My 3-month-old has recently stopped wanting a pacifier (spits it out every time I try to give to him) and now prefers to suck on his hands and fingers. His hands and fingers are constantly in his mouth and even gags himself at times b/c he sticks his hands so far in his mouth. Its not a hunger issue b/c he does this after I have fed him, so he is definitely not hungry...Is there something else that I can give him or do so that he doesn't constantly have his hands in his mouth? Would like to hear from moms who have experienced this as well and a solution that worked!
Thanks everyone. Based on the responses, looks like this is totally normal behavior and that my son may have some teeth come in soon. Very exciting!
I really agree with the other moms, just wanted to add how lucky you are that yo can throw out the paci now. Be grateful. My eldest 2 didn't keep their pacis but my little one did and I had to break him when he was almost 3. It was miserable. Self soothers are wonderful! I know it seems gross but hands in the mouth are normal and it will just go on and on until they are older. Could be teeth too. Just let go of the paci and be satisfied.
My daughter does the same thing. She started sucking on her hands around 3 months as well. Could be teething( the start of it at least)? My daughter also started drooling alot at 3 months and her teeth are just starting to pop through at 5 months. Maybe try a teething ring or something similar, if you don't like him sucking on his hands.
well, you wont have the paci withdrawal to go through when he's 2 or even 4, and lots of babies soothe with their hands, and yes they get so vigorous they will gag themselves... it's actually pretty funny but it wont hurt him any.... and it wont last forever.
Is he hungry?
Are you feeding him on-demand???
3 months old is a growth-spurt time.... babies get hungrier, more often, and need more intake. 2/47, day and night.
His sucking on his hands and fingers... is a "hunger" cue.
He needs to feed.
all the best,
Susan
totally normal, totally ok, and i agree with the mom that pointed out how lucky you are not to have to deal with a paci anymore! my son was a thumb sucker from about 6 weeks old and slept through the night the same night he discovered it - we never looked back.
Some kids are just thumb (or finger) suckers. My oldest spit the passy out early and went straight for her thumb and my youngest never did take a passy. In my opinion thumbs are much easier 'cause if they "drop" them, they can re-find it themselves in the middle of the night and you'll never lose them or leave them somewhere :-). Anyway, I wouldn't worry, just let it go, they do outgrow it despite the horror stories. Both my girls have perfectly straight teeth and no issues from it and they didn't get sick from it either. Good luck whatever you do!
Your son is young enough that you can still swaddle him. Do this so his hands aren't easily accessible when you are holding/feeding him. Consistently pull his hands out of his mouth and replace with a pacifier. Over and over. If he is spitting it out/rejecting it, try a different shape pacifier. Find one that he likes. And then just be super consistent. If he is in your arms, you replace/replace/replace, just gently keeping his hands away from his face (swaddling) and putting in the pacifier.
This has worked for two of mine! Still in the process with #4.
My 8 month old went through this similar stage when he was about the same age (3 to 4 months)....and it lasted until a few weeks ago, when he FINALLY got his first TWO teeth at once--it seemed like he was teething FOREVER. Sometimes when they're teething, the fingers/hands can hit those "sore spots" better than a pacifier can. I can relate, because I didn't want my son to be a thumb sucker and always worried about his hands not being clean enough to go in his mouth. But once those teeth came in, the finger/hand sucking tapered off....and he (kind of unfortunately LOL) wanted the pacifier back. Luckily, I'd kept them all. My son's mouth seemed to be too small to be able to chew on normal teethers, so I kept a baby washcloth in the freezer, as well as a baby spoon (the ones that are all hard plastic, NOT the ones that a rubber tipped and metal) and let him chew on those too. They did help a little in keeping his hands and mouth busy at the same time. The whole thing about the gag reflex.....as long as they can't SWOLLOW the thing gagging them, they will remove it (albeit a hand or spoon) on their own if they gag.
It sounds like the little guy is teething. My daughter did the same thing. He may pop a tooth by the time he's 4 months old!
