Fingers vs pacifier

[Katherine]

My 8 week old is starting to suck his hands. He is also starting to take the pacifier (he refused it before, and preferred to suck on my breast instead).... I am wondering if it would be better to let him suck on his fingers, or let him suck a pacifier instead.... any thought? pros and cons?

 

[star2002]

Mine is the same age and doing the same thing! We keep pulling her hand out. Our problem is she was born with 2 bottom teeth and hurts her hand when it is in there because she bites it!

 

[hancake100]

My lo was the same when she was your lo's age. She could go a few days without her dummy and she would suck her fingers etc...... But then a day would come where nothing would settle her apart from a dummy.
Her dummy is now like her best friend and I cannot go anywhere without it She is also a thumb sucker.
Do what ever you think is best and what makes you lo happy

 

[Sweetie]

We have the same issue. He took a soother for the first time 2 days ago for about 5 minutes. I probably won't bother with it much again though as he is quite happy to suck on the back of his hand and the knuckle of his thumb

Do whatever works best for you. We used soothers with my daughter and I will admit she is quite attached but it's only when she is tired or hurt, and any child likes their "object" when they are feeling that way so I'm not too worried about it right now...

 

[redpoppy]

My only pro/con was that you can get rid of and wean a child (however old) off a dummy but you can't do that with fingers/thumbs.

I mean you can, but failing weaning, the dummy goes in the bin. You can't throw kids fingers in the bin. It's just not right.

 

[mumnbean]

My only pro/con was that you can get rid of and wean a child (however old) off a dummy but you can't do that with fingers/thumbs.

I mean you can, but failing weaning, the dummy goes in the bin. You can't throw kids fingers in the bin. It's just not right.

I agree with this totally... hence my daughter loves her dummy

 

[AppleBlossom]

Well you can't take a child's fingers/thumbs away from them like you can with a dummy

 

[LeannieB]

Hi I am going through the same thing at the moment. My LO always sucking his hands but sometimes he makes himself gag. He also likes to use me as a dummy! He still wont take a dummy but im still going to keep trying to see if he will take one as sometimes he uses me to go to sleep. xx

 

[Natasha2605]

Summer does both,whatever feels best on her gums xx

 

[MamaDo]

Each to their own, but as other posters have said, the dummy can be taken away... the temptation of the little fingers would always remain

At the end of the day most kids grow out of the need for a soother/soothing, personally I think its hard enough for them being small, let them have something to suck on if that is what they seem to want/need!

No harm done ...as long as (in my opinion) you limit the use as much as possible..i.e don't reeeaaallly think theres a need for a 3 or 4 year old sucking on a dummy??

 

[redpoppy]

Wanted to add; my LO didn't take a dummy till 6 months and only recently properly. Just at night times and car crying emergencies.

 

[lynnikins]

id rather they had dummys than sucked their thumb as my sister sucked her thumb and my mum battled with her for 4 years to stop it and she still does it when sleeping and shes 22 !!! my ds1 has already been dummy weaned once but he started wanting one again when we moved and his brother has one so we have let him but hes only allowed it at home and at nap/bed time and when i choose to wean ds2 off his then ds1 will loose his again as well lol, it saves ds1 stealing ds2's dummy

 

[OmarsMum]

I'm almost 32 & I still crave to suck my thumb

It's easier to wean off the dummy, but u can't take away their thumbs

 

[hopeandpray]

I sucked my thumb until i was about 4, then i was told if i didnt stop i would have crooked teeth so i did, anyway at that stage nobody else was doing it so i didnt want to be the odd one out