thumb sucking

[peanutter]

DS has started sucking his thumb more and more.

Ideas for getting him to stop during the day?

What worked for you?

Thanks!

[[M]umma[M]ia]

Put gloves on him?

Just wondering why you have an issue with it?

[skybie]

erm nothing, have been tempted to cut it off but i dnt think that will go down too well
DD2 has sucked her thumb from day 1, its our cue to know shes tired

[Phteven]

It would be much easier for you to stop worrying about it.
You don't see many adults sucking their thumbs.

What worked for me was deciding I didn't want to suck my thumb anymore.

[~me~]

My DS2 is a thumb sucker. Not much I can do about it.
A paediatric dentist suggested that when I thought he was emotionally ready, you bandage the thumb. It's the only remedy she knew of that worked.
He doesn't suck anywhere near as much as he used to, now he does it to help go to sleep and when he is very tired.
He has just turned 5, he will do it in own time I am guessing.

[hj1981]

just posting so i too can get tips

DD2 is a thumb sucker and has been since day 1 - while its all cute when they are little neither myself or DH is a fan of it as they get older!

Peanutter - how old is your DS now?

[willow5]

What worked for me was deciding I didn't want to suck my thumb anymore.

Yep that's what did it for me too, when I was about 12 or 13. I didn't do it at school and for the last few years only ever did when I was going to sleep. My friends knew, it was never an issue with them either.

I hoped DS would suck his thumb! It looked like he might at about 3 or 4 months, but it never eventuated He would never take a dummy and I was it instead. I so hoped the thumb might help him to self settle and not rely on the boob so much. Sucking my thumb was a comfort and a coping mechanism. If I'd had a hard day it gave me comfort at the end of the day, I've since replaced it with a glass of red, or chocolate...hmmmm. perhaps I should switch back it could be the healthier option

Oh and my teeth are fine too apart from some crowding and misalignment caused by wisdom teeth in my 20s.

[peanutter]

DS is 16 months.

I'm not keen on it, because I don't want his teeth getting pushed out of shape, etc ...

A bit here and there doesn't bother us (if that is how he needs to self soothe, then that's fine) but when it's just as he's going about his day, there are other things he can do, IYKWIM...

[Phteven]

Oh and my teeth are fine too apart from some crowding and misalignment caused by wisdom teeth in my 20s.

My teeth are fine too. I had my wisdom teeth removed so they couldn't mess up my smile.

[ladybirdflies]

My little one is 18mths and started sucking her thumb when her wraps came off at about 8 months. SHe only sucks it to go to sleep or when she is feeling a little unsure or tired. When she is walking around sucking it, I grab a book and go and sit on the lounge with her and read through books, and she seems to have started to know when she needs the thumb and goes and has quiet time on the lounge, it's really sweet to see her take up that quiet space.

[hj1981]

A bit here and there doesn't bother us (if that is how he needs to self soothe, then that's fine) but when it's just as he's going about his day, there are other things he can do, IYKWIM...

agree whole heartedly! lets hope our bubba's grow out of it soon

Ladybirdflies - thats a good distraction technique

[peanutter]

interesting re the teeth - I'd always heard that sucking thumbs/fingers pushes them out of shape?

very glad that yours (willow & onyx) didn't, but my brother was the only sucker one in our family, and his teeth were pretty bad ...

I tend to use the distraction technique too (during the day) but daycare doesn't seem to do this, so it's a bit hard doing it just for pockets here and there ...

anyway, if anyone else has had success with any other good (gentle) solutions, they would be appreciated

[ladybirdflies]

Sounds like he may need it at daycare though? When he feels happy and content does he walk around sucking??? If he needs it to help him at care it's ok, self soothing and comfort is pretty important, knowing that he will know that he doesn't need to do it when he is feeling content.

[willow5]

Peanutter it could be just a stage making him want to suck all day maybe? A developmental thing/Wonder week. He might slow it down once it passes. If it's a newish thing the frequency I mean. Until then the distraction and extra cuddles could help. Daycare is a tough one though not being consistent. But maybe ladybirdflies is right too when he's not with you he may need the thumb that little bit more?

[peanutter]

he does it at home too - but it might just be a stage.

we may wait it out a bit longer, see if it passes...

[Butterfly Dawn]

DD sucks her thumb when she is tired and or hungry.

I sucked mine for way too long, my teeth are fine. but my mother made a big issue out of it and I just think it was unnecessary grief for us. It may have even kept me sucking it longer then I would have.

People here are forever pulling DD thumb out of her mouth. makes me so mad when strangers do it and makes baby cry.

You could put something yucking tasting on his thumb- cod liver oil

[willow5]

I sucked mine for way too long, my teeth are fine. but my mother made a big issue out of it and I just think it was unnecessary grief for us. It may have even kept me sucking it longer then I would have.

Yeah I remember people making me feel bad for doing it and I thought there as something wrong with me, I must've been fairly young then about 3 or 4. I remember being told I was going to pre-school soon so couldn't suck my thumb any more. I remember starting to hide and do it for a while. But it didn't stop obviously.

People here are forever pulling DD thumb out of her mouth. makes me so mad when strangers do it and makes baby cry.

They'd hear about it if they did that to my baby, who do they think they are!!! Grrrr nasty people Way to put a baby on the road to low self esteem

[peanutter]

I think I'd have something to say if a stranger tried to touch my child for any reason ...

Not keen on doing anything as a punishment/disincentive (cod liver oil, bandaging, etc) particularly when he's too little to understand what's happening.

Thanks for the ideas though