help,

lucas his sucking his thumb,

during the day if icatch him doing it, i take it out and give him his dummy or his dogs ear he likes to suck..

but last night i was woken by sucking and he was doing it in his sleep.

i want him to stop, i want him to have a dummy,
any thoughts will be helpful thanks


i'm off to bed so will catch up in the morning, its been a long day and i'm exhausted, but wanted to write this before i forget again

no idea why you want him to stop, but i hope it isn't a real dogs ear!!!

Tbh hun I wouldn't worry..thumb/ dummy - whats the difference?

He's at that age where he's just exploring his hands etc so I wouldn't try and stop him.
Even if its for comfort - let him Tbh I'd have thought it a good thing - in my experience it was a nightmare waking every 2 mins to put Oliver's dummy in in the middle of the night, so if he finds comfort in his thumb/finger when he hasn't got a dummy..i'd be happy

Encouraging a dummy over thumb sucking doesn't necessarily mean he'll never suck his thumb, just like allowing him now..he may quickly grow out of it. I had a dummy, but still went on to suck my thumb and so did my bro and cousins lol

If you really wanted to discourage it you could try mittens, but me personally think its an important part of their development when they are exploring their body, textures, feeling etc

I understand your reasoning Clare as Id rather my girls have a dummy than a thumb purely cos you can take a dummy away. Id say give him the dummy in the day when you see it but dont fret if hes doing it sometimes. Thats how I did it with C (and am doing with A) and eventually she got bored of the thumb and gave up the dummy in time too and now has neither

Amelia doesnt like her thumbs. they are too small for her lol. WHt I'd give for her jsut to be ble to pop a thumb in though rather than the dummy game every 5 minsx

Im 27 and still suck my thumb so Im on Lucas's side Can totally understand why he loves his thumb!

From my mums point of view she tried everything to stop me doing it - offered a dummy as a tiny baby- spat out, as I got older mittens to bed, bandages taped on, plasters, stop and grow, embarrassing me. Nothing worked - I ripped/chewed the plasters off and learnt to suck & spit until the stop and grow taste disappeared.

I mainly now just do it when im tired - have to do it to get to sleep! I dont know what to suggest. Most kids do grow out of it, but a few dont. Iv never got bullied for it, my teeth are fine (though I did have braces as a teen & that prob was linked to an extent), I dont do it in public very often.... I duno, its not the end of the world is what im saying! Keep offering dummy is all I can say, good luck x

Libby sucked/sucks her thumb, she rarely does it though and since she was about 12 months will only do it if shes really tired - never when we're out and about.



I'm desparate for Dexter to suck his thumb too, he's getting there slowly. Personally I prefer it, Libby is a brilliant sleeper and always has been (well from when she was about 6 months old). A thumb is there, always available etc.



If you're adament that you dont want him to use his thumb then Mario's advice sounds great. xx

thanks ladies,

as mario says you can take a dummy away, the thumb is already there, and after you've seen a 30yr old woman doing it in a professionals meeting, it makes you not want your kids to do it, to be honest.

well this morning he as found he can suck rattles and things, i think he is exploring and he only has his dummy to sleep in the day, at night we put him in crib and he goes off himself.

but i'm going to try marios advice, thanks hun,

ClareandRuss wrote:

thanks ladies,

as mario says you can take a dummy away, the thumb is already there, and after you've seen a 30yr old woman doing it in a professionals meeting, it makes you not want your kids to do it, to be honest.,

Erm have you been in a meeting with me?! I dont think I do it in work but sometimes Im not even aware im doing it! Hope you get it nipped in the bud x

thanks hun, hes been sucking his rattle and all his fingers today, sneaked his thumb in a couple of times but apart from that hes been ok