4.05.2007

Thumb Sucker

Some people have told me to give Israel a pacifier so that she won't suck her thumb. I don't really have a problem with her sucking her thumb, especially because it has been helping her soothe herself back to sleep during nap times. She cries if the pacifier falls out of her mouth, but she can find and utilize her thumb all by herself.
Plus it's so stinkin' cute.
Any thoughts from experienced moms out there?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would say, although it's cute now (and it is!) it won't be cute if she's still doing it at 5 and won't stop. You can always take a pacifier away, but you can't take away a thumb! I would encourage a pacifier, which they say now helps reduce the risk of SIDS.
-Amanda

Anonymous said...

As a pediatric nurse, I have heard it debated on both sides. Elliot sucks his thumb and the good thing is that I don't have to keep up with the pacifier.

And one day I was lamenting that Emma Grace had returned to wanting to drink from a bottle instead of her cup (and she had gotten to where she did not really need a lid even), and my doctor gentle reminded me that it was okay for her to have her bottle for now and he remarked that I just needed to relax and remember that there was no high schooler walking around still drinking from baby bottles. Basically, he was just saying, they will grow out of that, not to worry.

So I go both ways, but right now, Elliot is a thumb sucker!

David and Bethany said...

All I know is I wouldn't have had to wear braces for 37 months if I hadn't sucked my thumb for so long! Go for an orthodontic paci! :)

Chris Good said...

My daughter sucks her thumb, I did as well. Hard habbit to stop...still keeps coming up. Though I still don't know what the big deal is.

Anonymous said...

I know another mom whose baby also soothes itself back to sleep by sucking her thumb. Both of your babies are happy and healthy babies.

I have a few kindergarteners who I never see sucking their thumbs except when they're napping. I don't see any harm in that. I do have one first-grader who is a constant thumb-sucker, but I think she's an exception. I think it's a habit kids grow out of (or get peer-pressured out of). Maybe you will want to decide when a good time or age will be to curb the habit or set up guidelines when it's ok to suck her thumb and when it's not ok (like wake-time vs. sleep-time).

Anonymous said...

Hi Audra-G here checking in with my 2 cents.

Both of my kids sucked their thumbs and neither of them required braces. I say let her suck her thumb if she wants to and it comforts her (although she almost looks like she's going to eat the dang thing in the video-LOL!!) I have to believe a thumb is more "natural" than a pacifier too.

But most of all-trust your instinct and don't listen to everybody else - including me I guess!

G

Lori said...

You're her Mom, you know what is best!!