Removed dummy now thumb sucking!!

[alibobins]

Ds 3.4 planted his dummy in the garden Friday and has done really well (he only had it at night).

Last night dh went into him and he was sucking his thumb and he has been doing it lots today

What now I cant get rid of his thumb.

Why not just leave him to it? Mostly they give it up themselves when they are ready, and i think the jury is out on how it affects teeth (plenty of people's teeth come in ok depite thumbsucking).

Would it be so bad if you just let him carry on?

Not really but he's never done it before.

I was a thumb sucker had terrible teeth and wrinkly thumbs

It's very comforting for him. I'd leave it be - trying to make him stop will cause more upset, and his teeth may just be fine. I'm a 33 year old life long thumb sucker and mine are. It's good that he can self-soothe.

I hate to disagree here but I would try to discourage the thumbsucking while he is still quite little, some may grow out of it but mine is nearly 13 and still sucks his thumb even though has really bad buck teeth and cannot start orthodontic treatment until he stops. The older he gets the harder it will be to get him to stop.

DS1 (10) sucked his thumb from about 4 weeks old. He's 2 years into £4k worth of private orthodontic treatment to correct the damage.

He only stopped sucking it because the brace means he can't open his mouth to get his thumb in.

When I took DS's dummy from him during the day time (about 2.5, he had it longer at night) he would shove his whole hands in his mouth when he was upset or unsure.

I didn't really notice when he stopped, but he doesn't do it now (7).

DD2 gave her dummy to santa when she was 3.
She soon took to her thumb instead (copied DD1!) and now (nearly 5) has the bloody thing in all the time. I wish i knew how to stop her sucking it because i am fed of seeing it in her mouth and telling her to take it out to talk.