Did anyone encourage thumb sucking to help your child sleep independently?

Riley has been the type, since day one, to go to sleep while being walked around or on the boob. Put her down in the crib, you get a screamer.

Well...she found her thumb recently. I've tried to put her in her crib around naptime to see if she can get herself to sleep...sometimes she just ends up laying there all relaxed, sucking away, for well over an hour, but never sleeps. This made for a very exhausted, overtired baby.

Last night...she was too upset to lay down in her crib and find her thumb so I brought her into our bed. Usually she complains there too..but this time she just hung out, babbled away, finally found her thumb and fell asleep. I felt like we hit the jackpot!! I put her back in her crib, no problems, and she slept 9 hours. I even checked her on the monitor a few times- there she was, thumb in mouth!!

And this morning, I put her down by herself- she squealed, made her babbling noises for about 5 minutes, found her thumb...and went to sleep. Seriously people, I feel like this is a HUGE victory. I realize now it's all about timing- it's just so hard with her, though.

Two reasons I'm feeling guilty- the obvious: the habit she's forming, and her skin condition (Epidermolysis Bullosa) which makes her blister very easily.

My mom said the thumb was a lifesaver when it came to my sister...and my sister never had a problem. Actually, out of the three of us, she was the only one who never needed braces!

So...was anyone lucky enough for their DC to find their thumb so that you never had to do CIO? I keep praying that this will happen...and yet praying I don't cause a lasting habit or create more blisters...

Thanks for listening- just getting it all out! I'd love to hear your stories!

Re: Did anyone encourage thumb sucking to help your child sleep independently?

My DD wanted the thumb and would self soothe with it, but we were able to get her to use the biki most of the time. She still tries to get the thumb in there sometimes though.

If it works to self soothe herself. go for it.

Re: Did anyone encourage thumb sucking to help your child sleep independently?

DS would have been a thumb sucker, but I forced the pacifier on him

I only needed braces bc my thumb sucking, so I realllly pushed the paci.

Re: Did anyone encourage thumb sucking to help your child sleep independently?

I wouldn't worry about it too much! it's not the worst thing in the world. yes some kids have a problem giving it up but some give it up w/o a problem-like me! lol
anyway, i think it is great she has found a way to self soothe!! it's great for you too and you deserve it! just go with it!

Re: Did anyone encourage thumb sucking to help your child sleep independently?

My personal opinion is that I would never push thumb sucking. You cannot take a thumb away, but you can take a pacifier away. I mean, that's just me, though.

Re: Did anyone encourage thumb sucking to help your child sleep independently?

Re: Did anyone encourage thumb sucking to help your child sleep independently?

I don't encourage it, but I don't discourage it either. Tommy always uses his thumb to fall asleep. I'd rather have that then being woken up constantly for the binky.

Re: Did anyone encourage thumb sucking to help your child sleep independently?

I sucked my thumb until I was 9 and needed braces for almost 4 years. My oldest DD started sucking her thumb and I did everything I could to break that habit.


Sucking my thumb was by far the hardest thing I have ever given up so I won't encourage my children to do it.

Re: Did anyone encourage thumb sucking to help your child sleep independently?

Re: Did anyone encourage thumb sucking to help your child sleep independently?

Have you tried a pacifier with her? DS needs the paci to fall asleep because of the sucking reflex. He accidentally found his thumb a few times, but I stopped that habit before it even really formed. Its not the end of the world, but when they get older its a harder habit to break than the pacifier.

ETA: In your case, knowing the issues you've had with getting her to sleep, I would just go with the flow. If it seems to be working for her, just let her do it. Do whatever works

Message edited 11/8/2009 2:13:52 AM.

Re: Did anyone encourage thumb sucking to help your child sleep independently?

Tara............if she wants to suck her thumb you can't stop it. Emerson has been a thumb sucker since before she was born (I have sono pics!! ) and I think it's a blessing to be honest. Since she was teeny teeny tiny as soon as she got tired she would stick her thumb in her mouth and pass out cold practically right away. Whenever she started to get upset she would stick her thumb in and stop crying right away. Now at 13 months old........she still does the same thing. It's so soothing for her to have her thumb. I guess the good thing with Emerson is she isn't an all day thumb sucker which is why I also don't care that she does it. As you know, I never did CIO and Emme has been STTN since 8 weeks old. I know you worry because of her skin condition but I don't think you can keep them from doing it even if you wanted to. I don't know how I would get Emerson to stop.

EDIT - Emme NEVER cared about the pacifier so they didn't work for us. All she ever wanted was her thumb.

Message edited 11/8/2009 8:08:07 AM.