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I think for me thumb sucking did damage my teeth. I have a marked overbite and my lower teeth have a curb that I believe comes from the pressure of the base of my thumb resting against them. I think genetics can offer protection though
First one started sucking her thumb at around 3 months old. She continued until she began wearing a retainer at 8 years old or so (genetic jaw mis-alignment... NOT anything to do with thumb sucking).
Second one loved his pacifier until he realized he could hold a bottle. He carried / sucked on a bottle until we bit the bullet and took it away at 3 years old.
Third one had a pacifier until she turned 4 (we had weaned it down to sleeping time only).
My preference? Thumb sucking all the way! Nothing to lose, drop on the floor, refill, etc... there is nothing worse than not being able to find a single binky in the house when it's bedtime or waking up to a crying child because she can't find the pacifier that is at her feet in the crib.
None of my kids have had braces (my first wore the retainer for about one year), and they all have nice even teeth (neither my husband or I had braces either - we both have nice even teeth. Adds weight to the heredity idea mentioned by another poster).
I would enjoy the fact that your little one can self-sooth at night and not worry about what may eventually happen because of the thumb sucking.
Out of 5 kids, my youngest brother was the only one of us to suck his thumb. He really struggled to stop and was 10 before he stopped altogether. With all 4 of my children we introduced them to the pacifier while still in the hospital and that worked great. One of my sons was very attached to his "plug" and used it to sleep only until he was 4.
They pick this habit up at school or TV from other kids that were raised by wolves. Break them of the habit early or you will have a teen sucking on pacifiers popping Ecstasy pills and sucking on pacifiers at raves.
They pick this habit up at school or TV from other kids that were raised by wolves. Break them of the habit early or you will have a teen sucking on pacifiers popping Ecstasy pills and sucking on pacifiers at raves.
Yes, no doubt the 5 month old picked it up at school or from watching TV. She's probably already tweeting her friends about breaking out of the crib, exchanging her Pampers for thongs and hitting the clubs with her fake ID.
They pick this habit up at school or TV from other kids that were raised by wolves. Break them of the habit early or you will have a teen sucking on pacifiers popping Ecstasy pills and sucking on pacifiers at raves.
I have to assume this is a joke.
Anyway, OP, I agree with everyone who says it is normal, be glad she can soothe herself, and leave her alone.
I agree it's normal, my daughter was sucking on two fingers in an ultrasound at 4 months, after birth she preferred those same two fingers over the thumb but gradually quit.
I can't see worrying about what an infant does after he or she is born that he or she did long before the birth.
my wife is an OT, and we've got an 8 month old. Her favorite saying about why she prefers sucking a paficifier, instead of a thumb is that it's much easier to take the pacifier away. I don't think there's anything terribly wrong with either, but just like there are issues (supposed or real) with thumb sucking, our boy reaches for his pacifier all the time, which can be a bit of a pain, since we do try not to have it in his mouth all the time during the day.
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