Cricket, This is hard and I can see that you are pretty stressed out about it.

My DD, (now 6) was a big time finger sucker. She never took a dummy (much to our distress) - and her fingers still go to her mouth when she is nervous or frightened....even when she is put on the spot.....imagine this.....she gets the Academic Award for her year level in 2007, and all the photos we have of her receiving her award had her with the award in one hand, and fingers in the mouth. We have just spent all our time telling her "Fingers out" - she has got better as she has become older (mostly because she started school, which helped her confidence).

I am sure that your DD will grow out of it, as you are doing all the right things. If she is feeling anxious at the moment because you have got rid of the dummy - then it is reasonably understandable that she will be sucking fingers more often. Yes, it's a bit yukky, but if you are on top of washing hands frequently - then I believe it's ok. Yes, public toilets are yukky ..... maybe you could give her something to suck on whilst she is in there.....a lolly or something to reduce fingers in the mouth.....I know it's not nice to have anything in the mouth in the toilet - but a lolly is surely better than fingers.

Good luck! and don't stress!