My baby is almost 3 mo and she is breastfed , she is starting to suck on her thumb, should I be worried?

Question

Explain

Answer 1

It depends on what you are worried about. If you *don't* want your daughter to suck her thumb, then every time you see it, nurse her. It may work. But there's a chance it won't.

Answer 2

I wouldn't worry about it. My daughter is almost six months old, and once she discovered her thumb, that was it for the pacifier. I was a thumb-sucker, and I turned out fine. I'm sure she'll be fine too. The only thing I worry about it for is braces down the road, but that's a bridge we'll cross when we come to it. It's just a comfort thing for her. When it comes time to break her of the habit, here's a good trick. For myself and my sister, that nasty tasting stuff you put on the thumb or fingers never worked. Our orthodontist told our parents to use work gloves, and tape them around our wrists. We only sucked out thumbs at night, so before bed, they'd tape the gloves on, tight enough to keep them on, not so tight that they cut off the circulation. It worked! It was torture to get them off in the mornings, when we were up before our parents, but I think they used masking tape, so with a little work, we could get them off. Don't know why we never though about that after we'd go to bed. ;)

Answer 3

No, don't be worried. Sucking is how she comforts herself. In this big new world, babies need things that they can rely on and her thumb is always there. She can find it herself (unlike a pacifier) and it won't get dirty from being dropped on the ground. Thumb sucking won't harm your babies mouth or teeth right now. It's not worth trying to get her to stop anyway.

"By the time your child is able to move his hands at will, at about 2 or 3 months, he may reach for that Binky or put his thumb in his mouth on his own. Clearly, the activity has something special to offer. "Sucking has a calming affect on babies," says Linda Rubinowitz, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at the Family Institute at Northwestern University, in Evanston, Illinois. "The movement is pleasant and reminds them of being fed, held, and soothed by a parent," she explains." (http://www.parents.com/parents/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/parents/story/data/3278.xml)

Answer 4

Not at all at this stage of development its normal for babies to suck on their thumb, fingers or even their whole hand. It just an oral stimulation that babies enjoy and relaxes them. Also it won't effect how their permanent teeth come in so you don't have to worry that because you have a thumb sucker that she is going to need braces.

Answer 5

No, sucking is a natural reflex for babies up to 12 months old. They usually give up the habit on their own, but I would try to get her to take a pacifier instead in case she needs some help giving it up after a year. I let my son have his pacifier until he was two and he gave it up fine. Don't try to make her stop until she is at least 12 months old. Remember an orthodontist is cheaper than a psychiatrist!

Answer 6

she may be teething and actually "chewing" her thumb. It's too early to worry about it becoming a habit. My breastfed 3 month old tries to put her whole fist in her month to chew on and sucks on her fingers all the time.

Answer 7

Um, if you can get them to use a pacifier instead it will be easier to get them to quit. Try a whole bunch of different kinds...its really a matter of personal preferce it seems. Otherwise, let them suck their thumb, it will help them sleep and you sleep, and a psychologist later in life is cheaper than an orthodontist (quote from my son's pediatrician).

Answer 8

Thats what babies do, they suck their thumbs. Some people say that sucking their thumbs is bad for their teeth, but my best friend has perfect teeth and still sucks her thumb to this day! I think your teeth are your teeth. Could be wrong though.

Answer 9

It is normal for babies to want to suck. She probably likes the thumb because it is flesh, just what she is used to. Discuss with your doctor the pros's and con's of pacifier vs. thumb.

Answer 10

Oh, no. It's nothing to be worried about. My daughter is almost 4 months old and she sucks her fingers, sometimes her thumb, sometimes index, whatever comes into her mouth first.