Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

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

Flip

1 2

Original poster

16 week old BabyG has started sucking his fingers - just gone to sleep with two finges in his blardy mouth. How cna I break this habit?

50 replies

MamaG · 27/02/2009 14:30

Whislt on the one hand its good because he wasn't being held, rocked, fed or moved (pram/car) to get to sleep, I don't wnat him to get into the habit of sucking his fingers.

He has refused a dummy on the few occasions I've half heartedly attempted one and I was secretly glad

Argh he's going to turn into a bloody thumb sucker isn't he, WHAT CAN I DO?!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

LadyOfWaffle · 27/02/2009 15:01

DS1 does this. He sucks them upside down though - like a 'peace' sign, then in. He is 2 now and only does it when tired He is doing it right now

Original poster

MamaG · 27/02/2009 15:04

So basically I have to accept it

OP posts:

daizydoo · 27/02/2009 15:05

My ds did this around the same time, but it was a phase and passed in weeks!

Original poster

MamaG · 27/02/2009 15:09

Oh good daizydoo

OP posts:

Bigpants1 · 27/02/2009 18:25

Do not see this as a problem-hes only 16 wks old-it doesnt follow that he will suck his thumb, and even if he does, its not the end of the world.(look at it this way-would you, given the choice, have baby scream for 2 hrs, or, suck his fingers. At least if hes still sucking fingers/thumb, at 15,there wont be room for a bottle of vodka as well...)

Northernlurker · 27/02/2009 18:35

Mamag - my dh still sucks his thumb when very tired and/or concentrating on work. It's very endearing actually and hasn't harmed his physical development or communication at all. It's not the end of the world.

TheOldestCat · 27/02/2009 19:46

Like daizydoo, DD sucked her fingers pretty much all the time for a couple of months (all the while refusing dummies) then stopped overnight.

Pollyanna · 27/02/2009 19:48

I think it's a good thing - my ds2 stopped sucking his thumb at around 6 months and can't put himself to sleep now.

2pt4kids · 27/02/2009 19:49

Aw he looks cute (does he really have Burberry PJs?)
Leave him be. If it comforts him, then why not just let him get on with it.

DanJARMouse · 27/02/2009 19:53

I would try the dummy route (all 3 of mine have or had dummies) but if not, leave him be.

He is bloody gorgeous though.... almost makes me want another!

SoupDragon · 27/02/2009 19:57

BabyDragon started sucking her farking thumb at 2.5 yrs old. It's already pulling her teeth out of alignment and she sucks it all the time. I am going to buy that foul tasting stuff soon.

And before everyone jumps in and calls me cruel, DS1 (10) is 2 years into £4000 of uncomfortable orthodontic treatment to correct damage caused by thumbsucking.

IlanaK · 27/02/2009 19:57

I am insanely jealous. I tried everything with ds3 (now 7 months) and he would not suck his fingers, thumb, dummy or anything I stuck in his mouth except my nipple! He still won't. I would have killed to have him self settle with something as simple as fingers.

SoupDragon · 27/02/2009 19:58

Having said that, at 16 weeks old I wouldn't worry but I would make an effort to discourage it if it happens other than at nap time.

FrannyandZooey · 27/02/2009 20:00

oh god self soothing is great
if they stop before they are about 5 it is ok i believe
i wish ds2 would suck his thumb, ds1 did and it was marvellous

mehgalegs · 27/02/2009 20:01

Oh bless him in that pic. my DS4 does the same,(he looks very like babyG at the same age). DS4 (3 1/2)only does it when sleepy, in fact it is his signal (he has sn and no speech) that he is tired.

It's comforting for him.. i don;t think you'll find it easy to stop him at this age.

SoupDragon · 27/02/2009 20:02

I would say they need to stop well before they are 5. IIRC my original dentist said before they turn 1 would be best. a lot depends on how often they suck though. DS1 (and now DD) was all the time.

FrannyandZooey · 27/02/2009 20:05

i was going on what friend was told by dentist
i guess frequency would make a difference but i thought it was to do with when the second teeth came through

FrannyandZooey · 27/02/2009 20:06

what a love he is mamaG [melt]

Original poster

MamaG · 27/02/2009 22:29

Thanks all

Seeing it as "self-soothing" sounds so much nicer, it makes it ok

I was hoping the flash of chav Burberry would go unnoticed

Its a glorious little rugby shirt that was a Christmas present from SIL. It is Burberry but there's only that little Burberry pattern on the inside of the collar. Honest

OP posts:

mm22bys · 28/02/2009 10:22

He's still only a tiny bub!

Don't do anything....nothing is forever....

TigerFeet · 28/02/2009 10:38

Oh look at him, he's all squashy and edible

NellyTheElephant · 28/02/2009 10:42

I don't think there is much you can do really - if they want to suck they WILL suck (escape from a swaddle, wriggle the mits off etc etc). DD1 was born with strange little sores on both her thumbs - I thought something had scratched her when she was pulled out (I had a section), and asked the midwife, who said no, they were sucking sores from constant sucking her thumbs in utero! (we'd seen it on the scans!). Both DD1 and DD2 had dummies (and LOVED them) from a few days after birth, but by about 4 months they both completely rejected the dummies in favour of their thumbs (if I put a dummy in they just pushed it out with the thumb).

It IS irritating watching them wander around with thumb jammed permanently in the mouth, but that stage passes. Nether suck when occupied - just when tired or bored. With DD1, when she was about 2 and a half whenever I saw her wandering around with thumb in, I said 'Oh, are you tired, up to bed sweetie, have a little rest' and that soon put a stop to day time sucking!! DD2 has just turned 2 - I'll start the same routine with her in a few months time I think. Also from the moment they started talking DH and I made an absolute rule of NEVER understanding what they were saying or responding if they tried to talk with their thumb in the mouth so that never became an issue for us as they learned immediately not to do it.

ABetaDad · 28/02/2009 11:07

mamaG - nothing you can do. We have a picture form the scan before DS2 was born and he was sucking his thumb then. He still does it but he has now graduated to picking his nose (and then eating it) all at the same time.

He will stop once he reaches teenage years.

poshsinglemum · 28/02/2009 20:37

i think it is normal so don't worry- chill. babies do grow up and grow out of certain behaviours. he's georgeous btw!

psychomum5 · 28/02/2009 20:40

aww......my brother used to suck his two fingers (the first two next to his thumb), and looked sooooooooooooooooooooooooo cute

tis a bugger to give up tho!!!

I have to be honest, I cannot remember how long it took him to give up, but my older two girls suck their thumbs, and we are going thru hell trying to get them to stop....and they are 14 & 13 now.

Flip

1 2