dummy/pacifer or the thumb help plz

Zoe - posted on 06/06/2010

I think if a baby needs anything you should give them a dummy because you can take this away but dont take it too soon... my mum took my dummy from me when i was not ready and i started to suck my thumb and i never stopped untill i was 12 and now i have buck teeth where my thumb pushed my teeth forward

Sarah - posted on 06/04/2010

my son is 11weeks he doesnt really like dummies but does like them he will spit it out when he is asleep and sometimes he needs that bit extra suck time i worked in child care and one of my boys who was 3 sucked his finger couldnt speak properly his front teeth are rotting and his finger stinks. remember she might only need it sometine like my bub and its easier to get rid of a dummy not so easy to get rid of thumb i think it becomes a problem when parents use it all the time just to shut their kiddies up when bubs might need some attention and not a dummy.

Candace - posted on 06/04/2010

A pacifier (dummy) does not play a factor in the risks of crib death... They actually help prevent it.

Renee - posted on 06/04/2010

My son who is now 2yrs had a dummy/NUK until he was 17nos old and he is quite the little talker. I think it is easier to take away the NUK then to get your child to stop sucking their thumb. My daughter has a NUK that she is continuously sucking on, but she will also suck on her fists if she gets her hands into her mouth.

Dorothy - posted on 06/04/2010

It is okay to offer the pacifier. New studies show that it helps reduce SIDS. I have 3 children youngest 12 weeks and my oldest is 12 years old. All of my children had a pacifier and my oldest 2 are just fine. (no teeth problems)
Suckling is a calming thing for a baby, and if it helps reduce SIDS - then by all means - allow the pacifier.

Tanya - posted on 06/04/2010

It is documented now that dummies are not a contributor of sids. but beneficial , if you purchase dummies that are the correct size and shape there should be no teething problems, AVENT are fabulous they have 0-3months 3-6 months and 6-18months,My son had his dummy until he was three, he was old enough not to form any new suckling habits e.g. thumb, and he lost it one day so we never gave it back, 1 or 2 nights of being unsettled but all gone and you can replace the dummy with a choice of toy to take to bed each night, My friends daughter is 6 and still sucks her thumb, unfortunately you can't just chop those off! Get yourself a dummy of reputable brand, and let your baby decide when she needs it, make sure you get a bigger size when she needs one,you will know when she can't keep it in her mouth! Goodluck , hope getting off to sleep gets easier soon. , Tanya, mother of 3.25 yr old Jakeb and 12 week old Charli.

Keli - posted on 06/03/2010

if you are gonna do anything, i say the pacifier bc eventually, as hard as it may be, you can take it away. his thumb is there for good - therefore he can suck that well into his childhood. my mother in law told me that she has pics of herself sucking her thumb from her wedding photos!! just some fyi

Fiona - posted on 06/03/2010

My son is just over 3mo old and he still has his dummy. Remember though, if you decide to give your baby a dummy, that you need to change them as they get older. I think it's something like 0+ months or you get ones 0-6mo and then 6+ months. The teat becomes more of a challenge for them to suck on. But my baby was very difficult to settle and needed it, it's just personal preference.

Jessica - posted on 06/03/2010

let her keep the thumb

Jessica - posted on 06/03/2010

Clarice, I disagree with you... my oldest never sucked his thumb, and my mother told me that none of my siblings or I (there are 5 of us) never sucked our thumbs.

Jessica - posted on 06/03/2010

If your child is only 10 weeks old, I don't think you need to be worried about weaning right now... besides with a pacifier, it's easier to take that away, you can't take a thumb away! Also, pacifiers are known to cause fewer speech problems than thumbs (they are orthodontically better) and also help to lessen the chances of SIDS than without.

If she will take one, give it to her... my oldest wouldn't take one or a thumb, and my youngest takes a pacifier only when she's upset but not hungry to calm down.

Good luck!

Laura - posted on 06/03/2010

My baby girl came out sucking her hands and the midwife of all people turned to me straight away ans said 'you will be getting this girl a dummy'. I didn't get her a dummy because personally, I don't believe in them, I believe that babies only cry for a reason, and everytime my baby cries it is either because she has a pain, wind or hungry and once I attend to that she is fine. I weaned her off sucking her fingers by taking her hands away from her mouth each time she did it, and she has now learn't to settle herself. Goodluck with it all :)

Lizz - posted on 06/02/2010

My 12 week old baby HATES paci's for some reason. I dont know if its bc of the plastic feeling or what. I've tried different kinds but still he just won't take it and I am not forcing him to. I was totally against having him have one so I guess in a way it works out. He sucks on his hands right now. Whatever makes him happy I'm all for...lol.

Clarice - posted on 06/01/2010

Yea i was reccomended to use a pacifier because it reduces sids and no matter what you do a baby is gonna suck its thumb lol

Jacqueline - posted on 06/01/2010

My daughter who is 20mos only took the pacifier until she was about 12 weeks and even then it was only really in the middle of the night she'd take it. After that she didnt want it. My son who is 11weeks always takes his, he is a baby with a strong urge to suck. A few times I've caught him just holding it in his mouth tho. Lol.

I think it really just depends on the baby, and I agree with everyone you can take away the pacifier but not their thumb!

Angeline - posted on 06/01/2010

my daughter is 9 weeks old and I've not felt the need to give her a dummy....am I the only one? She sleeps through the night (10pm to 8am) and doesn't cry much during the day, I must just be blessed with a settled baby!

Sheriden - posted on 06/01/2010

I have 2 adult daughters who both had dummies and had no teeth problems. I also have 1 adult niece who was a thumb sucker for many years and ended up with major teeth problems with her 2 top front teeth proturding. My baby has had the dummy as she needs it ( I never force it on her) she started taking it in hospital when she was placed in the crib under the lights for jaundice as she needed security. I brought it to the hospital as at her 25 week scan I saw her suckling on a piece of placenta inutro so I figured she would need something to comfort her. It also seems to help when she has hiccups. Both my older daughters threw their dummies out themselves at about 1 year and we had no issues with getting rid of but thumbs are attached.

Jasmine - posted on 06/01/2010

We use a Dummy for our 10week old we give it to her when she gets tired because she fights sleep so much and it calms her down, we take it everywhere with us incase she gets unsettled but dont usually need to use it, also my midwife told me that it can help some babys realise thr full because babys only know thr full when thr jaw gets sore not by a feeling in the tummy so if Cheyanne guzzles down a whole bottle an crys like she wants more we give her the dummy and shes happy. We dont depend on it and neither does Chey if she doesnt want it shl spit it out or poke her tounge out whn we go to put it in so we know she doesnt want it.

Megan - posted on 05/26/2010

Let me tell you that my baby girl girl who is now almost 3 did have the dummy but I toke it away to late she was almost 2 and now she sucks her thumb. Dummy you can take away and Madison speeks fine if not better then I thought she would at this age. Thumbs are harder so she can have deformed teeth and are harder to take away as it becomes a habit. Dummy all the way.

Desiree - posted on 05/25/2010

Actually studies have shown that SIDS is decreased by using the binky as we call them. I have asked my peditrician about them and while they have some disadvantages the advantages out weigh them. she told me as long as we break her of the binky before their adult teeth start to grow in she will be fine. I plan on starting to break her well before that.

Heidi - posted on 05/24/2010

cheers for all your advice very helpfull

Bianca - posted on 05/23/2010

my 11week old son has a dummy and it helps him to get to sleep otherwise he doesnt need it that much.. as the other mums have said u can take away a dummy but not their thumb's; my 11yr old brother sucks his thumb still when he gets tired and i know afew other older children who also suck their thumb.. i reckon the dummy is the way to go :)

Barbara - posted on 05/23/2010

I prefer the pacifier, mainly because we can get rid of them later unlike the thumb. I got all of my boys off the paci. by the time they were about 14 months. My ped. says that paci's do help with preventing sids. Babies have an urge to suck, some like to more than others. Weaning isn't to bad, just go one step at a time.

Genevieve - posted on 05/23/2010

I have been torn about the same thing. My daughter is 8 weeks and I am just starting to give her a pacifer. She sucks her had currently to calm herself but there are certain times where it doesn't settler her. I am only giving her the pacifer during car rides or in the middle of the night during a diaper change, so she doesn't wake everyone up. I think it only becomes a problem when parents rely on it and it becomes their crutch.

I worry about thumb sucking too. My friends daughter is 7 and she still sucks her thumb. They have tried all sorts to break her of it and nothing seems to work for them.

Sarah - posted on 05/23/2010

My son is 10 weeks and he won't take a pacifier, but what has worked for me is giving him my pinkie finger to suck on. He likes it with the nail facing down, toward his tounge. It calms him down, and he will fall asleep and I take it out. So far, it has worked great for us :)

Sheila - posted on 05/23/2010

Just one...you can't take a thumb away. My 5 year old nephew still sucks his thumb! At least with a pacifier you can eventually get it away from her.

Heidi - posted on 05/23/2010

thanks amy

Amy - posted on 05/23/2010

Pediatricians actually believe a dummy reduces the chance of SIDS now. I also felt the same way you did, my first son always would just spit them right back at us but our daughter took it. I think it partly depends on how you use it, my sil shoves it in my nephews mouth anytime he makes a noise, but we only use it when we've checked her diaper, offered her food, changed her scenery if none of that works we'll offer it to her. By the way sometimes she'll take and sometimes she won't. Also she usually doesn't fall asleep with it in so I'm not too worried about her waking up crying because it's no longer there! It's a personal decision, some babies have a stronger urge to suck you have to weigh the risks and benefits and decide which is best for you!