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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Thumb or summy sucking

12 replies

babychip · 11/10/2006 16:03

My 10 week old daughter keeps trying to suck her thumb, id prefer her to use a dummy as you can take a dummy away when shes older. Any ideas to help me out????

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wherethewildthingsare · 11/10/2006 16:21

This is a contentious one

My ds1 had a dummy, he threw it in the toilet the night before his 3rd bithday, we endured 2 nights of wailing (this was before 24 hr tescos!) and he's grown up fine!

I was desperate to give ds2 a dummy but he wouldn't take it or suck his thumb, used a blanket instead

DD sucked her thumb from before birth and spontaneously gave up about 18 months

DS3 has done neither and again we have gone down the blanket comforter route, he doesn't use it in the day.

I'd really recommend using neither!

MissyBabee · 11/10/2006 16:42

hi babychip, don't think there's much you can do to stop her sucking her thumb. she might refuse the dummy anyway wanting her thumb instead.

i introduced a dummy to my newborn as she was in hospital for a week and i couldn't be there to BF her every hour she wanted it. dummy worked although i really worried about it. now she only has dummy very occasionally, she's 5 1/2 months, and she sucks her thumb a little now.

i spoke to loads of people about this and loads of people i know said they sucked their thumbs without problems later in life. personally, i had to wear a brace because of it... but i don't believe you can stop them from doing it.

similarly, most professionals i've asked said dummy's aren't a problem and its something us brits appear to have a thing about. other countries don't agonise over the use of a dummy.

hope that helps....

Bucketsofbloodydinosaurs · 11/10/2006 17:47

No tips but for purely shallow reasons I think a thumb looks cuter than a dayglow Disney character obscuring a gorgeous little baby face.

WigWamBam · 11/10/2006 17:50

At least with her thumb you don't have to go into her six times a night because she's lost it and can't find it ...

cece · 11/10/2006 17:55

I would say neither BUT...

DD had dummy for 3 months and then refused so end of story...

DS however, just never occured to me to buy a dummy and he started to suck his thumb. Still does and he is 3 in two weeks time. Doesn't bother me in the slightest but my dentist told me off and said I should have given him a dummy . Not sure why.

I am jsut going to let him stop naturally - after all you don't see many school age children doing it so think (hope) he will jsut stop one day!

backpacker · 11/10/2006 18:50

Thumb every time - they can control it earlier. My ds had a dummy and it got to the stage at 6 months where he woke me up every hour crying for it. Going cold turkey was not nice but happily eventually he found his thumb.
My niece had a dummy till she was three. When she was weaned off of it she started to thumbsuck anyway.

rustycreakingdoorbear · 11/10/2006 19:18

I used to be very anti dummy, but now I'm not so sure - DD has just started 6th form college - and she still sucks her thumb - she stopped briefly when she had her bottom lip pierced, but now it's healed, the thumb's back in....

Original poster

babychip · 11/10/2006 21:07

Thanks for the advice. It may be nasty but i just really dont want her to suck her thumb, i can always wean her off the dummy, as they say you can neva take her thumb away.

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justamindlesszombiemum · 11/10/2006 22:25

What do you do about baby's who want to suck their thumbs anyway, my 6mnth old dd is an ardent thumb sucker and has been from a few weeks old. Sometimes she even stops bf to stick her thumb in for a few minutes. I've tried her with a dummy and she just spat it out so, as I can't tie her hand behind her back I'll just have to accept it!

Original poster

babychip · 12/10/2006 13:13

Thats what i trying 2 do @ the min cece with great difficulty i might add, whenever i notice her putting her thumb 2wards her mouth i gently pull it away & give her the dummy, shockingly its harder than it sounds

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mumfor1standfinaltime · 12/10/2006 13:18

Ds had a dummy when we were in hospital (c section), I used it for about 4 weeks and he stopped taking it, he would spit it out.
When he was around 4 months he started sucking his thumb, generally this was when he was tired. I don't see a big problem with it myself. He stopped sucking hi sthumb around 10 months when he took a liking to his 'winnie'. Which is a snuggly winnie pooh blanket toy.

alibobble · 13/10/2006 12:39

dd sucks her thumb (used to have a dummy but was afraid she would get used to sleeping with it so was v cautious with it. the best thing about thumb sucking as mentioned below is that she can find it in the night and as a result often puts herself back to sleep easily without having to find the dummy. May be prejudiced tho was an ardent night thumb sucker till 12! It's just so comforting!

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