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Whether it’s their blanket, a nipple, their thumb or a plastic pacifier, babies look to put everything in their mouths from the day they’re born. Sucking is a natural behavior that babies use to comfort themselves. Still, parents are often torn between whether or not they should allow their baby to become attached to a pacifier or to sucking their thumbs as a comfort measure. After all, breaking the habit later could be an issue when they’re older. What’s your feeling on the issue? Do you prefer one over the other? Or do you try to avoid them both?
i would prefer the paci cuz you can actually take it away, the thumb will allllllways be there
I honestly don't have a preference. My son used to suck his thumb but has stopped and hasn't really since he was 2-3 months. He does love his paci. He chews on his hands a lot. My ped. actually recommends pacifiers.
my bugger does both, she perfers the binki but she will resort to the thumb if no one gives it to her like in the car. now that shes getting older she lookes for it more so she dosn't use her thumb much but everyonce in a while i will catch her, i honestly don't have a preference either one does the trick
My daughter is going to be 4 in March and she STILL sucks her thumb. When we have this new baby I'm going to try really hard to use a pacifier instead. I did try with my daughter, but even at the age of 2 and 3 weeks she'd spit it out and eventually use her thumb. And if anybody has any tips for breaking this habit I'd LOVE to hear them. She usually only does it when she's tired but still...
Have you tried putting lemon juice on her thumb? That will make it taste bad and that may help her break the habit. Or maybe a reward system for not doing it?
Both my girls were paci babies, though my youngest didn't want a paci for her first few months. She just turned 2 and we're trying to wean her off it gradually. Right now, she's only allowed to have it at nap and bedtime, and not at all at daycare. But at the mere suggestion of getting rid of the paci all together makes her flip out. With my older daughter, we had a little goodbye ceremony for her pacifiers and after that time, she didn't use or ask for them again. I don't think that will work with my little one, though!
i have also heard viniger works well to make it tase bad
Peyton gets a pacifier most of the time but she is at that stage now where she also wants to knaw on her whole hand. As long as she's trying to chew (no teeth yet but that seems to be the action she's taking) more than one finger I let it go, if she tries to suck on just her thumb or one finger though I take it out and give her her pacifier if only to distract her from said finger/thumb. As was already said...the pacifier I can take away, her thumb, however, is attached.
We give our daughter a pacifier, though we've been trying to hide it from her more often and only let her have it during tantrums. I think it's not so bad for her as long as we can wean her off it, which seems less and less of a hardship as she gets older. Especially with the more modern designs that are not supposed to cause tooth development issues.
i wish i could get my 2 month old little girl to take a pacifier. since the hospital it has been impossible! she sucks on her hand, i try to tuck it to her side when she does it in fear she will start sucking her thumb, but i can't be there to remove it from her mouth every time! any suggestions on how to get her to take a pacifier w/o spending too much money. i've tried several different kinds and shapes-nothing has worked so far.
My daughter has had a pacifier since she was in the hospital and she is now 5 months old. I agree the pacifier you can at least take away from them. Mine is not extremely attached to it but of course every thing now goes in the hands to the mouth. We are definitely going to try to avoid sucking the thumb if all possible. I know they make some kind of paste that you can put on the thumbs to help with children to stop sucking them it is supposed to taste bad so they will associate when they try to suck their thumb they will remember the bad taste. I have also heard a pro for pacifiers is if babies suck them while they are a sleep it helps reduce the risk of SIDS.
great point. thanks :)