Thumb-Sucking vs Dummy

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My DS is 10 weeks and has just started to suck his thumb. I have not given him a dummy up until now because there has been no need, but now I am considering giving him a dummy in order to prevent him getting into the habit of sucking his thumb.

Is it easier to break the habit of using a dummy than sucking a thumb? If my DS thumb-sucks now, is it likely to continue for years?

I'd be interested to hear about your experiences.

Thanks!

I still suck my thumb and I am 35. I have no idea if a dummy habit would have been easier to break. many people grow out of thumb sucking too though. But it can cause problems - I have a MASSIVE overbite caused by pushing my thumb against my top teeth, night after night after night for 35 years!

i'd give him a dummy. dummies can be thrown away but thumbs can't!

I still suck my thumb too sometimes and Im 33, my top tooth sticks out a bit. I would prefer a dummy for my kids just because I would try and control that more.

You could try and put a horrible taste on his thumb first to try and stop him putting it in his mouth, get something recommended out a herbal shop. I remember my dad putting a horrible taste of clear liquid on my nails when I would bite them, that sure stopped that. And buy DS a new comforter toy to cuddle when he needs his dummy.

Hope that works for you NK

I'm a bit torn on this one. DS is a thumb sucker (4.5) We have just managed to get him to stop sucking his thumb during the day by lego bribery!

DH was a thumb sucker and has very straight teeth, I was not and my teeth stick out somewhat - so there doesn't have to be a correlation.

The good thing about a thumb is - it's always there for comfort, and security - no squawking in the middle of the night because the dummy is lost, and in some ways doesn't look as bad on an older child who needs a bit of comfort as a dummy. Also they are in control.....

But it is difficult to stop them if it persists.

On balance if I had another baby, I would still go with thumb sucking I think....(and put funds aside for the orthadentist)

Sorry that's not really helpful.

Im 29 and still suck my thumb although i did stop for about 2 years in my late teens. I have a thumb sucker and a dummy sucker, deffo prefer the thumb sucking for comfort, the dummy is an absolute nightmare. I also saw an orthordentist when i was younger about my slight overbite and he said it had more to do with my "tongue thrust" than to do with the thumb sucking.

this is the reason all 3 of mine have had dummies.

None of them suck their thumbs now (althoug DS still on dummy at night)

Much easier to take a way a dummy!

I have had a thumb sucker, and nothing sucker and a dummy sucker. If I had a 4th DC I would want them to be a thumb sucker.

Self soothing is genius.

You might not have a choice. Ds is 9 months and a thumb sucker, he has had a dummy but is not interested in it any more. At least a thumb is always attached and can't fall out between the cot bars in the middle of the night.

My dd had dummy until age 2 when we took it away with no trauma. Now she cuddles a favourite teddy to go to sleep and doesn't seem to need to suck anything. Can't imagine it would have been so easy with a thumb.

But...from a speech point of view (I am SALT) children usually take their thumbs out of their mouths to talk or when they want to use their hand, whereas a dummy can sit there the whole time and they try to talk around it possibly leading to some pronunciation problems. However this is only a problem if you let your child have the dummy all the time - from about 9-10 months I knew when my dd was tired and the dummy could be reserved only for bed.

Give him a dummy! My friend's boy always sucked his thumb and now he is 6yrs old and still does it and has sore patches on his thumb.
At least with dummies they can be thrown away.

Thanks for your responses. I'm still torn. I like the idea of "self-soothing" and would rather he comforted himself as and when he needed. On the other hand, I don't want him to get into a habit it's going to be hard for him (us) to break. I sucked my thumb until the age of 7 - I still remember how hard it was to stop but my parents persisted. I think a dummy could avoid that. Really I just don't like the way the dummy looks...

Call it a "soother", not a "dummy", and you will feel better about it !

My parents talk even now about how long it took for my brother to stop sucking his thumb - he was 4 when he stopped; I really do not think this was particularly late!

I sucked my thumb until I was 10 after my mother took my dummy away at 2. I wasn't ready for it to go so checked out a friend who was a thumb-sucker and gave it a go! Before the dummy went I never considered sucking my thumb.
Hard call. I've got one dummy-addicted and one in the making. I hate the bloody things! However, I was ridiculed at school about sucking my thumb (by teachers more than kids bizarrely) and would rather avoid the thumb-sucking thing.

My DS was a thumb-sucker in the womb - you could see it on the u/sound. At his first paed appointment the doctor told us to stop off on the way home and get a dummy.

But I have no radical views on the issue - if you have a DC who needs the soothing, they will find it some way or another. My BIL sucked his shirts (still does), a cousin's child wasn't allowed a dummy or thumb and surprise, surprise, would suck at his empty bottle for hours.

My first ever post on MN was on this exact topic, almost the same question tbh!

Ds was 15 weeks and an avid thumb sucker - we have it on dvd thankfully, he looked adorable sucking his thumb and drifting off to sleep.

I had people tellin me to give a dummy or his teeth would stick out, and people telling me not to give a dummy for various reasons.

In the end he just stopped doing it, and I am glad I left him to it. I think if he had still been doing it closer to one year I may have felt differently. But by around four to five months he had pretty much stopped, and tbh I really missed it! He has never sucked his thumb since, he is nearly 2 now.

DS1 was a finger sucker
Both index and second finger in mouth all the time.. he stopped when he started talking
But he looked soooooooo cute
Wouldn't take a soother
Nor would DD she was never a thumb sucker but she bites her nails got that from me.. I was a thumb sucker and didn't stop till i was about 12.

Erm.. we all have straight teeth See?!

DD refused a dummy so she sucks her thumb. My sister still sucks her thumb at 40+ and her teeth are fine.

my husband didn't want my ds to suck his thumb. My first, DD had a dummy and only at night. She gave it up no problems at 2.5 My DS was offered a dummy but not interested at all, he is quite happy with a thumb. So we shall see!!! It gets him to sleep and he can self soothe, no looking for dummies across the floor or in the cot.

Hi, don't worry my 14 week old has a dummy every now and then and has just discovered his thumb, I say go with it and be led by the baby 10 weeks is still so young. xxxx

I've had a dummy addict, 2 thumb addicts and a finger addict.

I converted the finger addict onto a dummy because it's mean hellish getting the thumb addicts to cut down let alone stop.

Orthodontic treatment is very very expensive.