When I had a baby, I swore not to let her suck her thumb because I think it looks bad when I see a 3 year old still sucking his/her thumb. I had given my daughter a "Bippy" (pacifier) and she took it, until now! She has found her thumb and will spit her bippy out and take her thumb. It's cute and all and it could be she is exploring her hands, but I dont want her to get hooked on it! Should I keep taking it out of her mouth or do you think it's a phase and she'll grow out of it with age. (hopfully not till she is 2)
2006-09-25 06:05:33 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Just keep trying to replace her thumb with the pacifer. Some babies need to suckle to digest. Children do grow out of it, but when they're older you may want to be more on top of it.
Some older children have insecurities and thats a whole other issue.
For now she is only 4 mos old.
2006-09-25 13:24:54 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I say for some new borns it is a phase, but they CAN get hooked! I sucked my thumb until i was 6-7!! And the dentist said it can lead to bad teeth!! He finally put something in my mouth with a little ball on it so my tongue would play with it instead of my thumb! I wore it for like 6 months and i HATED it! All the kids at school made fun of me for it too!
So yes, don't let her suck her thumb! Take it out and put the pacifer in! Pacifers work but they can get hooked on them too!!
2006-09-25 06:18:07 · answer #2 · answered by Kelley 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Okay! This is a phase that she is going through. It took me until I was 18 to stop sucking my thumb. I think that it is totally up to your child to debate on whether she is going to stop sucking her thumb or not. My mother and family tried everything, from hot sauce to putting gloves on my fingers. It got to the point where I was just sucking the hot sauce off until my fingers were back to normal. So its not up to you as to when your child is going to stop. It's up to her. My sister is 29, about to be 30 and she is still sucking her fingers till this day. I have an old associate that still sucks her thumb till this day. Don't be alarmed because its a security thing. Like a security blanket. I had one of those to until i was 18. Just let her grow out of it. Don't try to force her to do something that she isn't comfortable with.
2006-09-25 06:17:47 · answer #3 · answered by Starlesha23 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mother, remember that she is Four months old and not four years. She is simply a baby let her suck her thumb for now. Sucking her thumb and sucking her pacifier are essentially the same thing now however long you expect her to suck her pacifier let her suck her thumb for that same amount time wise. I don't have much time but I hope you understand what I mean.
2006-09-25 06:10:48 · answer #4 · answered by Erik C 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She will definitely not grow out of it. I didn't! It will just become a really bad habit. My mom thought it was cute to and it caused me to need severe dental work, not to mention, my thumb stopped growing normally and is shaped differently than my other thumb. You may want to keep yanking it out of her mouth and teaching her no, put a mitten or sock on her hand at night, try real hard to break her now. I wasn't broken until they put the dental work in my mouth when i was 13 and it was to sore for me to suck on my thumb anymore. I really hope you have luck breaking her, good luck.
2006-09-25 06:12:26 · answer #5 · answered by Michelle Lynn 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My oldest broke his self of thumb sucking on his own. I listened to people tell me how horrible it was so I did try to discourage him as a toddler because hot sauce and telling him no. All it did was make him nervous so I stopped. When he got old enough for school he stopped on his own so he wouldn't get teased. Thumb sucking is a security think for babies and toddlers. My 4 and 5 year old sucked there thumbs for a couple of days but they enjoyed there nuk nuks more, whick we took away when they were 2.
Don't worry about it, your baby will out grow it, just make sure she feels secure and all.
2006-09-25 06:36:24 · answer #6 · answered by Lori H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She might be sucking on her fingers cause she is hungry or like you said, she is just exploring her fingers. Let her have them. She is only 4 months old. Now if she does it when she is one I'd start to worry. She may also be teething a bit.
2006-09-25 06:15:51 · answer #7 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just let her suck her thumb in peace, it's a comfort for her, she will eventually grow out of it, it's perfectly normal.
2006-09-25 06:09:26 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Children differ but if she gets attached to that finger you will have hell trying to get her to stop. You can try taking it out and replacing it with the pacifier when you see her doing it. No guarantees it will work, but you can at least try.
2006-09-25 07:18:19 · answer #9 · answered by DownAndOut 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well theres not much you can do because she's only 4 months old. Just keep taking it out of her mouth.
2006-09-25 06:10:02 · answer #10 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋