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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think that some kind of ointment to stop thumb sucking at bedtime is cruel??

25 replies

vbacqueen1 · 07/05/2008 16:37

I didn't even know that such heinous stuff existed but have just read on ahem, another baby website, of someone bragging that she managed to stop her 24 month old from thumbsucking at bedtime (and it only took 3 days of tantrums too! How fabulously wonderful! Hun!)
Is it just me or does this strike anyone else as barbaric too? Of my 4 children, only the youngest has been a thumb sucker but it has never crossed my mind to try to stop her. I know all of the stuff about misaligned teeth yada yada but she only sucks her thumb at bedtime and harms no one. And after all, what's an orthodontist for?

OP posts:

youknownothingofthecrunch · 07/05/2008 16:39

I sucked my thumb as a child. My mum tried putting some horrible anti-nail-biting stuff on my thumb. I used to suck it fiercly until the taste was gone and then carry on as normal

These things have been around a long time.

yorkshirepudding · 07/05/2008 16:40

Message withdrawn

Alderney · 07/05/2008 16:44

That is appalling.

I have a thumb sucker and I'd never ever do that to stop her doing it

belgo · 07/05/2008 16:47

I've heard of a paediatrician practically forcing advising parents to give their 2 year old dd a dummy to stop her sucking her thumb, because her thumb was sore. Needless to say, that approach didn't work.

lollipopmother · 07/05/2008 16:49

I wish my mum had done this to me, I was still sucking my thumb at 18. It's a habit just like biting your nails, it doesn't hurt anyone it's just that it's not particularly nice.

Out of interest, how long would you allow your child to suck a dummy?

Original poster

vbacqueen1 · 07/05/2008 16:50

Glad it's not just me. TBH I think I'm more alarmed at how fecking PROUD this woman is that it's "only" taken 3 days of tantrums to take away her baby's method of self-soothing (and forgive me, but at 24 months, to me they're still babies) and then there's the endless congratulations from the other nutters to endure too. I knew there was a reason why I stopped reading that board. Serves me right for having a sly peek!

OP posts:

OsmosisBanana · 07/05/2008 16:51

My mum used to put that no-bite stuff on my nails to try and stop me sucking my thumb. Didn't work, just persevered until it had worn off. Then they tried a plaster but I just sucked the other one (didn't taste as good but hey).

I eventually grew out of it.

Original poster

vbacqueen1 · 07/05/2008 16:51

My two children who had dummies gave them up voluntarily, one at the age of 3 the other at about 2 and three quarters.
Maybe one day the thumbsucking will be an issue but for now, give the kid a break, I say!

OP posts:

Feelingbetterslowly · 07/05/2008 16:52

My dd loves sucking her thumb to get to sleep and she's four-I wouldn't dream of stopping it-it's part of her bedtime personality!

NappiesGalore · 07/05/2008 16:53

yes. its cruel. and stupid. and horrible.

[ex thumb sucker]

mawbroon · 07/05/2008 17:05

Not nice at all On a par with putting ear wax on your nipples to wean a bf baby

elkhound · 07/05/2008 17:05

I had no-bite when I was little. I was about 7 though and thumb sucked all the time, not just at bedtime. I am 35 now and in the middle of over £6000 of orthodontic treatment that I have been saving up for for years. I have a brace behind my teeth to 'correct' the shape of my palette and then I will have a fixed brace on the outside to align my teeth. Its painful and its no fun wearing braces as an adult. I have covered my mouth with my hand on photos for years and I cover my mouth when I laugh. I wouldn't do it to a baby at bedtime but I would do it to an older child.

lollipopmother · 07/05/2008 17:08

I don't really even believe it's about 'self soothing' after a certain age, get past about 4 and it's just a habit.

minorityrules · 07/05/2008 17:10

It's no worse than stopping a dummy or a bottle. Thumb sucking has ruined my daughters jaw and teeth and to say "And after all, what's an orthodontist for?" is a silly statement. When you have watched a child going through months of painful treatment to stretch the jaw, have teeth out to make room andthen fixed braces, all the while having to be scrupulous about cleaning and what they eat, then be so flippant

Original poster

vbacqueen1 · 07/05/2008 17:12

yes I was just being flippant minorityrules........didn't realise it would be taken quite so literally, so my apologies

OP posts:

lollipopmother · 07/05/2008 17:15

Plus braces don't always work - both mine and my best friend's teeth have grown back to what they were before the braces, in her case it was about 6 years of pain with no lasting results at all.

Original poster

vbacqueen1 · 07/05/2008 17:17

Bugger, am worrying about it now and never have done before! So what's the general consensus of the age I should be doing something about it?

OP posts:

lollipopmother · 07/05/2008 17:28

Gosh, no idea, what age do most kids stop using a dummy? It should be the same as this really.

I found giving up REALLY difficult, I actually had far more problems giving up thumb sucking than I did giving up smoking! It's bloody difficult when the thing you want is attached to your body!

pointydog · 07/05/2008 17:35

I wouldn't - and haven't - done it myself but I don't think causing three days of tantrums makes it particularly cruel.

lilolilmanchester · 07/05/2008 17:50

Sometimes parents have to be cruel to be kind. DD is 10 and still sucks her thumb in her sleep, her teeth are a mess. I wouldn't let her have a dummy at 10, so no, don't think it's cruel. You can't take their thumbs off them, so don't balme people for trying. We tried nailbite stuff but it didn't work. If she or DS had had a dummy, would have looked at getting rid of it by 3.

matalot · 07/05/2008 20:12

vbacqueen1 - I thought exactly the same thing when reading the other ahem board. The self-congratulatory tone of the poster really got on my tits and think its that that got you riled, rather than whether to stop thumbsucking.

There's a difference between thumbsucking at 2 (as you say a baby) and 11 and am sure that you have the nous to deduce when and how to intervene.

BabieWabbit · 08/05/2008 00:49

i still suck my fingers at 16 and have a blankie

BabieWabbit · 08/05/2008 00:52

i still suck my fingers at 16 and have a blankie

solo · 08/05/2008 00:52

My 40+ cousins still sucks her thumb! Yuk!
Sorry, but I'd do it if I had a thumb sucker...I'm a mean mummy though!

BabieWabbit · 08/05/2008 00:52

Sorry stupid computer

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