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Parenting

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Original poster

Thumb sucking

8 replies

mrsmusic · 18/10/2009 17:31

My dd is only 10 weeks old, and about 2 weeks ago found her thumb, so to speak! She now sucks on it all the time, and won't even take her dummy! I'm just wondering if anyone can tell me what's the likelihood she'll grow out of this on her own/ if your child still sucks theirs/ if anyone managed to get them to stop it! (I realise this isn't really a possibility while she's still a baby). She's been an incredibly settled baby so far. Thanks in advance for any replies x

OP posts:

4madboys · 18/10/2009 17:42

my youngest sucks his thumb, he started doing it at about 7 or 8 wks old, when i had my 20wk scan in pregnancy he was sucking his thumb, i have a very cute scan picture of it

he is now 18mths old and still sucks his thumb, and has a cuddly blanket, he uses them when he wants to go to sleep, if he is tired, teething or a bit fretful etc.

he is a happy normal toddler, like my elder three were, with the added bonus that as he sucks his thumb he can soothe himself to sleep

i sucked my thumb as a child and grew out of it eventually.

i would just get rid of the dummies, they can ALWAYS find their thumb so no getting up in the night to play hunt the dummy

i think most kids do just grow out of it, or if you want to discourage it you can put that yucky tasting stuff on their thumb (like to stop nail biting) but imo thats cruel, sucking is a natural comfort to babies and they will stop when they are ready

aWitchForLifeNotJustHalloween · 18/10/2009 17:47

I think it's fab - way better than a dummy that can get dropped. My dd is a thumb sucker - like you we had a scan pic of her doing it and she did it from being tiny - she's now 3.10 and no sign of her stopping but she takes it out once asleep / comforted - I don't see it as any sort of problem tbh. I was a thumb-sucking child, was told to stop it at about 9yo - only did it to get to sleep occasionally anyway - and so I did. no biggie.

MegBusset · 18/10/2009 17:57

DS2 (24 weeks) was sucking his thumb in the 12- and 20-week scans and doesn't seem to have stopped since! He mainly does it when tired and I think it's great -- especially as he is a good sleeper.

No idea about weaning him off, as far as I'm concerned he can do it til he leaves home as long as he sleeps well

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Rosebud05 · 18/10/2009 19:37

My dd also started sucking her thumb as soon as she found it. I've noticed that she's gradually sucking it less and less as she's got more physically capable and verbal (now 2.6). My dentist told me off about it (one of her front teeth has come through at a slight angle), though I personally think it's far too young to be putting nasty-tasting stuff on her nails at the dentist recommends. I sort of think if she's still doing it when her baby teeth fall out, I might incentivise/bribe her into stopping then. I was an avid thumb sucker at a child - i don't remember stopping, but I don't do it now so I must have!

pinkdaisy · 18/10/2009 22:54

I too am having this problem with my 14 week old ds2, and really do not want to encourage it, as everyone I know that has sucked their thumb as a child still does and they are 30+ now!!!
He has a comforter in the form of a cuddly, and seems happy enough to have that, he is certainly not distressed when I pull his thumb out.
Also 4 of my friends that sucked their thumbs when they were children all had to have braces, and advised me not to let my children suck their thumbs!!!! Lx

lilyjen · 19/10/2009 13:22

arrrgghh...my DD is 6 and she has her thumb in her mouth constantley! I got rid of her dummy when she was 3.3 at xmas and she sucked her thumb instead grr! What can you do? I'm now nagging all the time during the day and being strict and on her case but she's sooooooo determind to do it..I don't know the answer? I sucked 2 fingers until I was a teenager, maybe she gets it from me. Somehow it's ok for babies but what about 6 yr olds?

seaglass · 19/10/2009 13:34

My ds (8) sucks his thumb. I personally think it would be cruel to stop it - he doesn't do it at school, his teeth are fine, and it is such a comfort to him when things aren't going his way.
I sucked my thumb as a child, my teeth are also perfect, I do still occasionally do it, but, I've found it is only during bad times, and I find myself unconciously sucking - as it seems to relieve stress and upset feelings, I can't help but feel it isn't a bad thing.
A friend of mine is a dentist, and having spoken to her about thumb sucking, she says that thumbs are perfectly shaped to fit in the mouth without putting pressure on the teeth, and actually, dummies are much worse at causing long term problems, as they can prevent the mouth and teeth from developing properly. Finger sucking isn't good, as this puts pressure on the front teeth.
I think if thumb sucking is discouraged, it does take away the child's means to self comfort. When the child gets older in school, they'll soon learn that it's not really good to suck it at school

Bensmum76 · 20/10/2009 06:51

My DS almost two sucks his thumb. Tbh I was relieved when he started at around four months old because it meant he could comfort himself and didn't need a dummy. I sucked my thumb and still do when asleep sometimes apparently (hubbie sometimes has to take my thumb out of my mouth as I suck it so loudly!!!)and have never suffered for it - apart from hubbie's ridicule! I imagine that as he grows up I will discourage it in public but apart from that I'm not bothered.

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