thumbsucking issues - need support

DD has been a clear thumbsucker since about 8 weeks old. We offered the pacifier, but shell only take it if very sleepy or in the car. While Id rather her have the paci (bc we can take that away), I dont really mind her sucking her thumb. DH, on the other hand, hates it. If he sees her doing it he'll usually take her hand away from her mouth. At first she thinks it's a game, and will put it back. Repear process, and eventually shell get fussy and cry. She's a poor self-soother so I figure if this helps her, let her be. DH is old school, and is afraid she'll be a 20 yr old sucking her thumb. Now, in a way I see where he's coming from since I sucked my thumb longer than I should have (lets just say I was in elem school when I stopped). It is a hard habit to break -- its almost an automatic thing to do if youre upset or need soothing.


Im torn -- do I fight him on letting her do it, or do I support him and try to sway her away from it? We still offer the paci, but the older she gets the less shell take it.

Re: thumbsucking issues - need support

I am glad you posted this, I am having a similar problem my DH is ok wth him sucking his thumb I am afraid he will be in HS still sucking his thumb.

Re: thumbsucking issues - need support

Speaking as a mom of a 16 month old thumbsucker I say to let her be. You can't really stop it, you won't always be there to yank it out of her mouth, and it's a soothing mechanism for them that I wouldn't be so quick to try and get rid of. My DD has been sucking her thumb since BEFORE birth........I have sono pics of her doing it!! I am really not too concerned about it. My DD only does it when she is tired and wants to fall asleep or when she gets really upset she will suck her thumb to calm herself down and stop crying.

I look at it this way..............I NEVER see an adult walking around sucking their thumb so at some point she will give it up when she is good and ready to. I am not worried about it. Tell your DH to leave the poor kid alone.

Re: thumbsucking issues - need support

I honestly feel like if she needs the thumb, let her have it. I wouldn't force her to take the paci. DS never found his thumb so we gave him a paci which he takes in the car, when we are out an about and sometimes for naps. I was a thumb sucker and I sucked mine probably a little longer than I should have but my teeth came in perfectly and I never needed braces.

Re: thumbsucking issues - need support

Re: thumbsucking issues - need support

Posted by sweetsurprise09

Posted by curlywife5808

I am glad you posted this, I am having a similar problem my DH is ok wth him sucking his thumb I am afraid he will be in HS still sucking his thumb.

now that she's teething it's even harder bc her hands are ALWAYS in her mouth!!! DH gets frustrated because he cant keep up with pulling them out.

Re: thumbsucking issues - need support

I have read reports that thumbsucking until the age of 4 is fine. Beyond that it starts to create issues ie speech impediment, dental problems. Leave it alone. It's soothing to them

Re: thumbsucking issues - need support

Posted by sweetsurprise09

Posted by curlywife5808

I am glad you posted this, I am having a similar problem my DH is ok wth him sucking his thumb I am afraid he will be in HS still sucking his thumb.

now that she's teething it's even harder bc her hands are ALWAYS in her mouth!!! DH gets frustrated because he cant keep up with pulling them out.

Re: thumbsucking issues - need support

Posted by Hofstra26

Speaking as a mom of a 16 month old thumbsucker I say to let her be. You can't really stop it, you won't always be there to yank it out of her mouth, and it's a soothing mechanism for them that I wouldn't be so quick to try and get rid of. My DD has been sucking her thumb since BEFORE birth........I have sono pics of her doing it!! I am really not too concerned about it. My DD only does it when she is tired and wants to fall asleep or when she gets really upset she will suck her thumb to calm herself down and stop crying.

I look at it this way..............I NEVER see an adult walking around sucking their thumb so at some point she will give it up when she is good and ready to. I am not worried about it. Tell your DH to leave the poor kid alone.

Re: thumbsucking issues - need support

Posted by sweetsurprise09

Posted by Hofstra26

Speaking as a mom of a 16 month old thumbsucker I say to let her be. You can't really stop it, you won't always be there to yank it out of her mouth, and it's a soothing mechanism for them that I wouldn't be so quick to try and get rid of. My DD has been sucking her thumb since BEFORE birth........I have sono pics of her doing it!! I am really not too concerned about it. My DD only does it when she is tired and wants to fall asleep or when she gets really upset she will suck her thumb to calm herself down and stop crying.

I look at it this way..............I NEVER see an adult walking around sucking their thumb so at some point she will give it up when she is good and ready to. I am not worried about it. Tell your DH to leave the poor kid alone.

Sophias been a thumbsucker from the start too!! Here she is at only 14 weeks going in for the kill
IMAGE

Re: thumbsucking issues - need support

My DS is a big time thumb sucker. I would rather him do that than have to deal with the paci forever...waking up during the night to find it, etc. I will deal with it when the time comes but for now , it soothes him so I let him do it.

Re: thumbsucking issues - need support

I would let her self soothe however she wants to, she will NOT be a thumb sucker at 20....

Re: thumbsucking issues - need support

As the mom of a 9 YEAR old finger sucker, I can see both sides of this. I tried everything to get Jordan to stop, including the stuff that you paint of their nails that is spicy. She did not care she continued no matter what. Now she is 9 and is sad and embarrassed that she does it. She wants to stop and can not. She won't do it at school or with friends(most friends) but does it at all other times. The dentist said the damage is done, her whole top jaw has shifted forward(Not buck teeth because she doesnt suck her thumb). I did give her a binky for the 1st year, but she sucked her fingers too. If there was a way to stop if earlier, I wish I knew what it was. This is a tough one.
OH and BTW, my 21 month old is a thumbsucker

Re: thumbsucking issues - need support

I sucked my thumb until I was like 10 Luckily I didn't have any problems with my teeth, they are perfect My parents tried FOREVER to get me to stop...I just eventually did it on my own when I realized that I was too old for it. Probably not what you want to hear

Message edited 1/14/2010 5:05:10 PM.

Re: thumbsucking issues - need support

Posted by SweetApril

I sucked my thumb until I was like 10 Luckily I didn't have any problems with my teeth, they are perfect My parents tried FOREVER to get me to stop...I just eventually did it on my own when I realized that I was too old for it. Probably not what you want to hear

Re: thumbsucking issues - need support

dd, almost 3, sucks her thumb at bedtime. I have noticed that in the past couple months that she will do it as evening approaches, since she stopped napping. I am glad to hear that she does not do it at school or at the sitter, but I feel like we have taken a step backwards in ending this habbit since the naps stopped.

Re: thumbsucking issues - need support

My ds is 2 and still cannot soothe himself. Dd ( 4 months old) sucks her thumb to soothe herself. We were against it then i gave in and dh was still against it. Then he saw her put herself to sleep at 2 months old. Since ds still won't it was a welcomed change. So he is all for it now. Both dh and I had messed up teeth and needed braces so our kids are screwed anyway lol.