Prefers hand over paci WWYD

NJMom050911 · September 2011

DS use to like his pacifier and would fall asleep quicker with it. For the past month he refuses the paci and sucks on his hand instead. This worries me for 2 reasons, I would much rather deal with taking his paci away than to have to make him stop sucking on his hand when he's older. And number two, he is starting to get an irritation on his hand

I don't want to have to put mittens on him, he is teething and I know he just wants to soothe himself so I feel bad. I gave him a million toys to try, teething ones, cold teething ones, rattles, I have tried freezing fruit in the mesh too and still he just wants his hand. I have a doc appt on Monday so I will ask but I wanted to hear your opinions/ideas.

rickandcaitlin · September 2011

None of my kids ever took a paci they all sucked on their hands. I think its perfectly fine and IMO better then a paci, its always there and they can find it. I wouldnt worry

Lisa Frank · September 2011

Let him suck his hands. My DS is still sucking his thumb. I did it, too, but I don't do it today. He'll grow out of it. In the meantime, if it soothes him, don't try and prevent it.

tokenhoser · September 2011

I'd just let him suck on his hand and be thankful I didn't have to play the "put the paci back" game.

kacelle · September 2011

tokenhoser:
I'd just let him suck on his hand and be thankful I didn't have to play the "put the paci back" game.

Yes

iris427 · September 2011

Ditto pps--let him suck on his hands. If that's what he wants to do, you can't really stop him. Even with mittens, he'll probably just suck on the mittens. Hand sucking doesn't mean he will turn into a long-term thumb sucker either, so I wouldn't stress about something that might never happen.

For the soreness, maybe try putting some lanolin on it.

sparkymcgeee · September 2011

E loves her fingers as well. I just let her suck on her hand. I figure some of it is soothing and some of it is exploring with her mouth. I sucked on fingers and I never had a problem past the infant stage with it.

NJMom050911 · September 2011

iris427:

Ditto pps--let him suck on his hands. If that's what he wants to do, you can't really stop him. Even with mittens, he'll probably just suck on the mittens. Hand sucking doesn't mean he will turn into a long-term thumb sucker either, so I wouldn't stress about something that might never happen.

For the soreness, maybe try putting some lanolin on it.

I'm relieved to hear all this, I was getting worried. And FINALLY I get to use the super expensive lanolin I bought for my nips that I barely used! lol

everam01 · September 2011

tokenhoser:
I'd just let him suck on his hand and be thankful I didn't have to play the "put the paci back" game.

Yes Yes

NJMom050911 · September 2011

mullenem:

kathygrzywnowicz:
I'm relieved to hear all this, I was getting worried. And FINALLY I get to use the super expensive lanolin I bought for my nips that I barely used! lol

Ha, no kidding. I'm so glad I didn't buy lanolin ahead of time. I just asked for some at the hospital and they gave me a little sample tube. I STILL have some left and I used it pretty often. A little really goes a long way. I hear it's good for red, chapped cheeks in the winter (on toddlers and older of course) too.

A is not interested in really chewing on harder toys yet either. I froze a damp washcloth today and am going to try that. She loves sucking on blankets and the like so I'm hoping she likes the frozen washcloth.

Why didn't I think of that! He LOVES to chew on his blankets, I give him cloth diapers to hold and play and chew on....I will do this when I get home. Thank you! Brilliant!

deo · September 2011

I let my guy suck on his hands. He isn't a big fan of the pacifier. It's nice because he can put himself back to sleep at night (sometimes I hear him at 3am sucking on his hand/thumb/arm). A week ago he gave himself a hickey on his arm sometime in the middle of the night. I figure he will grow out of it and it's not worth stressing over right now.

He also likes chewing on a wet face cloth. Anytime I try to wipe his face, he tries to eat it.

NJMom050911 · September 2011

deo:

I let my guy suck on his hands. He isn't a big fan of the pacifier. It's nice because he can put himself back to sleep at night (sometimes I hear him at 3am sucking on his hand/thumb/arm). A week ago he gave himself a hickey on his arm sometime in the middle of the night. I figure he will grow out of it and it's not worth stressing over right now.

He also likes chewing on a wet face cloth. Anytime I try to wipe his face, he tries to eat it.

When he wakes up and chews on his hand I take that as "I'm hungry, feed me" and get him a bottle....If I don't he'll chew on his hand for an hour and I feel bad....

Lisa Frank · September 2011

Re: Lanolin, you'll love it for dry, cracked hands in the winter months

I use it regularly on my hands and other rough spots.

NJMom050911 · September 2011

Lisa Frank:
Re: Lanolin, you'll love it for dry, cracked hands in the winter months I use it regularly on my hands and other rough spots.

Thanks! Glad it has other uses

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