Terrible scratches on face while learning to suck thumb!

[LondonKiwi123]

My baby boy is 4.5 months and has been enthusiastically learning to suck his thumb for the past month.

I've let him get on with it and he's getting more coordinated every day. He can now get his thumb in his mouth on the first go and knows to curl his fingers instead of splaying them all over his face and poking his eyes 😂

I'm actually very happy that he's developed this skill and have no problems with the habit (I'm aware of future potential teeth problems etc). He's getting himself back to sleep at night - and even into next cycle for naps (only stays asleep for a few more mins, but I imagine this will get better)! No self settling for starts of sleeps yet but also expect this to come in time.

My concern is that he wakes up with new scratches every day 😟 On his nose and between his eyes. I keep his nails trimmed and file away corners etc but this only held a little. There's one on his nose that seems not to have healed for the last few days because he keeps taking the scab off. I think this is because he strokes his nose with the other hand while he's sucking, and it's all still a bit frantic in terms of the motion.

I don't want to use scratch mitts because he obviously finds comfort in his thumb. I guess all I want to know if anyone else has experienced this, and if the scratches reduce in time?

I would give him a dummy

Apart from not having scratches, it’s easier to wean from a dummy then it is from a thumb

Thanks @soubriquet - I prefer that he sucks his thumb over a dummy so was keen to hear from others whether the scratching stops at some point.

I think you need to trim and file nails much more than you are. It’s not normal for a baby to consistently scratch their face when sucking their thumb or hands. Yes it sometimes happens as a one off but daily and not being able to heal is excessive.

My dd did this. I cut thumbholes in her scratch mitts and it solved the problem.
I was unconcerned about her sucking her thumb. Self soothing is a great skill. She gradually did it less and less as she got older. The dentist told her she had to stop at age six so she did! She's nine now and has lovely straight teeth.

We had the exact same! At one point he had practically given himself a little hole in the bridge of his nose! It seems to have stopped completely now although that could be because he rarely sucks his thumb at night anymore. I think it is just one of those things that passes with time. He would never take a dummy at all, much preferred his thumb.

Sorry, he's 8 months now but the scratches stopped a while ago. I'm sure it will ease up soon x

Why do you want him to suck his thumb over a dummy? Dummies are easy to get rid of, you can't chop off his thumb!

@SomeoneElseEntirelyNow

Why do you want him to suck his thumb over a dummy? Dummies are easy to get rid of, you can't chop off his thumb!

This!!

A dummy can be taken away for good whereas a thumb can’t be removed.

I know someone who still sucks their thumb as it was too hard a habit to break. It’s actually half the size of her other thumb!

My DA is 4 months and often gets scratches on his face. He's sucked his thumb since before birth (we have 4d scan pics of him sucking thumb in womb) but he still sometimes catches himself. I don't have a problem with him doing it either.

Thanks @WhamRap and @MrFlibblesEyes for the suggestions and reassurance!