Thumb sucking seems to be increasing daily..help please

[suestar35]

Hi..hope someone might be able to help...first time using this site!

My 9 month old has been sucking her thumb since about 5 months and she seems to be sucking more and more as time goes on. We have just about finished br feeding now so not sure if that has anything to do with it??and she is also teething.

I just read so much about thumb sucking and the damaging effects it can have to jaws/teeth and I'm not sure if I should try and stop her now....

She doesn't using a comforter and settles herself to sleep by sucking...thanks alot anyone

if it's coincided with stopping breastfeeding then yes, that could be part of ti.
i know when i stopped breastfeeding my son he wanted his dummy a lot more.

not sure how you can discourage thumbsucking in such a young baby, although i think i'd be tempted to just let her have her comfort if she needs it

thank you...yes definately noticed an increase on the thumb as the br feeding has decreased..think I've just been worrying as when I take her to groups eg mum/toddler things she does get involved a little but very quickly the thumb goes in that seems to take her interest

Some are thumbsuckers and some aren't.Ds is nearly 6 and still thumbsucks if tired/upset.His teeth etc are fine.

I am a bit unsure how you would STOP a youngish baby sucking their thumb

Don't worry it is normal

Thanks both.

My DD was the same when I stopped breastfeeding. She is almost 5 and still sucks her thumb when she drifts off to sleep, her teeth are fine.

Do not worry, just enjoy your baby.

DS1 was a thumbsucker from birth. It wreaked havoc on his teeth and jawline.

DD started sucking her thumb when I stopped feeding her last September. It is always in her mouth and I know there is not a single thing I can do to stop her until she wants to stop. It has already affected her teeth. If I could stop her, I would.

I think thumbsucking is fab

DD1 started sucking her thumb at 4 months and started sleeping through immediately. It's soothing and comforting and plenty of people do it without damaging their teeth so I'm all for it personally.

I thought it was fab until the tears, shouting and £4k worth of orthodontic treatment. [shrug]

True soupdragon - I guess it might depend how hard they suck or something? Sorry, I didn't mean to trivialise the problems you've had. I come from a family of thumbsuckers and luckily it doesn't appear to have affected our teeth, so I'm hoping the same will be true for DD.

Our dentist says it's certainly not a problem while DD1 still has her milk teeth. However I know some dentists give very different advice to this, so the message isn't very consistent.

I love thrumbsucking as its attached to my DD and I don't have to worry about dummies