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Babies: 6 - 9 Months
~Flossie~
member
Poll: Thumb sucking
~Flossie~
member
Today I watched LO chewing on his fingers. He does this 24/7 it seems. While chewing his fingers, he started chewing his thumb, then started sucking his thumb. Since then I've caught him sucking his thumb about 10 times within a few hours.
LO was not a thumb sucker as of yesterday, and today he is! Being in the dental profession, I know what thumb sucking can do, and I don't like it! I don't want him to be a thumb sucker!
My answer to this is to keep taking his thumb out of his mouth right when he puts it in to keep him from forming a habit of it. DH thinks that as soon as he puts his thumb in his mouth to take it out and put a paci in (LO doesn't use a paci) because he says it is easier to take away a paci than a thumb when he gets too old for it.
A part of me thinks I'm over thinking it and need to realize that if he's going to suck his thumb, he's going to suck his thumb.
What do you vote-
A: Just keep pulling the thumb out of his mouth to avoid the habit from sticking
B: Start using a paci
C: Get over it and let the kid suck his thumb
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Poll: Thumb sucking
What Are Your Thoughts on Tap Dancing Penguins?
This is exactly what happened in our house. She now will suck on her fingers here and there but apparently has found other ways to self soothe.
But if I were voting in your poll I'd say let him go. I think it would be hard to "teach" a baby not to suck his thumb, but I understand your concern.
My vote would be C.
DH was a thumb sucker and now LO is too. She sucked it a lot when she first discovered it, now she will use her thumb to put herself to sleep and that's it. I see the point of the you can take a pacifier away eventually logic, but at least the thumb never falls on the floor or get's left behind when you go out
I say let him suck his thumb and I am also a dental professional. My DS has been sucking his since day one and I honestly don't think you can stop them anyways. I've accepted that ortho is in his future.
ETA: At least you'll get a professional discount
C. I don't think you can prevent it. If he prefers his thumb, he'll take out the paci. And thumb sucking does not necessarily cause dental problems. Sometimes it can, but not always.
Examples:
I never sucked my thumb and I had years of orthodontic work. Oral surgery beforehand, 3.5 years of braces.
My sister sucked her thumb until about 1st grade and had an appliance for about 8 months and I think she had braces for a year or so.
My husband sucked his thumb for years and years (like 5th grade -- but really only at night by then). He never had braces or any orthodontic work.
I would say either give him a paci or let him suck his thumb. I did not have a paci, and was not a thumb sucker but still had braces for 5 years. My DH was a thumb sucker and should have had braces.
My lo's pedi thinks that once they start to crawl thumbs are just as dirty as pacifiers so my vote is probably paci if he'll take it.
*I just realized that HML was saying thumb sucking means you won't have to worry about pacis falling on the floor in public places.....eww...
I've read that in a few baby books and that's what we did. J was sucking her thumb a lot and has since stopped. She only takes the paci at nap and bedtime and sometimes in the car.
Francesca Pearl is here! Josephine Hope is almost 3!