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Hi All,
During the last 3 weeks my 2month old DD has developed sucking on her hands.
The only issue is, when I put her to sleep all wrapped up, she wiggles her hands out and starts sucking on it and then wakes herself up with her hands!
She's only getting like 20-30mins max sleep before she wakes herself up again.
I have tried a few different dummies but she hates them!
Why has she started developing this habit? Is she teething?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Phoenixml, my DS is 4 months and has done the same. As far as I know it is just a developmental thing. What helped for us is wrapping him really tight in one wrap and then wrap him again with a second wrap over the top of the first. This way he couldn't get his hands out (or at least it took a lot more time). At the moment we are going through the transition to sleeping unwrapped and it does take him a bit longer again to fall asleep as he still isn't too well coordinated with his hands, especially when he is upset or overtired. He too doesn't want to take a dummy. HTH.
I don't know - neither of my boys would let us wrap them at that age. I guess you could try using two wraps and trying to make sure that she can't get her hands out that way . Or try no wrap and see if she will sleep that way. Sorry, I'm not much help!
Just a thought - are you sure she's not actually using this sucking to put herself off to sleep and then just waking after one sleep cycle (which is usually anything from 20-45mins and a very normal pattern for a small baby)?? If this is the way she is soothing herself off to sleep, I wouldn't interfere with it, I think it's a very valuable skill and much better than a dummy.
If, however, you are rocking, patting her to sleep etc and then her hands are waking her up, well that's another story.
I'd be very surprised if a 2 month old was teething, although it does happen. Sucking on their hands is just a developmental phase, she's just learnt a new trick, that's all :)
The above suggestion of tight wrapping is good, that's what I'd try. Luckily it's cooler weather, but just be careful not to overheat her either.
Heey
Ive noticed this too with my 2mth old DD!!
I think its a developmental thing, i was getting a bit annoyed with all the slurping and sucking so tried giving her her dummy with no such luck, so now ive just accepted her sucking on her lil hand, i now find the sounds rather cute.
I second what Willow has said about the sleeping patterns. Ive watched Isabell sleeping and she will wake every 20-40 mins, but will either resetlle and go back to sleep, or ill rock her back to sleep rather easily.
i was going to suggest the same as willow, sucking for babies is very soothing and natural, its possibliy her way of self soothing!
Thanks guys!!!
Ill try the 2 wrap trick =)