Thumb or soother

Suucee

So basically my little one sucked a soother up until about 3 or 4 months then discovered her thumb. Has been a thumb sucker since but only going asleep or when having a cuddle but over the past week i have noticed her sucking it alot more. So im wondering should i try get her sucking a soother again at least i can take that off her. Or should i let her suck the thumb. Shes 9 months now

pwurple

Hmm. As a former very bad thumb sucker, I wanted to avoid it with my own kids. I gave the soother from the get go in the hopes the thumb was never discovered. I was still thumb sucking in my sleep until about age 12, despite many many attempts from my parents to get me off it. From painting my thumbs with horrible tasting stuff, to bandaging up my hands every night so I couldn't get them. Many many arguments with them pleading with me to give it up, and me trying my best and still waking up with the blasted thumb in. I have very clear memories of it all. I put a dent in my upper palate, and shifted my teeth a bit. The thought of one of mine doing it now... eek.

Anyway, that's me. But, there are kids who do it for a while and drop it again. So maybe yours will be one of those.

I'd guess if she has been sucking it for the last 5 months, you're not going to be able to erase it from her memory with the soother, but you could give it a try.

Suucee

I was a thumb sucker up until around the same age as you pwurple and also remember all that stuff been put on it (also have crooked teeth). We started the soother at around 4 days old but would spit it out alot until we got a butterfly shaped but even as young as 1 month i remember seeing her sucking her thumb while asleep and soother lying beside her.
When she was around 3 or 4 months she really started spitting it out more. I tried different shapes, bigger ones, smaller ones it was also the time i started having major problems getting her to take a bottle (she's been drinking from a sippy cup instead of bottles since about 5 months as didnt like bottle either). I also have the problem that my mum doesnt like soothers and thinks the thumb is no harm at her age (eh hello, look at me) but MIL doesnt like thumb and prefers the soother. Also OH thinks thumb is no harm either and afraid that if we give her soother she'l go back to waking at night for it. Im really between 2 minds on what to do. Im worried about her teeth but im also worried about her going back to waking at night if she cant find soother and probably just stick the thumb in instead anyway.

Oh what to do what to do.

Penny Dreadful

I was a thumb sucker when I was a baby/ small child and only sucked it up until I was 4. Then I decided I was going to be a really big girl and apparently announced my intent to give up to my parents.
Mum says that for the first few weeks or so she would find me asleep at night with the thumb firmly lodged in my mouth but she'd remove it and I'd stay asleep.
It didn't damage my teeth at all either.

January

I don't think you have a choice! My first daughter sucked a soother from the get go, gave it up a few months ago nearing the age of 4.

My second daughter, gave her a soother from the get go, tried every soother under the sun. She is a thumb sucker through and through.

Third is a soother baby too...

So I don't think it's your choice at all, I think if they want the thumb they'll have the thumb and short of chopping them off there's nothing you can do to stop it!

youandme13

My little boy is 11 months and sucks his thumb from less then an hour old! If s/he wants to suck there thumb they will I've tried soothers with mine but he just gags and spits it out only bites it for teething then throws it away lol

dzer2

Out last baby is a thumb sucker this has stopped some teeth from coming through but I havent the heart to try and stop her.

lounakin

I think I started the same thread 6 months ago! I was also a bad thumb-sucker until very late in life and didn't want my daughter to do it (even though it didn't cause me any teeth damage) so I tried giving her a soother. The way someone put it to me was: you don't see 10 year olds with soothers but you see 20 year olds still sucking their thumbs. One is definitely easier to quit. That said, there isn't much of a choice. After weeks of trying to find her thumb my daughter found it and gave it up straight away. She used the soother and has spontaneously given it up at 7 months, now she doesn't suck anything. If I were you I'd let her use the thumb but I would read up on how to help her stop later in life!

Suucee

So gave her a soother out of curiosity and she chewed on it for a while. When i put her down for a nap and handed her scarf (which i call raggy, its a pashmina scarf belonging to me that she cuddles up to her nose when sucking her thumb to go to sleep) she put the thumb straight in rolled over onto her side i tried to give her the soother but just spat it out and put thumb in. Ive decided to leave her to it and hope for the best.
As i said already i sucked my thumb and when i got older my parents tried alot to get me to give up but it wasnt until i was caught sucking it when in first year at a sleep over that i really tried. I eventually gave it up by putting sudocream on my thumb and putting a glove on. So when i tried to put it in during the night i would taste the glove which would wake me up, normally the second time i tried i would pull the glove off which then meant i got a mouthful of sudocream. So ill be armed with that plan when she gets older and its time to give up.

pwurple

Yes, if she does it now, you are stuck with i'd say. Apparantly I was born with a little red pre-sucked thumb from doing it in the womb.

lounakin

pwurple wrote: »

Yes, if she does it now, you are stuck with i'd say. Apparantly I was born with a little red pre-sucked thumb from doing it in the womb.

Awwww so cute!