To moms of thumb suckers...

How old was your little one when he/she was able to suck their thumb? My guys desperately want to suck their thumbs but they just can't seem to get the hang of it. They try shoving their entire fists in their mouths, which causes them to drool all over themselves - leaving big, cold, wet spots on their shirts. The pacis just don't seem to be cutting it anymore. They spit them out when we offer them, and go straight back to sucking their fists. I'll put them down for a nap and they'll spend at least 30 minutes trying to suck on their fingers and getting frustrated because they can't. By that time they're over tired and screaming so I rock them for a little while and start the whole cycle over again! I never thought I would want my baby to suck their thumb... but at this point I'm for anything that will help them sleep. So, what age do most babies learn to suck their thumbs? Does it just happen one day, or is it a gradual thing? Does anyone know where I can sign my guys up for thumb sucking lessons so we can all get some sleep??

 

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Does anyone know where I can sign my guys up for thumb sucking lessons so we can all get some sleep?? wink.gif


LOL! I don't have any advice, as I had paci babies, but you made me laugh!

 

My kids were pretty much born suckin there thumbs!

Try laying them on their bellies and directing their thumbs to their mouths.... That works too.

 

I think your guys are getting really close to the age my girls were when they finally really discovered their thumbs. It happened accidentally a couple of times and then they really got it. We're paci free in our house now and the girls really only suck their thumbs if they're getting tired/going to sleep.

Good luck!

Oh...as far as the thumb sucking class :lol: ...I would help direct their thumbs for a little while, because like your guys, the pacis weren't working...so we home schooled!

 

QUOTE(ceb023 @ Aug 9 2007, 04:39 PM) [snapback]363084[/snapback]
How old was your little one when he/she was able to suck their thumb? My guys desperately want to suck their thumbs but they just can't seem to get the hang of it. They try shoving their entire fists in their mouths, which causes them to drool all over themselves - leaving big, cold, wet spots on their shirts. The pacis just don't seem to be cutting it anymore. They spit them out when we offer them, and go straight back to sucking their fists. I'll put them down for a nap and they'll spend at least 30 minutes trying to suck on their fingers and getting frustrated because they can't. By that time they're over tired and screaming so I rock them for a little while and start the whole cycle over again! I never thought I would want my baby to suck their thumb... but at this point I'm for anything that will help them sleep. So, what age do most babies learn to suck their thumbs? Does it just happen one day, or is it a gradual thing? Does anyone know where I can sign my guys up for thumb sucking lessons so we can all get some sleep??



Both of mine suck their thumbs already.

 

Bring them over to my place and they can learn from the thumb-sucking pros! B)

Seriously, though, they are SO close to the age where they get better control of their hands. Any day now!

 

My guys are doing the same thing and have been for a couple of months. They'll still take their pacis if they're swaddled. I stopped swaddling them around 3.5 months but had to start again because they're keeping themselves awake trying to eat their hands rather than self-soothing. The other weekend we were driving to the cottage and I looked back in the kid-view mirror and saw James hitting a new world record - all ten fingers in his mouth!

 

mine started this week - self taught!!!!

 

One of mine figured it out really early, maybe 6 weeks? The other one never figured it out, gave up and sucked 4 fingers, her wrist or palm of her hand!
I think they will either figure it out, suck their fingers, or not. You can try to "help" them, but it didn't work for me. We never did pacis.

 

Hannah started sucking her thumb arouns 3 months and she stills sucks her thumb. Jack never sucked his thumb or a paci.

 

That perfectly describes my babies too! I have wondered the same thing. every once in a while my boy will find it, but my girl never does. This whole drooling business is growing tiresome!

reyna

 

Ellie was about three months when she started.

 

You can keep trying to direct their thumbs into their mouths. I wish there were thumb sucking lessons! Pat could have used it!

 

Mine figured it out around the 3.5 month mark.. you're almost there! They did the same thing- sucking on their fists and fingers, getting frustrated... once they get the hang of it things will be much easier.
I would sometimes "help" them to get their thumbs in their mouths- poke their thumbs in and hold them there for about 10 seconds. sometimes they'd keep sucking and sometimes it'd pop right out and they'd go back to sucking on their hands. But at least it made me feel like I was doing something to help them out!

 

about 3 months. But Ella STILL sucks 3 fingers!

 

We stopped swaddling our older DD at about one month, and she discovered her thumb shortly afterward -- and got good at it between 2 and 3 months. She's still an avid thumbsucker at 3.5 years -- it's made life so good for us, as she can self-soothe easily....

We still swaddle the little ones, so it will be awhile before they discover they're thumbs -- I hope they do eventually, though.

Homeschooling for thumb-sucking, LOL! But I agree, you can help direct their thumbs into their mouths until they get the hang of it....