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Fingers in my mouth - how do I prevent this sleep prop?

2 replies

Divinyl · 18/09/2011 19:26

Just had an awful experience. DD is 11 months and she usually goes to sleep quite peacefully by having a feed with me next to her on our bed, listening to nature sounds etc and then when she is very drowsy, but not feeding, I pick her up to take her to her cot (and room) and she rolls over and sleeps and is ok with me going out of the room.
Fairly recently (in the last 4 wks or so) she has developed a habit of poking her fingers in my mouth and/or nose while getting sleepy and lying next to me. She does it once in a while when awake as well but it is now accompanying her sleeping. I really dislike it - nails, general pinching etc. So I tried to stop her doing it just now when she was originally 'normally' tired (not really exhausted).
I did so by removing her hands gently and also clamping my lips shut so she could not wiggle her fingers in (a number of times). She cranked up to a spectacular and scary sobbing fit, practically choking and vomiting in the end. I picked her up and was carrying her around on her front (usually soothing), she didn't really let up. Eventually I put her in her buggy lying down and went walkabout, but she was catching sort of uncontrolled sobbing breaths and hiccuping for ages. Every time she nearly drifted off, she would open her eyes and look up at me to see if I was still there. It took a lot of walking before she went to sleep.
It was horrible - I think I have really given her a fear of separation, but really want her to get out of this habit of fingers in mouth. Anyone had this and managed a gentle dissuasion rather than the major drama?

OP posts:
weasle · 18/09/2011 21:28

ah, my ds does this it is especially horrible at 3am!

try a soft toy or blanket - keep taking her fingers away from your mouth and put on toy. eventually she might start to fondle that instead.

MrsGravy · 18/09/2011 22:04

I have just clicked on this expecting to see that my husband had posted!! Our 15 month old does this. It is indeed horrible and uncomfortable. I haven't found an answer to it yet as we are generally so desperate for her to sleep that we'd be happy to let her stick her fingers in almost any orifice as long as it helps her nod off...

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