Thumb Sucking - Rockford, IL

Hi T.,

I would just embrace the fact that he prefers his thumb to the pacifier and enjoy it. Both of my boys used pacifiers and my daughter is now a thumb-sucker. She never took to the pacifier, and it has proven to be so much easier. She is 20 months now and she only sucks her thumb when she is going to sleep or very, very tired. You will likely find that he will do it less and less as he gets older.

Congrats, and good luck!

M.

Sounds like he's been through quite a bit. If he has found a way to calm himself by sucking his thumb, don't you think that's not a bad thing? Worry about it in 6 months and enjoy him.

I am probably in the minority on my opinion but if you can encourage the pacifier I would. My almost 5 year old daughter sucks her thumb and has since she was 3 months old when she switched from the pacifier to the thumb. (Her daycare provider would never give her the pacifer so she substituted with her thumb) If i knew now what it would be like I would have pushed the pacifier instead of the thumb.

She sucks it raw and it is disgusting when she sucks it after being outside or touching germ infested things. She has gone through good times and bad with her thumb but there is nothing I have found that works to help stop it. She is starting to have teeth issues from her sucking because she does it so hard.

This is just my opinion from my experience but you can take away a pacifier, but not a thumb. Some people don't have any teeth or mouth issues, but it depends on the child and how hard they suck on it.

Good luck!

My daughter (now 9 months) wouldn't take a pacifer unless we held it in either...then she started sucking her thumb around 3 months. She still does it now - but only when she is extremely tired or scared (like her first day at daycare). It is great to have a self soother and she sleeps great and can put herself back to sleep. I plan to break her of it once she understands what she is doing (sometime between 1 and 2) -- that is what most of my sister in laws did with their thumb suckers! Be glad you have a self soother and won't have to chase around a pacifer in the middle of the night!

I wouldn't give him a pacifier if I didn't have to. You just have to take it away at a year or so...that's the real problem. When he's toddeling, you can put something on his thumb that he doesn't like so you can break him from thumb sucking (without him knowing of course).

CONGRATULATIONS!!! My advice ... go with the thumb sucking!! I personally feel it is better than the pacifier because pacifiers get lost, fall out ... and then you have a crying baby on your hands who needs your help locating the pacifier. Babies need to find a way to self-sooth and you will be most grateful for it. We actually encouraged the thumb sucking and tried to help my son find his thumb as early as 3 weeks. It worked!! All things I've read and professional advice I've been given say thumb sucking will NOT damage teeth (at the infant-toddler age at least) and is encouraged over pacifiers. Most babies will naturally ween themselves. My little guy, now 1 year, now only does it when he is tired. The only downfall is that his little thumb got dry and raw early on but nothing a little lotion didn't fix. To top ... it's super cute!!

First of all, congratulations!

My son found his thumb when he was about 6 weeks old and he's been sucking it ever since. If you don't want your son to start that habit then just work with the pacifier. It's easier to take away from him when it's time for him to stop. He will fight you with the thumb. That's what I'm going through right now. He isn't sucking it like he used to so we're getting there but it's definitely easier to take away a pacifier. Personally, if I had to do it all over again, I would still have allowed him to suck his thumb. He took such pleasure from it. Yes, it's kind of a pain to get him to stop but I'm willing to go through it again. They won't go to college sucking their thumb!

T.-

I think it's perfectly normal for your son to find comfort in sucking his thumb! My son, 2, is also a devoted thumb sucker (as was I) and sucking is a natural soother for babies and toddlers. My son took a pacifer until he was 3 months (so about the age your son would be if he was born on time)and then found his thumb and loved it. The best part about it....he has 2 and they never leave his side and can't get lost!!

I can relate as both my girls (5 mos. and 2 1/2) are avid thumb suckers despite my original attempts with a binky. To be honest, I totally prefer them to be thumb suckers than binky users however in the long run I know it will be a harder habit to break. It really soothes them and I don't have to constantly remember to always have one with me, putting it back in the middle of the night, etc... My dentist said as long as they stop before 4 or 5 it does not do terrible damage to their mouth/teeth but it all depends on which route you want to go. Good luck!

Hi T., my name is also T.. My oldest son was a thumb sucker and that is usually around the time that it starts. They really don't have much control over there hand coordination before that. So now that he knows how to find it, he is probably really happy. Thumb sucking is okay and he is self soothing. Also, children who use a pacifier or suck their thumb have much lower chances of sids. You just need to be careful that you don't let him do it until he is too old because it is really bad for their teeth. It is also much harder to take away, because you can't cut it off, LOL.

Thumb sucking is perfectly normal. I have an ultrasound picture of my son sucking his thumb. I have had both a pacifier user, and a thumb sucker. I personally like the pacifier because I could control when it was time to stop. My son stopped using it after he "forgot" it on his uncles boat. My 5 year old, however, is my thumbsucker. He still sucks his thumb, but only when he's tired. I am not too worried about it though. He'll stop when he's ready. It has been nice though, not having to worry about where the pacifier is, or what it was dropped it etc.

My daughter went through a small thumb sucking phase as well. This was around 2-3 months old. It was actually funny, because at first she couldn't figure out how to get just her thumb in her mouth, so she would shove her whole hand in there! She worked so diligently at this that we eventually nicknamed it "the project". She worked on her project non-stop for a few weeks before she finally mastered separating her thumb and putting it into her mouth on its own. We thought for sure we'd have a thumb sucker on our hands, but for some reason it only lasted for a few months. I don't know if she got bored of it or moved on to something else since she'd accomplished her "project". But I wouldn't worry too much about it. Even if your child is a thumb sucker for awhile, I think they tend to grow out of it pretty naturally for the most part. For now, I think it is all a part of him learning to self-soothe. : )

When he puts his thumb in his mouth, it probably means he is hungry or needs comfort. When my babies put their fingers in their mouth, it was my clue to nurse them. You will probably be shocked how often babies want to nurse - sometimes every hour. Sometimes they will latch on to drink milk, and sometimes just to suck. Sucking on a human nipple uses 30 times as many mouth muscles as a pacifier, bottle nipple or finger, thus your baby will smile sooner and have a far less chance of speech delays if you "spoil" him by breastfeeding often.

T.,
The beauty of the thumb sucking is that your son can sooth himself when he needs it and on his own terms. My daughter is 4 months old and has started to suck her thumb. It helps her fall asleep, and is also a way for me to see that she is getting tired.
Beat regards,
A.

it is a great thing as it allows him to self comfort. it is much better than a pacifer as when it falls out, he knows where it is and can put it back in. It also doesn't fall on the floor as much as a pacifer. My doc encouraged me to see if my little one would suck on her fingers/thumb to self comfort and she does and it has really helped with her falling asleep. Now at a year, she doesn't do it that much - a little here and there. She abandoned the paci at about 3 months and so it has all worked out really well.

Hi T.
My daughter is a thumb sucker. She didn't start until she a few months old. My husband and I tried really hard to keep her from sucker her thumb because we have a niece who is 4 and still sucker her thumb. We would offer her a pacifier whenever she would start sucker her thumb and that did help. She will still take a pacifier and suck her thumb but mainly when she is tired. The one benefit of her sucking her thumb is I think it has really helped in her sleeping through the night by being able to soothe herself. From my experience it is normal. My concern with her sucking her thumb was it effecting her teeth but I was reassured that it doesn't until she has teeth. Also now that she is teething she has her thumb, fingers and hand in her month. It makes since for babies to suck their thumb, it is a perfect fit. Congratulations on your little boy. That is such a blessing that he is healthy with being so early. Enjoy him while he is this age they really grow too fast. Best wishes and continued health for your little miracle.
C.

Hi T.,

It's completely normal for him to suck his thumb at this age. In fact, it's been proven by ultrasounds that some babies suck their thumbs in utero.

He might or might not be a thumb sucker - only time will tell. It isn't the end of the world if he does, everyone has ways of soothing themselves. My oldest is a hair twirler. She does it in her sleep and wakes up with knots in her hair (we now put her hair in a ponytail to avoid rats nest in the morning). My youngest sucks his thumb. But as he gets older, he sucks it less and less.

Best of luck!

M.

Hi T.,
THis is actually a very good thing. Thumb sucking is a way to self-sooth and the fact that he is a preemie and is self soothing already is a good sign in regards to his neurological system.

(I am the mom of a 29 weeker, so I have a little experience with preemies).

You will probably get both sides to this and there are pros and cons to paci vs. thumb. Later on you can take the paci away, not his thumb. On the other side, there is never a dirty paci and you can't loose it in the crib in the middle of the night! I would say at this point, let him do whatever he can to soothe himself.

My boys were opposites. My preemie was all about the paci and my 2nd (full term!) wanted nothing to do with the paci.

If you ever want to talk about preemie things (or anything else), let me know.
B.