's exhausting.. Hope your dd learns to self soothe. I think last night was a fluke. Sob.

Having said this, I've just put her down for the night, her eyes flew open, then she just went to sleep. Hmm I'll see how tonight goes, animalbsI'd ne interested to see how you continue to sleep train, as I've got no clue how to do it, I'm just doing baby led really..

[HalleLouja]

Day and night can be totally different. Babies are just weird

[HalleLouja]

Maybe try a sling. They can sleep on you. Used it with dc2 who actually napped in a cot much earliee than dc1. Wish I knew about proper slings with dc1 life would have been less stressful. He didn't nap in cot until 9 months and that involved lots of rocking. Dc2 was about 5 months.

[Lovelise]

My LO is 15 weeks and loves her fingers more than anything! She sometimes tries to fit her whole fist in her mouth!

I do worry that it will turn into thumb sucking (which i want to avoid at all costs) but DD seems happy and it helps her self soothe, so who am i to argue?

Personally, I'm going to go by what makes her happy & content. I may be making a rod for my own back but let's see how it goes...

[Whatabeautifulsight10]

Thanks for the advice!
See I don't know how much I believe in the rod for the back theory now after thinking about it.

I hope that these are things they grow out of when ready and with gentle encouragement. Here's hoping!

Well she slept again from 7 till 6am then slept again until 9am, I had breakfast with a cup of hot (usually cold by the time I get to it) tea, and was dressed and ready before dd woke.

Tonight I did usual routine, put her down still awake, in went her fingers and she drifted off.

I'm definitely not stopping her, it's obviously what she needs!

[HalleLouja]

The rod back thing. I ignore.

[SpawningSalmon]

Don't mean to hijack, but I have a question about this. My 10 week old has just found his fingers too and last night managed to break them free of his swaddle to suck noisily on them. He sleeps a lot better swaddled than not, but should I consider leaving an arm out to encourage him to self soothe using his fingers?

[HalleLouja]

Might be worth a try. You can't swaddle forever but fingers can be used for a while. You can always go back to full swaddling if it fails.