8 month DD sucks her thumb .. HV says to stop her .. I think its cute

[Twiglett]

But DS never sucked his thumb

If I don't try to stop her will I regret it (like I regretted DS's bottles... he was still drinking milk from at nightime at 3)

She doesn't do it all the time .. just when tired or a little grumpy .. it seems a great comforter and I'm loathe to stop her

Experiences please...

[princesspeahead]

How are you going to stop her twiglett? I have two thumb suckers and one non sucker and I can tell you that there is nothing I could have done to stop them from sucking. except perhaps transfer them onto a dummy, but how is that better? I think it is a great comforter, so why remove the comfort? just a thought.

[Tissy]

we're trying to wean our 3 year old off her dummy, and she's started to suck her thumb instead! Ignore the HV, if she wants to suck she's going to do it somehow!

[Bozza]

Thought you didn't do HVs Twiglett?

[nutcracker]

I'm not sure you could stop her at that age.

If it worries you then try removing her thumb once she has fallen asleep.

I sucked my thumb until i was 8 . I did have teeth that stuck out a bit but nothing major.

[aloha]

My opinion? Another stupid HV. Sorry HVs out there, but really. What are you supposed to do? Tie her arm down? I'd just leave her be, personally. It's sweet, it's comforting and she needs it and enjoys it. I really don't even see why it's the HV's business, frankly.

[mears]

I had 3 thumb suckers. No problems with teeth due to sucking. DS 1 sometimes got a sore thumb but it got better. Was advised to stop him by putting socks on his hands! Didn't work. Nor did 'stop & grow' on nails. Caused a faff we didn't need. He is my most insecure child I would have to say. Wish I had't traumatised him. He stopped when he was ready, can't remember what age but he might actually have been at school. He only did it at home at that age. DD who is 11 yrs old sucks her thumb in her sleep. She never does it in public. Why remove a comfort from a child? Leave her alone I say. And yes it is cute

[chocfreeclary]

there are other threads on this...
I have three thumb-suckers! i'm not keen on dummies myself (don't hit me) so I was glad when they all found their thumbs at about 5-6 wks. All used it as a comfort when tired/grumpy, like your dd twiglett.
It's not good in the logn run because of teeth (alignment) problems, but my dentist said as logn as they don't do it all night (I go in and check!) and not when they are bigger it's OK.
That said, DS1 still did it in the day some times when he was 5!!!
Worried about him being teased at school so we persuaded him to stop over last summer by just reminding him every time/using a star chart.
He has to be realy grotty to even think of doing it now.
Meanwhile we are trying to stop dd (3.5) before she starts school in Sept.
So in answer to your quesiotn Twig, I would say let her do it if it is a comfort, but keep an eye on it and try to persuade her to stop once she gets to playgroup/nursery stage imo.

[edam]

Oh Lord, some HVs do love pretending their own pet theories are universal laws handed down from on high, don't they? Ignore the silly woman.

[woodpops]

Twiglett, give her a dummy. It's easier to get a child off of a dummy than a thumb. At the end of the day you can't take a thumb away can you?? I'm shamed to admitt it (no I'm not, I'm proud to admit) I'll be 28 in Feb and I still suck my thumb. Ds who's 3 kissed his dummies goodbye Xmas eve and left them on a tray for santa along with a lager, a cob (ds said santa wanted a cob, apparently santa doesn't like cakes!!!!) and a carrot for rudolph. Santa in return left ds a special presant and ds hasn't asked for a dummy yet. Even though his sister (only just 2) still has dummies.

[Twiglett]

quite right Bozza I don't .. this was at her 8 months check .. haven't seen one for months up to then ... she was actually very sweet TBH ..

[birdsong]

My dd now 7 sucked her thumb until she was about 5 - it stopped when she went to school. That brike the habit i suppose because she felt conscious of it. Our dentist did tell us to encourage her to stop it and her teeth protrude more than siblings . But she has beautiful big teeth which I tell her are like Kylies because sometimes her teasing brothers have called her rabbit teeth. It is very cute and a real comforter and you will stuggle to stop it at her age.

[GreatBigFatHeiferEnid]

dd1 was sucking her thumb at my 22 week scan and still does occasionally now when tired (shes 5).

No way could I have stopped her and at 8 months I think it would be barbaric to try.

Ignore her

[serenity]

Only problem is that unlike a dummy it's a harder habit to break - and as a 33 yr old thumb sucker I can honestly say I've tried everything. They should do bloody patches, then maybe I won't suddenly realise I'm doing it whilst driving.........

[LIZS]

dd is a thumb sucker and dentist did comment that it would have been better to use a dummy but that she'd only realised that after hers had done so ! Did have a half hearted effort with a dummy but she never accepted it. Now at 3 there is a gap in her front teeth and her mouth is quite small so we may have problems still to come.

[Casmie]

Twiglett - it's cute.

I would have given anything for ds1 to have sucked his thumb/dummy whatever it would take to calm him. Ds2 does a little (more for the fun of it, rather than excessively).

If it was all the time to the detriment of other activities maybe I'd be more concerned - otherwise I'm on the side of cute

[weightwatchingwaterwitch]

I sucked my thumb until I was, can't even remember, think it was 6 or 7 ish. And I don't now! Agree with everyone Twiglett, ignore her. Or call her and ask how you're supposed to stop it, just to give us all a laugh!

[amynnixmum]

Both mine suck their thumbs and like some of the others have said it was a godsend when they learnt to comfort themselves. I also tried dummies (in spite of not being keen on them) but neither of them took to them. My dd is 6 and still sucks her thumb to get herself to sleep but she has stopped otherwise. Obviously it is a harder habit to break as you cant take their thumbs away but for me it was definately worth it.

[Fimbo]

My dd is 6 and has only just stopped sucking her thumb and her teeth are perfectly fine......

[marthamoo]

I sucked my thumb til I was 11 (when I had to have a brace cos my teeth were wrecked...) I don't think there is a damn thing you can do to stop her. Did your genius HV come up with any ideas as to how you were actually perform this miracle?

As I got older my Mum tried everything - threats, bribery, painting my thumb with Stop n' Gro (that tasted horrid but I read on the box it would wash off with soap and water so not a major problem )

I was glad that if my two had dummies - easier to get rid of at an earlier age: but I don't think ther is anything you can do to stop a thumb sucker. And at 8 months? HV is mad.

[woodpops]

My dentist told my mum and dad that my thumb sucking had helped my teeth. My top set were behind my bottom so my sucking my thumb helped pull the top set out so now they sit where they are suppose to over my bottom set

[secur]

Message withdrawn

[Surfermum]

DD (19m) is a thumb sucker (combined with hair twiddling), and is another one who was sucking it on a scan. I really cannot see how I can stop her and don't intend to as she has slept 10-7 from 5wks and 7-8/9 from about 5m, and is a very contented little girl. The only time I would do, is if she started doing it inappropriately as she gets older.

I still suck my thumb now (subconsciously in my sleep) and I'm 42! And I look cute too

[Bozza]

My DS was sucking thumb on scan but has never done so since he was born (he's 3.11).

[Piffle]

twig that is the biggest bunch of bullshit I have ever heard from an HV and THAT is saying something.
Ask her how, chop it off?
Silly bitch, thumb sucking is a warm natural way for young children to self comfort. My dd has speech therapy and they said unlike dummies, thumb sucking doesn't negatively affect speech the sme way as children take their thumbs out to speak.
Me and my 3 brothers all sucked our thumbs, we all have uni degrees and are articulate secure non orthodontically challenged kids and we all sucked into our early teens
DD has her thumb and her blanket, it stays as long as she needs
GRRR @ HV's
..AGAIN

[Frizbe]

Glad we have a sensible HV who doesn't advise silly things, totally agree with how are you to stop it, maybe when they're old enough to listen to reason, but until then stuff it! (my dd was also sucking thumb on scan photo! cute )