how to stop thumb-sucking habit

Re: Thumbsucking

Poonam, Ramya,

My DS sucks his thumb, but trying other fingers too... He learnt it last week... He does this soon after feeds too... I think its an act of comfort,but sometimes i find when is hungry, he sucks more vigorously,with fast breathing, instead of crying and showing early hunger cues...

My elder DD too wud suck her middle finger and ring finger together, from 2.5months... We didnt restrict initially... Later, by 6months, she started doing it all the time... No active play, listening,responding, etc... Then we started telling her that thumbsucking can be done when she is feeling sleepy and started saying N-O-O-O... We put her on glouse during play time... sometimes she wud suck with glouse too... we wud change them often... We had a dozen cotton gloves for her In abt a month,she reduced and did it only when she is feeling sleepy and we let her do it happily... By her 1.5yrs, one day we just announced that she is a BIG(!) girl,no more thumbsucking, thats a complete N-O-O-O. I made her sit with all her fav dolls, she had named all of then, so itold each one of them separately that no more sucking and i know they all are good and wud co-operate...

And i saw something wonderful... From then, she herself wud ask for a doll,pillow to cuddle and sleep, so that her hands are not free... she wud clasp her right hand with left and sleep... she wud keep her hands under the pillow... offcourse she had trouble sleeping for somedays, but later she outgrew it ) Am proud of her till day ))) She did everything all by herself, i just told her a stern, clear N-O-O-O on face,just once.My DH, mom too were telling the same.. all were consistent in our dialogue delivery ))

 

Re: Thumbsucking

Pon, that is called Murphy baby look in my family, apparently in an old adfor whatever M/S Muirphy were selling they had this picture of a child sucking two fingers.
People, DS did suck his thumb as a replacement for the pacifier we used. Child have this strong urge to suckle. I would not stop at this stage, I would after they start getting mobile, mouthing it would mean a lot of tummy upsets. Yes, DS outgrew it on his own. It is a very good way to self-soothe. Interfere you will have to substitute it with another way of soothing.

 

Re: Thumbsucking

Even I was worried initially and the thumb sucking went on till about three months. My DH was persistent in removing the thumb out of the mouth. Then we tried distracting my DD with teethers and toys, now she doesn't remember the thumb anymore. :thumbsup

It is said that initially when babies do not get the feed they master the art of thumb sucking for the first time and later when they are lonely the thumb goes in. As Pon said it is for comfort. I used gloves but it didn't help coz my DD would nibble on the gloves too.

 

Re: Thumbsucking

I'm merging this with our existing thread on the same topic. That is in Toddlers but the info is the same and I hope useful to all our new moms

V.

 

Re: Thumbsucking

ahhhh my DS too started thumbsucking at about 5 months.. But we quickly replaced it with a soother. So atleast he doesnt get infection from touching everything in the floor. We sterlise it a few times in the day. At about 14 months, when he didnt have any health problems (so he doesnt become too cranky), I kept his soother out of his sight for about 2 days. He kept searching for it and was resisting his sleep, waiting for hsi soother to do the job, he got cranky.. but used to fall asleep in a while.. in 2 - 3 days he stopped searching for it.

These days there are differnt types of soothers.. some with normal shape like a thumb, some are flat at the bottom and curved at the top, some come in smooth texture, some surface are like a teether. so try a different one if LO doesnt like the normal types.

 

tikka - yes, it seems to be for soothing. She seems to suck her thumb and fall asleep. There is no need for rocking now. But she sucks her thumb so vigorously that I wonder if she is hungry.
I do not want to stop her now, but worry is - she was trying to roll on her stomach earlier, but these days after she has found sucking, she keeps doing only that. There is no other activity.
Also what will be the right age to stop her?

 

Arthidiva, This seems to be a good idea )
Ramya, My DS sucks when nobody is around, no attractive things around him, like circling dolls, curtains moving, anything thats visibly mobile )))

 

i am concerned here too... last 3 days suddenly zoey is vigorously sucking her thumb almost ALL THE TIME!
she sucks when she is full stomach too, and my milk supply is abundant, and she nurses well...
also wen DH tries to put her to sleep, she keeps sucking on his tshirt n will keep fighting sleep

should i offer a pacifier?

 

Heard people telling if the kids sucks their right thumb, it may go away becoz, when they start playing around, definitely, they will use their right fingers. If they suck their left thumb, dont even ask, leisurely, they can do their job and play in the other hand or fingers!!! Both of my kids were doing and we were taking it out; when you would do, should have seen the way they both were reacting. First crying, next threatening me at their own voice becoz, it is tough for them to coordinate and put again in their mouth. Once they know how to put, that is it..so, start taking it out when they were at their young age..otherwise, it may continue for a long time(like pacifier habit). Even at their sleep, would hear the loud thumb sucking noise. My nieces were doing and coincidently, both of their front teeth has come out. Later, my cosis got some bitter medicine from a doc., applied around the thumb. It is bitter than our karela or neem accidentally, her daughter put her thumb and for the next few hrs., she was spitting out..

Anyhow, that is the last option. Good luck..

 

Hey Poonam, I heard that thumbsucking is harmless until age 3-4. But I am worried as she seems to be satisfied with sucking when she is bored or cranky.