Do you let LOs suck their thumb?

Haven1 · December 2010

DS1 has recently discovered he loves sucking his thumb. Maybe it's just a concidence, but he's also mellowed out a ton recently. He's not nearly as fussy or needy as he once was.

Anyway, this weekend we were at our 6th house in three days (with minimal naps), and he was working the thumb pretty hard. My MIL and SIL kept taking it out of his mouth! "You don't want that." Pretty sure he does, actually. Granted, my nephew sucked his thumb until he was 7, so I know they're "helping" me avoid that.

I didn't say anything, but should I be keeping him from sucking it too? They stopped taking a paci months ago when they found their hands.

He seems so happy and content now. I don't want a first grade thumb sucker down the road, but I'm all about what makes my life easier today. Thoughts?

GiGi1221 · December 2010

Harry prefers a paci, Ollie sucks his thumb. I think it's adorable and it comforts him, he doesn't do it all the time so I'm really not worried about it... I agree with making things easier today!

MoMandA · December 2010

It sounds totally normal. I wouldn't interfere.

blondek8 · December 2010

My guys have just found their hands, so they always have part of them in their mouths. I'm not going to stop it. If they want to suck their thumbs or fingers -- all the more power to them.

On a more embarrasing note -- I sucked my thumb until I was 14. Embarrassed

Yup. 14. I only ever did it at night when I was going to sleep. My teeth are straight, I don't have an overbite, underbite or buck teeth, there's nothing wrong with my jaw or palate and I never had braces or any orthodontic appliance. Do I want the boys to follow the same path? I certainly hope not, but at 2 months old I'm not overly concerned. I like the fact they can suck their hands to keep themselves soothed/entertained for now.

Temp159135562506975 · December 2010

i would never take a thumb out of a baby's mouth - no way... anything that keeps a baby happy = a good thing IMO.

i do prefer pacis b/c it's easier to break the habit- easier to keep clean, etc.

we took the pacis away during the day at 15mo and now Gray sucks on his hand a lot - and i almost want to give the paci back- b/c now his hand is always wet and he's putting so many germs into his mouth all day that he wouldn't get with a paci....

so if you can get them to take a paci again- i'd try that.. but otherwise, a thumb is fine if it's a soother.

meshell782 · December 2010

Yes since they don't like pacifiers and it the only way the sooth. I would prefer a pacifier. It is easier to take away. Oh well.

OrangeSmoke · December 2010

Yep - if it soothes them, I'm all for it.

They are so little and so few things comfort them... My boys are also teething and if a thumb in their mouth soothes them, I'm all for it.

I'll cross the "first grade thumb sucker" bridge when I come to it.

amanda31H · December 2010

Don't interfere! My friends are all jealous of my pacifier takers and my other girlfriend whose baby is a thumb sucker.

It's a habit you MAY have to break down the road, but you may not. It's comforting to them. My girls occasionally suck their thumb. In many ways I wish they preferred that to the pacifier so we wouldn't have to go insert them at night if they wake up! They can put them in, but at night if they wake up, it's not like they look for their pacifier and insert it.

Desired11 · December 2010

My oldest used a paci. The day we took it from, she started to suck her thumb to fall asleep. She curls her hair with her fingers and sucks her thumb when she is tired. It was hard to take the paci from her, but we gave it to the reindeer as she learned...LOL. It was the only way she would let it go. My other daughter loved her thumb from day one or so. It was easier to get her to soothe herself due to not having her cry when her paci popped out of her mouth. I would not interfere!! You will be happy that he is able to soothe himself!!

macchiatto · December 2010

Goodness, no! There is nothing wrong with an infant or young toddler sucking his thumb. It's helpful at that age for them to have a way to self-soothe like that. Not to be all melodramatic, but recently my Alex has to endure an ambulance ride and they didn't let DH ride in the back with him, so he was back there alone surrounded by strange men, strange equipment, hearing the siren, etc., with no way of understanding what was going on, for 20 minutes. It had to be terrifying for him, but after a few minutes of screaming he sucked his thumb and it really helped him calm down. Also a huge fan of loveys because his blankie was very soothing during that ordeal, too. At this age if it helps, there's nothing wrong with it.

My boys used to both take pacis and turned into thumb-suckers. My pedi said we really don't need to address it until they're 3-4 and then we can just gently remind them that hands get dirty so we don't want to put fingers/thumbs in our mouths, and try to distract them. Most kids stop on their own before they hit school-age so I think your relatives were overreacting a little.

ETA: There are certainly pros and cons to both pacis and thumb-sucking. Alex dropped the paci at 6m and Will at 14m. I actually prefer thumbs since it's more convenient, no worries about the paci getting lost or another kid grabbing it and sticking it in their mouth if they're in the church nursery or at a play date, etc.

pea-kay · December 2010

GiGi1221:
Harry prefers a paci, Ollie sucks his thumb. I think it's adorable and it comforts him, he doesn't do it all the time so I'm really not worried about it... I agree with making things easier today!

Aww, my Oliver sucks his thumb too. It's totally sweet.

And SO much easier than a binky! He never dropped his thumb out of the crib. :P

Yes, one day, I might be dealing with the thumb-sucking, but for now it's fine.

ebrooke · December 2010

:::jumping on the bandwagon:::

Count me in as a total thumb-sucker advocate. Self-soothing is a skill. Even experts like What's-His-Face, "Happiest Baby on the Block" dude advocates thumb-sucking. So there.

gumiberg · December 2010

both my kids are thumb suckers but at only 17 months, they already suck less so it doesnt bother me at all. its funny, my DD will suck her thumb ONLY if she has her blanket...haha.

They never took a pacifier so when they started sucking their thumbs, I was relieved.

jamie217 · December 2010

mine girls are starting to and I'm not stopping them. It soothes them and they are starting to teeth, so I feel like it gives them some relief with that.

Chickandtaco · December 2010

blondek8:

My guys have just found their hands, so they always have part of them in their mouths. I'm not going to stop it. If they want to suck their thumbs or fingers -- all the more power to them.

On a more embarrasing note -- I sucked my thumb until I was 14.

Yup. 14. I only ever did it at night when I was going to sleep. My teeth are straight, I don't have an overbite, underbite or buck teeth, there's nothing wrong with my jaw or palate and I never had braces or any orthodontic appliance. Do I want the boys to follow the same path? I certainly hope not, but at 2 months old I'm not overly concerned. I like the fact they can suck their hands to keep themselves soothed/entertained for now.

This was me to the T! No problems from it but it was sometime in junior high when I finally broke the habit! It was SO HARD for me to break, I HAD to suck my thumb at night. It was very embarassing and I only broke myself of the habit out of pure embarassment that I was going to end up an adult still sucking my thumb. I was always afraid people would find out if I spent the night at their house. But I seriously couldn't sleep without it. I pushed the paci on my son for this reason. He didn't really want it at first, but he was starting to go for his thumb so I started pushing the paci. He was hooked on the paci in no time. At 8 months I said, we're done and threw them all in the trash. I won't lie I was scared how it would go but I figured if they were all gone there was no going back. We had a couple fussy days and then he was over it! MUCH easier to break then the thumb! And now if he comes across a paci he looks at it funny, but doesn't even try to suck it or anything.

leviandlandensmom · December 2010

Okay I have to interject because I have older kids, one of which is a thumbsucker and hindsight is 20/20 right? Stick a bink in his mouth or you are really going to regret it. Mine still sucks his thumb at night and he's turning 7 next month and it has screwed up his teeth big time.

I thought it was so cute when he started sucking his thumb at around 4 months old and I still thought it was cute when he was one, then two. Then when he was around 3 I was thinking he should probably not do that anymore and we tried to get him to stop but here's the thing - you can't take their thumb away. It's attached.

You may think it's cute now but it loses it's appeal when they are older. You are setting yourself up for a huge struggle down the road if you don't do something now.

janjag · December 2010

My FIL is the same way. He sees Vivienne with her thumb and says, "get that thumb out of your mouth, girl." Ha ha. I just ignore it.

Vivienne started sucking a little before she turned 1yr. She was never a binky girl. Personally I would rather her be able to self-sooth and not have to have something outside of herself (like a binky or lovey). With toddlers it does get a litle more tricky as far as germs. I kind of know when to use a wipe b/c she's about to suck her thumb... like right before she gets back in her stroller or in her carseat. Not as good as washing hands, but it helps.

Audrey is into her puppy dog lovey and it is hell to pay if that puppy can't be found. Vivi's thumb is always right there

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