Bitting

try the NUK brand pacifiers. my daughter would gag on every pacifier but those. the nipple fits in their mouths very well and it usually doesn't gag them. hope that helps

Hi K.,

My daughter, who is now 10 months, did the same thing. I'm not sure which pacifier you're using but did you try the Soothies? They're green and shaped different than the other kinds. The ones with the brown, rounded nipple were too big for my daughter's mouth. We tried the Soothies and she took it right away.

Maybe if you try that kind she'll stop sucking her thumb.

Good luck!!

K.,

I know you don't want you daughter sucking her thumb, but she is bound to stop by high school. HAHA! My daughter was a huge pacifer sucker. We took it away from her at about 15 months old. Ever since then it is like she doesn't have anything to secure her at bed time. My daughter was always a great sleeper until we took it away and she started having ear problems again. Her ears are great now. She'll be 2 this week. I believe that if we could get her to find another security thing that her bed time routine would be a lot better. Maybe you could find a soft blanket or bear that she would rather hold. I know that doctors and hospitals freak my daughter out and always give her a set back. Please let me know if I can help. I would be glad to give you more ideas.

A.

I kid you not my daughter started sucking her thumb in the womb. One of the ultrasounds showed it. She is almost three and still does it, she only does it when she is tired or upset so I don't make a big deal out of it. Dentists don't like pacifiers or thumb sucking because it makes teeth crooked, but I'd rather pay for the braces than have my child go through therapy because I did something to hinder her coping abilities. My guess is that when your daughter was hospitalized, even at such a young age she was traumatized by it. She is just soothing herself. If she doesn't out grow it by the time she starts school, worry about it then. For now let her do it, it's not hurting anything.

Just keep trying it! I almost gave up on my daughter too! I just didn't want her sucking her thumb and she kept going at it! Around 3 months (after 3 months of pushing it on her) I was about to give up. But I was determined that she would take to it so I kept offering it. And she took it!! She loves having a paci now and it keeps her off her thumb. But if it is streesing you out too much, it's not worth it. But if not, then maybe buy a couple of them and keep trying them!

Good luck!

I agree w/ Annette - why bother stopping her? And the same went for my daughter as Jenn C - there's an ultrasound pic of her sucking her thumb in the womb! She's 2 and a thumbsucker, and I really don't mind. I did it, too, and yes, I had braces in high school, but it soothes her and puts her to sleep, so I don't complain.

K.,

Why prevent it? Sucking her thumb is not any different than sucking a pacifier. In fact probally not as bad in my opinion. They don't drop in on the floor, cry for it in the store, share it with others, ect. They claim it mess up your teeth but my cousin sucked his thumb to well into his teenage years, never had braces and the first thing people say about him is he has beautiful teeth. Let your baby be a baby. They grow up too fast anyway.

My son sucked his thumb until he was four. It was just a comfort-thing for him. He refused binkies when he was a baby, even though I tried all kinds. He never had a special blanket or stuffed animal or anything similar. Just that thumb. But he finally quit on his own and has no lasting effects from it (buck teeth, etc.). You could try different pacifiers to try to find one she likes. If you can't find one then just let her suck it. She'll eventually quit on her own.
Hope this helps.