My daughter is almost 6 months old. I have not been able to get her to take a pacifier. She had pretty bad acid reflux, so I think that may have contributed to it early on. Most of the time, the only way she falls asleep is if I feed her a bottle. Thankfully, she is a very good sleeper and does not wake up through the night alot of the time, But, when she does, she will not go back to sleep unless she has a bottle. She does not even drink more than an ounce or two. I know it is more of the sucking that is soothing her back to sleep. I have 2 older boys, and with both of them, they took the pacifier, although, my second one, I tried several and kept at it until he finally took one. So, whenever they would wake up, I might just have to give them the pacifier and they would fall back asleep. Also, I was always able to lay them down when they were showing signs of being tired, give them their pacifier and their blankie and they were good. And, I had no problems taking the pacifiers away when they were 2. They then were fine with just their blankie. Lately, when my daughter gets tired she has started sucking on her fingers. I have seen her try the thumb, but it is almost like she doesn't quite get how to suck on it. When she sucks her fingers, she is just kind of sucking on the knuckle part. I think she may be doing it while she is sleeping sometimes too because they are really starting to look red and raw. I have been putting Eucerin on them for that, and that usually heals them up quickly. What I am concerned about is that as she is getting older, she is not really learning to self-soothe. I feel that she needs the sucking motion, but I really do not want her to suck her fingers or thumb. I sucked mine for way too long and had terrible teeth and needed alot of dental work because of it. So, I am looking for any ideas on helping her to self-soothe or getting her to take a pacifier if it is not too late. Has anyone's children started taking a pacifier this late? I do try the pacifier still now and then. Sometimes she will take it for a little bit but it gets spit out very quickly. So, not sure if it would be worth it to keep trying. I will not do the cry it out right now especially when I feel that she does not know how to soothe herself. Thanks for your help!
I sucked my thumb until I was 12 as I got older it became less and less. I never needed any dental work and I often get asked if I had braces bc my teethe are so straight. I think some of it just depends on genetics.
I'm sure you have already tried this, but just a suggestion.
Try different kinds of pacifiers, my now 3 year old would never take a pacifier, no many how many brands we bought and tried. My 19 month old, only takes one kind, it took us until she was 3 months old to find one for her. They are Tommee Tippee brand, and in the Closer To Nature line. I get them at Babies R' Us.
my son used to suck his 2 middle fingers, it looked so funny! anyway, thats exactly what she is doing - self soothing. i wouldnt worry about her teeth until theres something to worry about.. you have plenty of time. all my kids sucked their fingers to some degree, and only for a little while. i didnt do anything about it one way or another. actually, im thinking that fingers may be better than the thumb teeth-wise, cause the thumb is what pushes your top teeth forward, the fingers are probably facing down. i dont know, maybe ask the dentist. but i wouldnt worry right now, shes so little.
Hi Cindy,
My son too had Infant reflux and was a thumb/finger sucker. I did not give up and got him hooked on a paci on purpose. I wouldn't be concerned with her sucking for comfort at this age but I would be concerned with using her fingers. A paci can be taken away but fingers can not ;)
It is impossible for you to break her from sucking her fingers at night when you are not there with her. And after some research I found that many continue this habit in adulthood even without really thinking about when they are trying to self comfort before going to sleep.
I tried several times to take the paci away but when I would the fingers would go back in the mouth. I did not take the paci away until he was three and he used it only for naps and nighttime. The demist told me that they are ok with using one until they are about 4 with no harm to their teeth.
After taking it away after his 3rd birthday he never used his fingers or a paci again.
Hope this helps and wish you the best with your sweetie.
C.
My children are all grown 32, 29 and 27 so I am old school, I guess. Not a fan of "cry it out" and there was never any talk amongst moms about teaching your baby to "self soothe". As you said some babies need to suck more than others (I had one of those) and will take a pacifier. Some don't need anything (I had one of those too) and one who wouldn't take a pacifier and would shoot it across the room LOL. I would take the path of giving her a bit of a bottle when she is needy. I think you are right about the finger sucking. You can take away a bottle or a pacifier, but not her thumb or fingers. Good luck!
I agree with trying different pacis. My DD didn't like the ones the hospital gives out, and I got some as gifts from friends that she didn't like either. I tried giving her the nuk orthopedic ones from wal-mart (they come in 2 packs, one pink and one green with little flowers on them) and they are the ONLY kind she will use. Anything else gets spit back at me, along with a dirty look.
I sucked my thumb until I was around 7, and my MIL still does (I caught her a time or two haha). I dont think it is anything to stress over...neither of us have had to have dental work bc of it.
My daughter (16 months now) wouldn't take a pacifier or fingers either. It was frustrating, and still is at times when we're in church and she's babbling. She now kind of sings herself to sleep. I do use cry it out, because I used to nurse her to sleep and once we weaned I didn't have much else to do. She crys about 5-10 minuets, which is totally normal for kids. Sometimes I can kind of rock her to sleep - though my husband is more successful then I am.
Best wishes!
This is just my personal preference, but I preferred my kids sucking their thumbs or fingers to a paci. They always have it with them, you don't have to try different ones, and you don't have to look for it at night when it falls out. I have 4 kids. 2 needed braces and two didn't. Luck of the draw I guess. Good luck.
my son is 2 1/2 and sucks his thumb he used to do it alot and now only does it seldom. he is outgrowing it on his own without force and his blankie too. I couldnt get either of my boys to take a paci and my oldest never sucked his thumb either. just my experience for what its worth
