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mommyIam
Member since 7/09 9209 total posts
Name:
Shana
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Thumb vs. Pacifier
Since birth I've been trying to get DS to take a pacifier to save myself from being one. No go.
Now that he's found and fully explored his fingers and sucking on his thumb. I try to sneak in a paci, but rarely keeps it in for more than a few min
I used to pull his hand from his mouth and say "no". But is it really that bad? I just think its gross, but I guess he'll be putting all kinds of things in mouth soon, right?
DS is 12 weeks tomorrow.
eta:
He's not hungry and maybe a little sleepy, but wont go to sleep, just wants to suck on his thumb. I figured I'd let it go a few minutes and then check his diaper.
I don't turn the swing on anymore trying to wean him off of it for naps. So I want him to find a way to self soothe.
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Message edited 6/2/2010 7:30:53 AM.
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Posted 6/2/10 7:17 AM  |
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munchkinbugs
My little loves!
Member since 1/06 8093 total posts
Name:
Lisa
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
I was a thumb sucker and I remember when my mom was trying to get me to stop. I must have been 5 or 6.
You can take a paci away. You can't take the thumb away.
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| Posted 6/2/10 7:32 AM |
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CrankyPants
I'm cranky
Member since 7/06 18178 total posts
Name:
Mama Cranky
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
I would prefer a paci since you can take it away. Thumb sucking is a hard habit to break.
However, DS sees be into the paci and the thumb so I'm not sure what to do.
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| Posted 6/2/10 8:05 AM |
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Hofstra26
Love to Bake!
Member since 7/06 27915 total posts
Name:
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
My DD has been a thumb sucker since she was still in my belly..........I have sono pics!!  She never cared about a pacifier, even as a newborn. She is 20 months old and still a thumb sucker although not an all day thumb sucker. The only time she does it is when she is falling asleep or she's upset. Other than that her thumb is never in her mouth. I am sure at some point she will outgrow it so I don't really stress about it. It's not like I can keep her thumb away from her so I don't drive myself crazy about it.
Message edited 6/2/2010 8:08:00 AM.
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| Posted 6/2/10 8:07 AM |
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Mere09
So Dam* Lucky
Member since 10/08 6368 total posts
Name:
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
I'm very lucky with DD when it comes to this because she HATES the paci and I've never once seen her sucking her thumb. (She'll be a year old this weekend) Though she did take the paci when she was a newborn, which I would much rather her use than her thumb. Because like PP said, you're able to take the paci away.
My Mom always warned me about how difficult it was for her to get me to stop sucking my thumb.
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| Posted 6/2/10 8:10 AM |
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headoverheels
s'il vous plaît
Member since 6/07 42079 total posts
Name:
LB
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
Posted by babybug631
I was a thumb sucker and I remember when my mom was trying to get me to stop. I must have been 5 or 6.
You can take a paci away. You can't take the thumb away.
I agree. My sister sucked her thumb WAY past the age of 5 or 6. I'd rather my kids take a paci.
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| Posted 6/2/10 8:21 AM |
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charon54
My two boys!
Member since 5/05 7279 total posts
Name:
Rebecca
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
DS sucks on his foot. We have given up trying to stop him. He also sucks on his fingers and a pacifier. Oh and blankets. Come to think of it, everything goes in his mouth, LOL.
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| Posted 6/2/10 8:23 AM |
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CaMacho
Sisters :)
Member since 7/06 15112 total posts
Name:
Jess
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
I sucked my thumb until I got braces in 4th grade and they had to put a gate on the roof of my mouth so my thumb couldn't go in.  And mostly b/c of it I had 7 years of braces. So I really didn't want my DD to suck her thumb, but she did for a little while around 1-2 months and then stopped on her own. She never took a paci either, but never really needed it.
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| Posted 6/2/10 8:30 AM |
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Goldi0218
My miracles!
Member since 12/05 23902 total posts
Name:
Leslie
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
Abby has always been a great self soother. She did use a pacifier as a young infant, but then we took it away (can't remember when) and now she only uses it to help her sleep - they stay in the crib only though I keep one in my diaper bag for those "just in case" moments. We THOUGHT she would be a thumb sucker but she turned out not to be. As she has gotten older, we actually use various forms of distraction to help her self soothe and her recovery time from things like falling down, being sad or angry etc... has never lasted more than a minute or two.
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| Posted 6/2/10 8:43 AM |
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mommyIam
Member since 7/09 9209 total posts
Name:
Shana
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
Posted by Goldi0218
As she has gotten older, we actually use various forms of distraction to help her self soothe
Can you elaborate?
I noticed somethings that work with DS are banging on the furniture as if they were drums, or beat boxing. I'm terrible at it, but, he finds it hilarious and no matter what is bothering him, he perks up. But it doesn't help him sleep.
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| Posted 6/2/10 8:47 AM |
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LoriH
There's no place like home
Member since 8/07 4110 total posts
Name:
Lori
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
Paci all the way because you can take it away. Both my sister and DH sucked their thumbs into double digits.
Message edited 6/2/2010 8:51:48 AM.
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| Posted 6/2/10 8:51 AM |
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KateDevine
*
Member since 6/06 24950 total posts
Name:
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
Posted by babybug631
I was a thumb sucker and I remember when my mom was trying to get me to stop. I must have been 5 or 6.
You can take a paci away. You can't take the thumb away.
ITA.
I also needed braces from my thumb sucking, but my DS' dentist said his teeth have not been effected by his pacifier
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| Posted 6/2/10 8:53 AM |
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babyonthebrain
Brotherly Love!
Member since 1/08 6209 total posts
Name:
Rafaela
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
OMG that picture is SO darn cute!!!!!!!! I just melted seriously!!! lol
I think each child has their own preference adn there's not a thing you can do about it. I tried to give DS a paci and he would not take it from day 1. The minute he found his thumb it was all over. (And he found it pretty quickly)
I truly believe this was just the way it was meant to be for him. Although I do not mind it NOW, I really do mind LATER! lol I do not want a 2 year old+ sucking his thumb, bad for teeth bad for sanitary reasons...
But I don't think there's anything I can do to stop him, he's too young to understand (16 months)
Maybe once he starts to understand I can talk to him about it. Maybe replace the habit with a lovey or a blankie or something...
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| Posted 6/2/10 9:24 AM |
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MegZee
My bunny
Member since 5/06 8777 total posts
Name:
Meaghan
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
i sucked my thumb until I was like 8 
perfectly straight teeth, no braces needed. I wouldn't worry about it.
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| Posted 6/2/10 9:53 AM |
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Goldi0218
My miracles!
Member since 12/05 23902 total posts
Name:
Leslie
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
Posted by momytobein2010
Posted by Goldi0218
As she has gotten older, we actually use various forms of distraction to help her self soothe
Can you elaborate?
I noticed somethings that work with DS are banging on the furniture as if they were drums, or beat boxing. I'm terrible at it, but, he finds it hilarious and no matter what is bothering him, he perks up. But it doesn't help him sleep.
Sure! Keep in mind that Abby is 21 months old so her language is a bit developed as opposed to a younger baby. Let's say she gets hurt (ie falls down, hits her head on something, gets scared etc...) and starts to cry, I find something I know she loves and talk about it or show it to her. She LOVES planes lately. We seem to have them flying over our home with great frequency so I'd bring her to the window and show her - tears stop. I might also grab her Dora Doll and just say "Dora and Boots!". I sometimes just tickle her to death. There is a fine line between her tears and laughter.
I also do the same thing for when she demonstrates a negative behavior such as swatting or hitting herself (a behavior she picked up in day care that I am NOT happy about). Rather than say "NO" angrily which seems to perpetuate the behavior with laughs and giggles, I distract her from it. So far, I have seen a major decrease in frequency with that approach.
That having been said, I have an advantage of working as a trained behavioral educator with clinical psychologists whose brains I pick on a daily basis. Granted Abby does not demonstrate anything other than typical developmental and age appropriate behaviors, but it helps to have this resource at my fingertips. Particularly since I am a first time parent with Abby. I am sure that with baby #2, I will not have the same types of questions and concerns.
Good luck!
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| Posted 6/2/10 9:54 AM |
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summerBaby10
let's be nice
Member since 9/07 10208 total posts
Name:
Wifey
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
I think a pacifier would be better since you can take it away. DS is a thumb sucker & I'm already trying to think of ways to end it. Probably after his teeth come in, I'll be very strict about no hand in the mouth or something.
An old coworker of mine admitted that she still sucked her thumb to sleep.. she was 25 at the time 
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| Posted 6/2/10 9:58 AM |
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Superkat
More a stranger than a friend
Member since 5/06 9730 total posts
Name:
K
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
We started my son on the paci and he was happy enough with it until my MIL ripped it out of his mouth when he was sleeping. It ripped the skin on his top lip and he has never touched a paci since. Instead, he became a thumb sucker. 
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| Posted 6/2/10 10:09 AM |
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AMF1115
Loves being Joey & Vinny's mom
Member since 1/09 3771 total posts
Name:
Athina
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
I always say I can hide his pacifier, but hiding his thumb is a lot harder.
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| Posted 6/2/10 10:44 AM |
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KennysMommy
Never knew LOVE like it before
Member since 3/10 2640 total posts
Name:
Danielle
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
As a former LTTS (long term thumb sucker) I can say that breaking the habit is next to impossible! It wasn't until peer pressure at the age of 12 when I could finally kick the habit! So, needless to say, I forced that pacifier in DS's mouth everytime I saw him reach for his thumb. It worked b/c now he never sucks his thumb and rarely uses his paci!
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| Posted 6/2/10 10:48 AM |
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ABCiverson
<3 my family
Member since 1/06 7465 total posts
Name:
Amanda
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
I sucked my thumb till I was 9. It took a lot to quit doing it. Hardest habit I have ever had to break. And I ended up needing braces for 4 years. Every time I saw my kids put their thumbs in their mouth I took it out and gave them the paci. If it would have been the only thing to sooth them I would have let it slide, but luckily they took the paci with no problem.
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| Posted 6/2/10 11:00 AM |
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mommyIam
Member since 7/09 9209 total posts
Name:
Shana
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Re: Thumb vs. Pacifier
update and confession ... I've been an evil mommy. I put wrist rattles on him, so that he would be able to get to his thumbs.
He was frustrated for hours, finally gave in and grabbed the paci. He used for his second nap of the day, spit it out the second he fell asleep.
When he woke I put it back in his mouth, he needed diaper change, he held it in the entire time, until he smiled. He never held it in that long. I hope this keeps up. I do not at all mind weaning a 1 year old from a paci, but if I have a 7 year old with bad teeth and still sucking on his thumb I'm going to mind.
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| Posted 6/3/10 2:46 PM |
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