I will answer the letter today. After all, the topic is important and relevant for every mother of a child from birth to 6 months.

So, the baby is 3 months old.

He is gaining weight well, in the first month he suffered greatly from colic and often spit up.

In recent days, he has found his finger and fist, and is constantly licking and sucking. Enjoys the process.

The mother is worried about introducing complementary foods soon, but the child prefers his fingers.

A child sucks his fists and fingers: wean him or relax?

Every age has its own interests and entertainment. Even we adults are susceptible to this.

Over the weekend we went to my father's birthday party.

There were guests.

Relatives who have not seen for a long time.

Niece and nephew.

The nephew brought with him from home: a crane, a flying helicopter, a radio-controlled car.

The husband fell into childhood.

I drove cars.

They launched a helicopter.

Crane load capacity tests were tripled.

This is the manifestation of interest in action: when you find or come across something that you haven’t played before (and considering that we have 3 daughters, there are only a few cars at home) - you want to play enough. Have fun. How should this subject be researched?

By the way, my husband, an adult, is well over 30. But approximately the same story happens with infants. When he is born, he does not know the boundaries of his body.

Scientists believe that a newborn presents itself as an oval, with a mouth. He is not yet aware of any other body parts. Gradually, as the child grows and develops and improves coordination, he begins to find this or that part of the body and recognize it as his own.

Imagine that you were suddenly given something that you have never seen or played - would you like to immediately put it aside and go about your usual business?

Never!

Here is the child: at 2-3 months he finds his hands, understands that this is his part of the body and begins to rejoice at this event.

Lick.

Do you want your child to grow up smart and reasonable? Let him do it as much as possible. as much as he wants! This will only benefit him.

About child development in at this age read the relevant articles:

• What should a child be able to do at 2 months >>>
• What should a child be able to do at 3 months >>>

Sucking of fingers and fists by a child of 2-3 months has nothing in common with this action in a grown-up child, for example, at 2-3 years. This is not a bad habit. There is no need to wean your child from this.

Play enough, explore, master and switch to something else. After all, the process of learning about the body does not end there. Ahead await: legs, stomach, genitals, back.

Watch also my short video tutorial:

Each stage is important, and you need to give your child the opportunity to find every part of his body and explore it to his fullest.

It is especially difficult for parents and dads in particular when the child meets his genitals. Your cheeks immediately turn red, you want to distract or say: Ew! Kaka!

However, progressive parents who took the course "My beloved Baby" know:

How should you behave in these moments?

What to do and what not to do

They skillfully help the child grow and develop, mastering new body capabilities.

P.S. You won't find these subtleties in books. Verified.

Children are born for happiness. Each child has his own unique development and his own growing difficulties. There are children who cry a lot, and others who flinch at the slightest noise. It happens that a child sucks his finger, and does it constantly. How many children, so many problems.

At what age does a child start sucking fingers?

Let us dwell on the problem of thumb sucking in children in more detail. Baby thumb sucking causes a lot of anxiety for new mothers. Usually a child sucks his thumb at 3 months. There are situations when a child at 2 months sucks his thumb. And it even happens that infant With still difficulty he raises his small hands, but immediately puts them in his mouth.

So, you noticed that your child is sucking his thumb. Don’t throw a tantrum and don’t rush to wean him off at that very moment. Before answering the question “how to stop a child from sucking his thumb,” you need to determine the reason why the child sucks his thumb. Once the cause is determined, take action. If you do not pay attention to this, thumb sucking can become a habit and then it will be much more difficult to wean your child from thumb sucking.

Why does a child suck his thumb and what to do about it?

There are many reasons why a child sucks his thumb, and one of them is dissatisfaction with sucking. Give your baby more time to breastfeed. And don’t be afraid that he will overeat, his natural instinct will prevent this. The same applies to the situation when you are feeding a child. artificial mixtures or milk from a bottle - do not try to take the bottle away as soon as possible.

If you are unable to increase your breast or bottle sucking time, use a pacifier. Give a pacifier - this will help wean your child from thumb sucking. The sucking instinct of children is different, so it happens that already in the maternity hospital a newborn baby sucks his finger.

If your baby puts a finger or hand in his mouth before feeding, this is not a cause for concern; most likely he is just hungry.

Typically, at the age of 5-6 months, all children put their fingers in their mouth. This happens because their teeth begin to grow. If teeth are cut earlier, it may turn out that a child at 4 months sucks his thumb because his gums itch. In such a situation, a special teeth scratcher will help the baby - a rubberized ring with liquid inside. This ring is great for both sucking and scratching gums. Just use pharmacy scratchers; do not buy rubber toys on the market for these purposes made from unknown materials that can harm the child.

Sometimes, in order for a child to stop sucking his thumb, you just need to spend more time with him, distract him beautiful toys, with your gentle and loving voice, take him in your arms, hold him close.

The child has grown up, but the problem remains?

If your baby has grown up, but has not stopped sucking his fingers, then he, thus, calms himself by receiving positive emotions. Such a child must be shown to a doctor, because if a child at 2 or 3 years old sucks his thumb, this may be a psychological problem.

Under no circumstances should such a child be shamed, scolded or punished; you will further aggravate the situation and lose his trust. The first thing to do is to ensure a quiet life for the child, not to sort things out in front of him, or to make trouble. And most importantly, do not concentrate on this problem yourself, otherwise the child will feel that you are not calm and a confidential conversation with him will not work. Communicate more with your child, walk, play together, talk and listen to him. Do not allow your child to watch “scary” cartoons and films, or play computer games that evoke negative emotions. Try to provide your child with only positive emotions; it’s better to take him to the zoo, to the puppet theater, to the carousel, to the circus.

Let's forget about the problem forever

No one knows your child better than you. By showing love and care for your baby, you will once again prove to him that he has no reason to worry. Love him for who he is, be proud of him and soon your problems will be left behind, just be patient.

If you are tired of dealing with this problem using the methods listed above, still do not resort to “grandmother’s advice” and do not try to wean your child from sucking his finger using pepper and mustard. This will only harm your baby. Seek help from specialists, they will help you in safe and at the same time effective ways.

DISH "MAKI" COPPER PLATE
KUZNETSOV'S PLATE

ASHTRAY	CUP	FRUIT BOWL	ICON
IRON	INKWELL	BOX	OAK TASH

It is not entirely true to say that only when we reach a certain age we are literally “covered by a wave of nostalgia” when we hear the melody of our youth or see some attributes of that time. Even completely Small child begins to yearn for his favorite toy if someone took it or hid it. We are all, to some extent, in love with old things, because they contain the spirit of an entire era. It is not enough for us to read about this in books or on the Internet. We want to have a real antique thing that we can touch and smell. Just remember your feelings when you picked up a Soviet-era book with slightly yellowed pages that emitted a sweetish aroma, especially when flipping through them, or when you looked at black and white photographs of your parents or grandparents, the same ones with an uneven white border. By the way, for many, such shots remain the most beloved to this day, despite the low quality of such images. The point here is not in the image, but in the feeling of spiritual warmth that fills us when they catch our eye.

If there are no “objects from the past” left in our lives due to endless moves and changes of place of residence, then you can buy antiques in our antique online store. Antique stores are especially popular now, because not everyone has the opportunity to visit such outlets, and they are concentrated mainly only in large cities.

Here you can buy antiques of various subjects.

To dot the i's, it should be said that antiques store is a special establishment that purchases, sells, exchanges, restores and examines antiques and provides a number of other services related to the sale of antiques.

Antiques are some old things that have a fairly high value. It can be: vintage jewelry, equipment, coins, books, interior items, figurines, dishes and more.

However, in a number of countries, different things are considered antiques: in Russia, the status of “antique thing” is given to an item that is more than 50 years old, and in the USA – items made before 1830. On the other hand, in each country, different antiques have different values. In China, antique porcelain is of greater value than in Russia or the USA.

In other words, when buying antiques It should be remembered that its price depends on the following characteristics: age, uniqueness of execution, manufacturing method (everyone knows that handmade valued much higher than mass production), historical, artistic or cultural value and other reasons.

Antiques store- quite a risky business. The point is not only in the laboriousness of searching for the required product and the long period of time during which the item will be sold, but also in the ability to distinguish a fake from the original.

In addition, a store selling antiques must meet a number of standards in order to gain the proper reputation in the market. If we are talking about an antique online store, then it should have a wide range of products presented. If an antiques store exists not only on the World Wide Web, then it must also be large enough for the client to feel comfortable wandering among the antiques, and, secondly, have a beautiful interior and a pleasant atmosphere.

Our antiques store has very rare items that can impress even a seasoned collector.

Antiques have magical powers: once you touch them, you will become a big fan of them, antique items will take their rightful place in the interior of your home.

In our antique online store you can buy antiques on a variety of topics affordable prices. To make searching easier, all products are divided into special groups: paintings, icons, rural life, interior items, etc. Also in the catalog you will be able to find antique books, postcards, posters, silver plate, porcelain dishes and much more.

In addition, in our antique online store you can purchase Original gifts, furniture and kitchen utensils that can enliven the interior of your home and make it more sophisticated.

Antiques for sale in Russia, as in many European cities, such as Paris, London and Stockholm, has its own characteristics. First of all, these are the high costs of purchasing antiques, but the responsibility of a store selling antiques is also quite high, since these things represent a certain material, cultural and historical value.

When purchasing antiques in our store, you can be sure of the authenticity of the items you are purchasing.

Our antique store employs only qualified consultants and appraisers who can easily distinguish originals from fakes.

We strive to make our antique online store interesting for collectors, for fans of antiquity and for the most ordinary connoisseurs of beauty who have good taste and know the value of things. Thus, one of our priorities is the constant expansion of the range both through dealers and through cooperation with other companies involved in the sale of antiques.

Some ultrasound images clearly show how the baby, still developing in the womb, sucks its finger. This is how the development of the sucking reflex, which is necessary in the first year after birth to obtain food, is manifested. A newborn baby continues to put his fingers in his mouth.

At first this is touching, but as the child grows up, some mothers begin to worry, considering this a bad habit. Let's figure out why babies and toddlers suck their fingers and what to do about it.

Why does a child suck his fingers?

• Satisfying the sucking reflex. From the moment of birth, the baby has a very developed sucking reflex. This is a necessary instinct for the baby's survival in the first months of life. A newborn unconsciously sucks everything that comes his way: either the mother’s breast or his own finger. This is normal behavior. The child meets his basic needs. In addition, from the point of view of orthodontics, the sucking reflex contributes to the correct and harmonious development of the lower jaw. Therefore, when answering questions from young mothers about how to wean their baby from thumb sucking, many pediatricians recommend not focusing on this at such an early age.
• Manifestation of hunger. If a 2-3 month old baby sucks his thumb, he is hungry. It does not matter how the baby is fed.

Did you know? It is believed that children who have been breastfed longer are less likely to put their fingers in their mouth. Early weaning. The child does not fully satisfy the sucking reflex, and therefore sucks his thumb.

• Teething. This is not the most pleasant process, during which the child feels pain and itching in the gums. To distract from unpleasant sensations, the child puts everything that is nearby into his mouth. This applies to both fingers and rattles.
• Psychological protection. The baby associates mother's breasts, warmth and care with security and calmness. Children unconsciously demonstrate a lack of maternal attention. In addition, it is a way to calm down in a stressful situation and feel completely safe.

Why thumb sucking is a bad habit

By the second year of life, the sucking reflex gradually fades away. We can conclude that thumb sucking in the first years of life is more of a norm than a pathology, and does not require correction from parents and specialists. In addition, the child is interested in the world around him, and for this purpose he puts his fingers, children's toys and clothes into his mouth.

But the child grows, and the habit does not disappear. If after 4 years the baby still sucks his thumb, you need to think about it and perhaps consult a specialist. Let's figure out why this is still a bad habit:

• Traumatization. A child may bite a finger, and constant contact with saliva and gums contributes to deformation of the nail plate, the appearance of wounds and cracks. The skin, which performs the barrier function, loses its integrity: pathogenic bacteria enter the wounds, causing inflammation.
• Not hygienic. A huge number of living organisms live on the hands and under the nails, including worm eggs. A bad habit contributes to helminthic infestation, as well as the entry of pathogenic microflora into the digestive system.
• Orthodontists say that thumb sucking causes a change in the position of the tongue in the mouth, which leads to the formation of an abnormal bite. Normally, the back of the tongue should be in contact with the hard palate. If a child sucks a finger, the tongue takes a lower position and does not exert the necessary pressure in certain areas of the jaws.

A long-term persistent habit, which does not go away even in the lower grades, is fraught with ridicule from classmates and friends. This attitude from peers can negatively affect a child's self-esteem, as well as the ability to build healthy relationships with people in the future. Considering Negative consequences bad habit, let's figure out how to wean a child from sucking his thumb at 2-3 years old and older

How to stop a child from sucking fingers

Children under 2 years old

Prevention of bad habits should be done in the first year of a baby’s life. For children on breastfeeding The following tips will be helpful:

• The minimum feeding time is half an hour. By putting your baby to your breast for 30 minutes, you will fully satisfy his basic instincts, including the sucking reflex.
• Don't be afraid to overfeed your baby. In fact, the child will take no more than what the body requires. The feeding process can be roughly divided into two stages. In the first (7-10 minutes), the baby feeds on the “front” milk, and in the remaining time, drop by drop, sucks out the “hind” milk.
• If your baby is distracted, do not wean him off the breast. Wait a little, if the baby still needs the breast, he will continue to suck on his own.
• Complete weaning should be done gradually. Start with daytime feedings, then move on to nighttime feedings. This will help make things easier and make the weaning process minimally stressful.

The following tips are suitable for bottle-fed babies:

• Reduce the intervals between feedings.
• While sucking, the baby must make some effort. Buy a hard pacifier with a small hole. This will increase feeding time, which has a beneficial effect on the sucking reflex.
• Buy an orthodontic pacifier. Due to its correct structure, it contributes to the normal position of the tongue.

Children from 2 to 4 years old

Stress is the main cause of thumb sucking between 2 and 4 years of age. To deal with this problem, it is important to understand the reasons that led to the habit of thumb sucking. However, in most cases, thumb sucking at this age is still considered normal, although many children already forget this habit.

Among the most common causes of stress are:

• Deficit of parental attention.
• Change of environment and relocation.
• Joining a new team.
• Phobias.
• Overly strict parenting.

To eliminate the cause, the following recommendations are suitable:

• Spend more time with your child, participate in his games, show attention and care. Play finger games. They help develop motor skills and use the fingers.
• Do not overload young children with information. Postpone early learning until better times. Avoid evening activities and instead do something calming, such as a bath ritual.
• Find out if your baby has any phobias. Perhaps the child is trying to calm down by sucking his thumb.
• Try not to use corporal punishment. Children aged two to four years are already able to understand adults and make contact with them. It’s better to tell your kids that sucking their fingers is ugly and unhygienic.

Children aged 5 years and older

At this age, the habit of thumb sucking indicates a neurosis of obsessive states that arise due to stress and overload. Pay attention if your child continually wraps hair around their fingers and pulls hair out, chews on pens, pencils, or nails, or scratches their skin.

In addition, at this age the replacement of baby teeth with permanent ones begins. Thumb sucking can affect the formation of a permanent bite.

• Seek help from a specialist. The doctor will help you correct this habit and eliminate it. Follow these general guidelines:
• Do not focus your child's attention on the fact that he is sucking his thumb. Your task is to help the baby, and not to scold and shame him. It will only push you further away.
• Prevent emotional and physical overload. Find relaxation techniques that suit your baby.
• Provide a cozy and comfortable home environment.
• Observe any changes in your child's behavior.
• Help your child learn other subjects by talking about the concepts of hygiene and germs.

• Not knowing what to do if a child sucks his thumb, some parents prefer to use old methods: smear mustard and pepper on their fingers and bitter varnish on their nails. You should not do this, because if pepper or mustard gets into the eyes, for example, the child may receive, in addition to painful sensations, a chemical burn.
• Do not scold your child, especially in front of strangers. You will only make the situation worse and push your baby away. -If the child does not obey, try to talk calmly with the baby.
• Understand the cause of thumb sucking before trying to solve the problem.

In this video you will learn about the causes of thumb sucking. Dr. Komarovsky talks about the age when thumb sucking is the norm. In addition, the pediatrician answers common questions from mothers and debunks stereotypes and myths.

Thumb sucking is a normal process in which the infant satisfies the sucking reflex and also explores the world. From two to four years, this habit gradually fades away and only occasionally requires any correction. However, if the baby continues to suck his thumb when he is older, parents need to pay attention to this.

Tell us in the comments what ways did you wean your baby from this habit? Do you think it is necessary to wean your baby from thumb sucking?

A small child requires constant attention and care; lack of parental care often leads to the development of bad habits, such as biting lips, sucking fingers and fists. If a child sucks his finger for a long time, this leads to the destruction of the enamel of the nail plate, deformation of the phalanx of the finger and can cause a curvature of the bite, as well as damage to the gums. In addition to the above-mentioned troubles, constant finger sucking contributes to the introduction of pathogenic bacteria and microbes into the body, which causes all sorts of diseases. Therefore, the best option would be to wean the baby from such a bad habit in a timely manner.

Why does a child suck his fingers?

Sucking reflex infant is considered one of the most important, since three main nerves are involved in this process - the ternary, nasopharyngeal and vagus. The simultaneous work of such important organs leads to improved digestion, stabilization of the nervous system and psychological balance of the baby, and activation of brain activity. The need of a newborn baby to suck the breast or anything else is caused not only by the feeling of hunger: in this way the babies calm down and develop.

What should parents do to normalize the baby’s condition? First of all, determine the cause of concern. There is no single reason why a child sucks his thumb; the following may be a prerequisite for this:

• a lack of breastfeeding – if the child spends little time near the mother’s breast, his sucking reflex is not fully satisfied, so the baby may suck fingers or toys;
• pain from teething– the process of cutting the first teeth brings quite painful sensations, and thumb sucking helps soothe irritated gums;
• psychological factor– if a baby sucks fingers at the age of 2-3 years, the main reason for this is most likely a lack of attention from relatives. In this way, the baby tries to calm down and make up for the lack of warmth and affection; most often in this situation the child sucks his thumb. Another reason may be fear or excessive excitability, for example, after active games before bed, sucking calms and relieves excess activity;
• boredom - the habit of sucking fingers can be acquired due to a lack of interest in what is happening around; it happens that children suck their fingers simply out of boredom.

In any case, having noticed the habit of sucking fingers in their child, parents should take timely measures to eradicate such a harmful manner.

How to stop a child from sucking his thumb?

Few people know what to do when a child sucks his fingers or other objects, so often inexperienced parents take radically irrational and unacceptable measures to eradicate this habit.

There are several ways to wean your child from thumb sucking, for starters you can do this:

• For a baby, try increasing your breastfeeding time, leaving him near his mother for 30-40 minutes. If the baby is on artificial feeding, choose a nipple with a narrow opening so that the baby takes longer to suck food from the bottle;
• For older children who suck their fingers mostly to calm them down, it is important to keep them occupied with something. Offer your child new activities: either clay, folding puzzles or construction sets, etc., so the hands will be busy and the need for sucking will disappear;
• Often babies put their hands in their mouths at certain moments, for example, while watching TV or reading together. In such a situation, the easiest way is to switch the baby to another object - give him a soft ball or cube that you can crush with your hands;
• Girls can be easily weaned off by offering to give them an adult manicure., of course, with a special children's varnish. Little fashionistas will not want to destroy the beautiful coating, especially if they promise to paint their nails constantly;
• Can you visit the dentist together? who, along with checking teeth, will tell you about the dangers of thumb sucking; usually the opinion of such an authoritative person (whom almost all children are afraid of) has a positive impact;
• emphasis on age factor also has a significant impact on the child’s behavior. Tell him that grown girls and boys do not suck their fingers, and such behavior is acceptable only for the little ones, remind him of this in those moments when the baby claims that he is already an adult.

Such distracting maneuvers will have to be done for more than one day, so get ready for a long weaning from thumb sucking and do not scold your baby under any circumstances. Remember that the main reason for the appearance of any bad habits is the lack of your attention and affection, so try to spend as much time as possible with your pet and often show him in word and deed how much you love him.

What should you not do to wean your baby from thumb sucking?

Many parents make a lot of mistakes when weaning their children from thumb sucking. There are some measures that cannot be used under any circumstances, these include:

• Wrapping arms and legs in gloves or diapers is the most common incorrect way to wean a baby from biting and sucking on arms. This method does not give any result, since immediately after opening the baby will begin to suck his fists again;
• smearing fingers with bitter substances (mustard, red pepper, aloe vera, etc.) - this method can lead to damage to the mucous membrane of the mouth and the walls of the child’s stomach;
• Shouting and physical measures are a categorically unacceptable measure for raising children, since it is under no circumstances possible to punish a child for disobedience in order to avoid subsequent disorder of the child’s psyche.

All of the listed means of combating a bad habit do not lead to a positive result, but, on the contrary, aggravate the situation and cause whims and anxiety in the baby. It is worth noting that constant punishment and threats of physical harm negatively affect the mental state of the baby, and finger sucking in this case will become the body’s protective reaction to fear.

Ukraine, Kyiv

Good afternoon, my son is 3.1 years old. He started sucking his thumb at 2.5, and nothing can be done. No matter what I put on it, it doesn’t help. What to do with the psychologist, everything is fine. I’m very nervous, and we also speak very poorly.

13/08/2014 11:53

Russia, Shchelkovo

16/04/2014 23:34

Ukraine, Kyiv

Girls, my daughter is now 2.4 years old. Thumb sucking from 2-3 months. I refused the pacifier; I didn’t really insist. The further we went, the more often the finger began to accompany us: it falls asleep, gets hungry, gets bored (especially in the car), gets offended...
And the mazolka did not bother her, and the fact that it itched. I tried it with an adhesive plaster, mustard, pepper, and Nekusayka varnish. They didn't give any results. He rips off the bandage and wipes or licks the rest.
HELPED US: silicone fingertip DR. THUMB (http://www.drthumb.co.uk/). They do delivery, I contacted them. But I found it in Ukraine, so I didn’t order from the site. Read it - there are 2 sizes for babies and older children.
Or you can simply sew a mitten onto your pajama sleeve. One of my pajamas now has sewn on it (not cotton, but some kind of woolen one) and I don’t wear a finger guard.
Of course, my daughter had a row for a week and had a very hard time falling asleep. I lost my nap several times because my finger was missing. Well, here you need to be patient and understand what is more important to you. I sang songs and read fairy tales. It is imperative to ensure that the finger on the other hand does not start sucking for lack of a loved one. And try to fill the day with different activities (rather than console them by watching cartoons), so that the child gets physically tired and collapses. This helps me a lot and I still can put her to bed quite calmly. She is very tired, there is little chance of not falling asleep;)))
I wish you perseverance and patience :)

23/12/2013 17:33

Moldova, Kishinev

My baby is 10 months old, he almost always sucks his thumb, and if he pulls it out, he starts crying. Has anyone had any experience? Has anyone stopped a child from thumb sucking at this age? Thanks a lot.

08/12/2013 18:21

Kazakhstan, Astana

My daughter is 3 months old, we have an alternative to fingers, the whole fist is in the mouth)))))) the pacifier causes a gag reflex. And right after the chest - a fist, like a dessert or supplement! so there can be no talk of dissatisfaction, since We eat for quite a long time! and I don’t even know what to do!!!

16/01/2013 19:19

Russia Moscow

Elena M., if you give breastfeeding every time the child puts his finger in his mouth, the child will overeat. Read carefully what the doctor writes. Overeating suppresses the immune system. My child even after breastfeeding puts his fingers in his mouth. And this does not mean at all that I should immediately offer the baby food.

03/12/2012 11:25

Ukraine, Kyiv

The doctor's answer surprised me. As far as I understand, the sucking reflex is given to the baby to obtain food. And if he uses this instinct, he requires food, and not a pacifier, a finger, or something else. So what's the point? He will not receive nutrition from the pacifier. And from a finger. Well, yes, you can deceive - use instinct for other purposes. But what's the point? If my husband had satisfied some instinct with a rubber doll, then I would not have had a son or daughter... In general, in my opinion, he wants to suckle and give breasts.

30/11/2012 19:56

Ukraine, Simferopol

Girls, it could be heredity. Our dad sometimes sleeps with his finger still. Although he is already 30 years old. and our baby began to suck it from 2 months and I won’t do anything anymore. I offered different pacifiers. It’s all useless!

16/11/2012 16:06

kagra Russia, Kazan

My son is 5 months old, since 3-4 months his finger has been his best friend (((during the day I watch as best I can, on the advice of the EOC I try to accustom him to a pacifier, I run, I change my finger to it, but he either spits it out or pulls it out, but that’s all During the day, nothing yet... but at night I don’t know what to do - I used to sleep great, only wake up to eat, but at about 3 months I started sleeping restlessly, fidgeting like a worm in my sleep and immediately, without even waking up, starts sucking my finger! I don’t even have to get up to calm him down - the finger is still faster (I tried, of course - as soon as I heard sucking at night, it jumped up and the breast gave, but more than a week passed - no result, I just didn’t sleep at night... I put it with me - the same thing - As soon as he fidgets, I’m holding my tit, and my finger is already in place... now for several days it’s as if he’s stopped sucking, but maybe he’s either doing it more quietly, or I’m just very tired and sleeping more soundly, I can’t hear. I wanted to ask for advice - if to get used to a pacifier, then what to do at night - put something on your hands, and when you get used to it, then give a pacifier? Then you will still have to get up often, almost the same thing that happens with the breasts... And one more thing - you probably need to find out the reason for such anxiety in your sleep? I just read so much about these fingers - I really want to wean them off, but I’m afraid of the nights, because even if I wean them off the finger, the reason why he rushes to suck it at night in his sleep will not disappear... a vicious circle in general... I envy mothers, which children can fall asleep on their own, mine needs to suck something - a finger, a tit or a pacifier.

16.09.2009, 22:42

Happy Donkey

16.09.2009, 22:47

It seems to me that all children suck their hands, some on their fingers and some on their fists. Mine takes the pacifier, but also respects my fists. There’s definitely nothing we can do now, you can’t tie your hands :)... Then, when he’s older, then we’ll think about how to wean him off.
:0001:

16.09.2009, 22:53

Natalie-Kupchino

16.09.2009, 23:09

Thumb sucking started a week ago and coincided with pacifier TRAINING. At first I was hysterical too, but now I’m starting to get used to it. So what to do!!! As soon as I see a finger in my mouth, I immediately get a pacifier!

16.09.2009, 23:18

The neurologist told me that I don’t need to do anything about it! Thumb sucking is a necessary stage for a baby's development.

16.09.2009, 23:22

16.09.2009, 23:26

At one time, a neurologist and a pediatrician told us the same thing, only my daughter is already almost 11 months old. (she started sucking her thumb at 2 months), but she continues to suck her thumb. Moreover, now she does it much more consciously than before. She categorically refused to take the pacifier. So I have no idea how to wean it off. And if earlier I treated this simply as a stage of development, now it’s starting to worry me:001:

Apply mustard

bucket with EYES

16.09.2009, 23:27

16.09.2009, 23:31

Offer a different pacifier, for example, a different shape and made of a different material.

You'll end up going broke on nipples. This is the second day I’ve been putting the sixth pacifier in my Kinder Surprise’s mouth. Not at all!!! :010: I quit this activity... let him suck his finger. This is how he gets to know himself.

16.09.2009, 23:39

With the second, I suffered terribly with my finger, at two years old, to wean it off, I put socks on my hands, then they sewed up the sleeves of my pajamas. The third one refused the pacifier for 2 months, then he found a fist, they offered different pacifiers, I more or less respected the rubber pacifier, and I put scratches on my hands at night. So far it helps, like a finger pulling on a pacifier. The finger is also bad because winter is coming, but you need to go for a walk, your finger is cold, and your teeth are creeping, in general there will be a song. You can wean it off right away if you want.

17.09.2009, 00:18

That's the thing that's starting to worry. At our school, a boy sucked his finger until the second grade, and his finger was already white. They also say that when a child sucks his thumb, he lacks parental love and affection. but where is there more? so all kissed, squeezed...

Well, this is about older children who no longer have to suck anything. For now everything is fine. He will also chew because the hands are an excellent teether - always at hand :)).
Mine now sucks and chews everything she can fit into her mouth. Hands, a pacifier (by the way, I was able to accustom it only after 3 months), my clothes with great enthusiasm, so I definitely wouldn’t wear scratches, I would still pull them off my hands and choke. The blanket sucks when he wakes up, etc. But the hands, of course, are beyond competition. This is absolutely normal. Now, if after 2 years it doesn’t stop, then you need to worry.

17.09.2009, 00:44

My eldest and I had no problems at all. I immediately took the pacifier. But with the youngest I had to be a little nervous and suffer. She sucked her thumb almost from birth. I refused the pacifier (we tried a lot of pacifiers), the pacifiers caused a gag reflex! I calmed down only with my finger. Everyone around me kept telling me that I needed to wean myself off the finger. I was so worried! But someone smart advised me to just be patient and wean off gradually, without putting too much pressure or panicking. I only started weaning off after three or four months. She offered a pacifier (I chose the smallest one): first on the street in the stroller, then at home. At first, the pacifier simply flew out like a bullet and immediately the finger took its place (and exclusively the right one, it was all red), and then gradually they got used to the pacifier. She is now almost nine months old. So she stuffs the pacifier into her mouth. But sometimes he remembers his own, beloved finger. But I don’t interfere, let her suck, she rarely does this, so I don’t see any harm. Yes, and she becomes uninterested in sucking her finger, her hands are busy with others - she should stand (she needs to hold on to the sides), study different toys. And she sucks her finger when she is tired, or when she is bored and no one is working with her.
So you still don’t give up trying to get used to the pacifier (it’s better than a finger), but don’t insist either. Take it slow. Everything has its time. If a child does not feel well, do not deprive him of a natural sedative under any circumstances. Wait a while, and then offer the pacifier again. I am sure that soon you will forget about your finger, but then... you will wean yourself off the pacifier :-) We have this ahead of us :-)
Good luck and patience.

17.09.2009, 01:02

He also sucked on me, didn’t take any pacifier, I didn’t worry and didn’t try to wean him off somehow. I weaned myself when it was time to get serious about toys :) We still don’t have any fists or fingers in our mouth, and neither do pacifiers :) So I don’t have any problems with weaning off pacifiers either :)

17.09.2009, 01:29

Apply mustard

Remember the classic: “Mustard?... Uh-huh.

3 month old baby???

And I noticed that mine sucks mainly when I’m hungry, I try to breastfeed right away. It’s only difficult at night, because... Previously, when I wanted to eat, I made a voice, but now I just start sucking my finger without waking up. And I'm a sleepyhead too :(

Sladuskina

17.09.2009, 03:50

Mine, too, only sucked his finger from 3 to 5 months; if she offered a pacifier, hysterics immediately began... Now I bought him a new pacifier, now he sucks the pacifier and his finger together...:))

bucket with EYES

17.09.2009, 08:57

You'll end up going broke on nipples. This is the second day I’ve been putting the sixth pacifier in my Kinder Surprise’s mouth. Not at all!!! :010: I quit this activity... let him suck his finger. So he knows himself. Oh! this is just the beginning! I’m talking about our number of nipples and nipples for bottles, bottles, sippy cups and thousands of wet ones:))

Pchelkina

17.09.2009, 09:59

mine sucks only when hungry, and even then only a little, she apparently hasn’t recognized this yet. I became drooly, but my sleeves are covered in drool)

17.09.2009, 10:23

My handsome man immediately sucks his fists :-)), as good as one finger :-) And he sucks with a smacking sound, very loud. I noticed that if the baby has recently eaten and is happy, he does not suck. Still, apparently, in our country, sucking fists is a sign of the onset of hunger :-) And the next stage is loud screams :-)

PS A friend’s daughter is 7 (!) years old. She still sucks her thumb:-(She started in infancy, she didn’t take a pacifier. Then my mother didn’t stop weaning her, but now she can’t wean her off (they tried everything they could), the girl’s bite is already ruined:-(The little girl herself understands , that from the outside, a girl with a finger in her mouth does not look very nice, but she can’t help herself:-((That’s why my friend says that if there is a second child, by hook or by crook she will not let him suck his finger.

17.09.2009, 10:38

MY BEAUTY IS THREE MONTHS OLD. SOMEWHERE ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO SHE STARTED SUCKING HER FINGER. FIRST, SHE DRAGGED HIM INTO HER MOUTH WHEN HE CAME INTO HER FIELD OF VIEW, THEN WHEN HE FELL AWAY, AND NOW HE SLEEP WITH HIM IN HER MOUTH. SHE DOESN'T TAKE THE PACIFY CATEGORICALLY, WHEN I PUT IT IN HER, SHE ALMOST VOUSES. EVERYBODY CREATE. WHO HAD THIS, UNTIL WHAT AGE AND HOW WEANED IT.....

Mine, too, at about that age, began to pull first her fingers and then her fist into her mouth... I have the same problem with the pacifier. I recently talked to a friend, she has insurance in Renaissance, and pediatricians come from the 21st century, so they told her what she needed accustom to the pacifier and wean from sucking fingers. The fact is that the child begins to stick first his fingers, then his fist, and sticks it far, then chokes and causes vomiting. In the future, as they said, the children like this story. And it turns out that the child has eaten the fist in the mouth and hello food... When I heard it I was in shock.. now it’s like he’s dragging his hand into his mouth, I give him a toy... let him suck it

17.09.2009, 10:52

nothing needs to be done. Hands and mouth are a natural way for a child to learn about the world. Now, if your child sucked his thumb at one year, then you should think about emotional problems.
Mine, by the way, stopped, I didn’t even notice when

S4hungry

17.09.2009, 12:03

I was advised to wear anti-scratch mittens at night - it helped, I stopped waking up from slurping my fingers. Today I’m trying to replace my finger with a pacifier more often, this all started a week ago too.

How charming a three-month-old toddler looks with his finger touching his mouth! But a three-year-old who constantly sucks his thumb looks completely different.

Why does this happen and what to do if “finger in mouth” has become a habit?

The first time a child has a finger in his mouth is when he is in the womb. Why an unborn baby sucks its thumb, scientists can only speculate. One of them is preparation for breastfeeding, the development of the sucking reflex. The second is an attempt to calm down, feeling maternal anxiety. Which of these explanations is correct? The child himself, of course, cannot answer this question, and there is not yet sufficient scientific data.

At 3 months, “finger in mouth” becomes an achievement for the child. Despite all the intrauterine training, only during this period does coordination of movements become sufficient to voluntarily, i.e. of your own free will, and not by chance, bring your hand to your mouth. The baby will continue to master coordinated hand-mouth movements for several more weeks, and it would be a mistake to interfere with this.

But the child is already about 1 year old or more. And the parents notice that he again sucks his finger, most often the thumb.

And they feel anxious, because if the habit takes hold, problems cannot be avoided. Parents are afraid of worms, improper bite formation, and simply - it’s ugly!

And the struggle “with the finger” begins, often as cruel as it is senseless. After all, thumb sucking has different causes, and in each case you need to act specifically to help the child.

Does thumb sucking bother your baby? More likely no than yes. Until he is 5–6 years old, his peers will not pay attention to this at all, and he will become the subject of ridicule no earlier than at school. So this means that this childhood habit most likely hinders us, adults. Thumb sucking is a fairly clear symptom, indicating a possible psychological distress in the baby.

Help is not about getting rid of the symptom, but about identifying the problem that is leading to the behavior. That is why the prohibition of thumb sucking, beating on hands, and persuasion lead nowhere. They do not solve the problem that led to the bad habit! Let's try to understand the main causes of thumb sucking.

My Kostya is 5 months old. What worries me is that he sucks his fingers a lot. Unfortunately, I had little milk, and by the end of the first month of life Kostya was fed from a bottle. The problem began at 3 months, when the baby “found” his hands. He quickly trained, and now his fingers are in his mouth too often. Kostya is a long-awaited, beloved child, and everyone in our family treats him with tenderness and attention. But I can’t understand what he’s missing?

Infants under 1 year of age often suck their fingers if their sucking reflex is not satisfied to the extent necessary. Some babies have a stronger reflex than others, and even when breastfed, they suck on everything around them, including their own hands.

We can talk about an unsatisfied sucking reflex in the following cases:

— Your baby is no more than 1.5 years old. Normally, this reflex begins to gradually fade at the age of six months and finally fades away at about 1.5 years.

- The child eats too quickly, for example, spends 5-10 minutes at the breast or bottle. If breastfeeding, the cause may be “tight” breasts with weak oral muscles in the baby. Or, on the contrary, there is a lot of milk, and the baby hardly needs to work. With artificial feeding, the cause is often a hole in the bottle that is too large.

— In the absence of breastfeeding, the baby does not know how to drink from a bottle - for example, he drinks only from a spoon. This can also happen in a situation where a mother deliberately does not accustom her baby to a bottle, hoping to return to breastfeeding after a forced break - for example, after taking medications that are incompatible with breastfeeding.

If you suspect that the sucking instinct may not be satisfied, you can do the following:

Extend your breastfeeding time. If your baby is breastfed, do not rush to finish feeding. Let the baby stay at your breast for 30 or 40 minutes, even if he only sucks on it a little, having already fallen asleep. This recommendation is especially relevant for babies in the first months of life.

If your baby is artificial, then watch how long he sucks the bottle. It is good if the hole in the bottle is selected so that the child sucks for 15–20 minutes or more. The nipple for the bottle should be selected according to age, which can be read on the packaging.

Buy a pacifier. There is currently debate about whether the child needs it. Of course, the choice is yours, but if your baby has a highly developed or insufficiently satisfied sucking reflex, then let him suck on a high-quality pacifier rather than develop the habit of sucking his finger or tongue. In the end, it’s easier to give up a pacifier after 1.5 years by “giving” it to another baby, but you won’t be able to give a finger or a tongue.

It is worth noting that in babies under 1 year of age, an unsatisfied sucking reflex is not the only reason for thumb sucking. Often the child's hand is in his mouth at the moment when he wants to eat. Then the baby greedily begins to suck it, getting irritated and crying that milk does not flow from it. This kind of thumb sucking will not develop into a habit if the mother responds to the signals given in a timely manner, and even better, offers the breast before the baby is too hungry.

Also, already at this age, one of the reasons may be boredom. If the mother spends a lot of time with the baby, caresses him, picks him up, plays, then the child does not have much time left for sucking fingers or other objects. The baby will still “put everything in his mouth,” but in a different way. The object or fingers are in the mouth for a few seconds, then the child takes them out and examines them. Then he “tastes” it again, for a slightly longer time, then examines it again. This sequence can be repeated several times. It also includes other actions: the baby can knock an object (or hand on some surface), shake it, throw it. All this is exploratory behavior. If you see that the baby has “frozen”, his gaze has become absent and he is sucking his finger or something else, it’s time to distract him before this becomes a bad habit.

Bad habit

My daughter Lisa is 2 years 5 months old. We have a problem: the baby cannot fall asleep without sucking her thumb. right hand. I notice that the finger also ends up in her mouth when Lisa is watching cartoons or when she is tired or upset. But I don’t want to smear my fingers with something bitter just yet, I feel sorry for my daughter. How to help your baby get rid of this habit?

Let's first figure out what a “habit” is. A habit is any repeated behavior formed according to the “stimulus-response” principle, each time occurring more and more automatically. In other words, it once happened that the child was too excited before going to bed, and a finger accidentally got into his mouth. The baby liked the sensation: the finger was warm and sucking it was pleasant. The baby calmed down and fell asleep. A few days later the situation repeated itself, the child repeated the action: he put his finger in his mouth to fall asleep. And gradually it became a habit: even when the baby is not bothered, he must put his finger in his mouth before going to bed. This became the “button” that turned on falling asleep.

Habits that help calm down also apply to other situations in which the child experiences negative emotions. Evening fatigue, being alone in your room, parents' dissatisfaction with the baby's behavior, fear - these and other similar situations require reassurance. And the “sweet finger” comes to the rescue, becoming a universal remedy!

Parents are often perplexed: the child is loved, is not deprived of attention, has not experienced stress, so where does a habit similar to a neurotic one come from? Parents begin to delve into themselves, looking for secret problems affecting the baby. Perhaps this “work on yourself” is not useless. But still, thumb sucking, especially under the age of 3 years, is not always associated with something very serious. In the second or third year of life, the baby experiences a whole era of stereotypical forms of behavior (repeating something again and again), which is then replaced by a new stage of development. And the “finger” problem may disappear without a trace.

If you look at it, we are all made up of habits. Having habits optimizes our lives, otherwise we would spend a lot of time, each time going through options for possible actions in already familiar situations. Thumb sucking is a lifesaver for a child, helping him to calm down and balance his internal state. No, the author is not saying that thumb sucking is good. But you need to understand that this habit has the same benefits for the child as other actions that help calm down do for us adults. We bite the tip of a pen while thinking about a problem, fiddle with a pendant or a strand of hair, rub our hands, touch our lips or temples. Each of us requires certain habits that help in difficult situations.

All this means only one thing: if your child's thumb sucking habit annoys you, then you should teach him other ways to calm down or occupy himself. You can't just stop a habit without offering anything in return. It will either return to its original form or change into another, no less annoying: nail biting, lip or tongue sucking, toy sucking, etc. That is why, in the case of established habits, prohibitions, educational conversations, and smearing something tasteless on your finger are so ineffective. All these measures offer nothing in return.

So, if thumb sucking is a habit, then you can do this:

Catch the habit at the very beginning. Remember, the longer the stimulus-response cycle continues, the more habitual the unwanted behavior becomes. Look at the situation in which the baby sucks his thumb - when bored, anxious, tired? Offer a replacement. For example, if your child sucks his thumb before bed, you can massage his fingers and whole body while humming something softly. Before bed, you can offer your baby games with water, which perfectly stimulate the nerve endings of the whole body, including the fingers: the same heat, water, massaging effect as when sucking. Create a bedtime routine that helps your baby relax without thumb sucking.

Is there an example? Often children who acquire bad habits unknowingly copy people who are important to them. For example, a child can observe the habit of thumb sucking in a brother or sister (both younger and older) and even in adults, if one of them, while thoughtful, may be sucking not the finger itself, but a bone on the hand. If one of the adults has become an example, he needs to get rid of this habit himself, otherwise all other measures will be ineffective. If your example is a brother or sister, think about how you organize the time you spend with your children? Are you giving everyone enough positive attention? If both children suck their fingers, the problem is more serious and deeper: it is better to analyze it with a psychologist.

Distract, but wisely. When you see your baby sucking his thumb, the best thing you can do is to gently distract your baby without mentioning that he is doing something wrong. You can invite him to play, dance, do crafts that develop fine motor skills, read a book. In general, do anything to prevent the baby from sucking his thumb simply out of boredom. If a child sucks his finger when tired, you need to hug him, caress him, give him a general massage and a hand massage. It’s good if you have funny poems in stock to which you can do finger gymnastics. But it is important to remember the following: if you start working with your child only after you see the “finger,” then the habit of sucking it will not disappear. Simply the “finger” will become a button to enable communication with you. Therefore, it is important that you offer play and relaxation before the finger is in the mouth, recognizing that the child is in a state where he needs help.

Don't scold your baby and, if you can, pay less direct attention to thumb sucking. The fact is that while the habit is unconscious, it can go away on its own. This is the happy difference between children and adults. If you constantly tell your child: “Take your finger out of your mouth!”, hit him on the hand, wrap him in a bandage, then the habit is reinforced on a conscious level. Moreover, the baby receives a tool in order to be guaranteed to attract your attention, albeit negative.

Psychological problem

At 1 year 4 months, Vanya had to be weaned because his mother needed urgent surgery. The baby had to leave his mother for two weeks. Then followed the divorce of the parents and registration in kindergarten. Vanya intensively sucked his finger. The mother tried to protect the child from worries, did everything to make him feel her love, understanding and support. She did not use “radical” measures (plasters, bitter liquids); moreover, Vanya was allowed to “legally” suck her thumb before going to bed. But my mother explained that this is bad for teeth, and microbes can be dangerous, so Vanya will be great if he decides to give up this habit. At the age of 4, the boy himself decided not to suck his thumb. Needless to say, he received the warmest support and admiration from his mother!

Problems in a child’s life are not always as obvious as in Vanya’s case. It’s just one step from just a bad habit to a symptom of a psychological problem.

You can assume that thumb sucking is an indicator of psychological distress in the following cases:

The child has experienced some kind of stress. This could be the death of a loved one or a pet, a previous illness (especially with hospitalization), or severe fright. The child may not begin to suck his thumb immediately, but some time after the traumatic event. Be careful!

The baby lives in a situation of chronic family stress. If your life is accompanied by scandals, showdowns or the “oppression of silence,” then even a one-year-old child can react to this with neurotic manifestations.

"Joyful" stress. The birth of another child, moving to a new apartment, going on vacation are joyful for adults, but for a baby they can become a real challenge.

The child was not wanted from the beginning. A feeling of uselessness can accompany a child from birth and lead to deep problems in emotional development. If the contact between mother and baby is broken, he does not receive the necessary warmth and attention, then he reacts with many symptoms of trouble, including thumb sucking.

All measures to combat the “bad habit” turn out to be ineffective. You try to do everything to distract the child, paying him a lot of attention, but the finger still ends up in the mouth. A persistent habit that is not affected by your actions suggests that the problem may be deeper than it seems.

Thumb sucking in situations where it is a psychological problem is rarely the only problem alarming symptom. After experiencing stress, the baby may lose some already formed skills - stop eating on his own, “forget” how to use the potty, “lose” speech. This is called developmental regression. If the situation is favorable for the child and they try to help him, then previous skills are restored and neurotic symptoms disappear. If the baby lives in a “cold” family, does not feel emotional attachment, and care for him is formal (clothing, feeding, putting him to bed), then various fears, for example, of a new space, new people, may be added to thumb sucking. The child may demonstrate “inappropriate” reactions: panic, high-pitched squealing, aggressive actions, etc. Thumb sucking is just the tip of the iceberg when the baby experiences psychological discomfort. And it is completely useless to fight the habit itself - you need to look for the problem and work on it. Consider turning to a psychologist for professional help, because in each specific case, recommendations for overcoming the problem will be different.

Thus, thumb sucking is a clear symptom indicating that the child needs help. At the age of up to 1 year, these are measures to help satisfy the sucking reflex. From 1 year to 3 years, the baby needs support in a state of anxiety, fatigue, boredom, so that “finger” does not become a bad habit. After 3 years, if a child sucks his thumb often, then there is reason to think about whether there are psychological problems leading to such behavior.

Ekaterina Rakitina

Dr. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Klinikum, Germany

Reading time: 5 minutes

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Article last updated: 05/02/2019

Many parents have noticed the habit of thumb sucking in their child. Why he does this remains a mystery to many. But the harm from this can be significant. In addition to the destruction of the nail plate and the formation of an incorrect bite, pathogenic bacteria are introduced into the oral cavity. And they can cause various types of infections. It is necessary to understand all the details and find out why the child sucks his thumb.

Revealing the reasons

It is worth noting that the sucking reflex is the main one in a newborn baby. After all, no one lectures him before bringing him to his chest. Of course, they help and guide, but they don’t explain anything verbally. It turns out that this is a natural reflex. With the help of sucking, the baby calms down, digestion develops, and general development. But when a three-month-old toddler suddenly starts sucking his thumb, this is no longer very good. Let's try to find out why he does this:

1. Lack of mother's milk.
2. The little one got bored.
3. Psychological characteristics.
4. Teeth are being cut.

Lack of milk

If the baby is on natural feeding, not complemented by anything, watch him. How often does he ask to eat, and is the breast empty after the feeding process? These are signs that he is getting enough milk. Perhaps the child eats only the front milk, the most easily accessible one, and then does not want to work? Of course, then he does not eat enough and tries to fill the feeling of hunger.

Let the baby eat his fill, don’t be afraid that he will overeat and feel sick. The baby knows how much food to eat.

The baby is bored

Newborns can also become bored with what is happening around them. When they are just born, their visibility zone is no more than 25 centimeters. This figure increases every month, and by 3-4 months they are able to distinguish objects at a distance. It is this period that is marked by the first touches of toys. The baby may get bored from a monotonous picture, refresh the background with new toys, try not to leave him alone in a lonely crib for a long time.

Psychological characteristics

If a child starts sucking his thumb at 2 years old, it signals a lack of attention. This is a period of rapid development, including speech development. He has many questions, and when an adult is busy with his own affairs for a long time, the child begins to make up for this by sucking his fingers.

Often a problem arises due to a change in the usual environment, for example, transfer to a separate room. Therefore, the sooner the little one gets his own apartment, the easier it will be to get used to it. Optimal age: 1.5 - 2 years. Difficulties may arise later.

Teeth cutting

If this is the reason, then the toddler sucks not only his thumb, but is also able to try to put the entire hand into his mouth. This is understandable; the restless person cannot understand what is happening, pain and discomfort arise. This is accompanied by copious salivation. Sometimes it arises loose stool and temperature. If these factors occur simultaneously, the reason lies in the appearance of new teeth.

Mistakes parents make

Many doctors are of the opinion that there is no need to wean a baby from thumb sucking until the age of one and a half years. It is by 18 months that you can talk and explain to your child. And he must hear you. Even in the womb, the baby begins to get acquainted with his hands. Then the sucking reflex develops. Having been born, the baby reinforces it when they begin to put it to the breast. During this process, three nerves work: nasopharyngeal, vagus and ternary. They contribute to better digestion and mental balance of the baby. So the baby uses sucking not only when he wants to eat. When a newborn finds his hands at 3 months and begins to actively explore his fingers with his mouth, parents sound the alarm. And the advice of grandmothers and experienced neighbors haunts me. And here are the most common mistakes when mothers and fathers try to wean their children from sucking hands.

1. They use mustard, aloe juice, special varnishes, and hot pepper. This is just fanaticism over a tiny creature. A fragile body may react unexpectedly to such innovations. Trying to organize proper feeding To avoid problems with a fragile intestine, parents harm it with products that they coat their fingers with. Imagine, it will still end up in his mouth and he will swallow it. So this is not the right remedy.
2. Sew mittens to clothes, tie and bandage handles. The child is so small that as soon as adults grant amnesty, the problem will return. The baby is just going to suffer.
3. They start screaming and swearing at the baby.

Remember that the child does this unconsciously, do not yell at your child! The baby’s psyche will be disrupted.

All of the above are forceful techniques that can only harm a fragile person. You need to act in other ways.

Harm from sucking foreign objects

It is clear that there is no benefit from the baby sucking its fingers. Yes, this is a calming procedure. But there are special things for this ritual. And the harm here is noticeable:

1. malocclusion;
2. crooked teeth;
3. introduction of harmful microorganisms into the oral cavity;
4. the danger of a negative event degenerating into a habit;
5. aesthetic function;
6. gum damage;
7. deformation of fingers from a long habit of sucking them.

How to wean yourself from a bad habit

Having figured out why the child sucks his thumb, you can try to wean him from the bad habit.

Remember that intrusive methods are contraindicated. The baby should not feel like he is being pressured. This will worsen the situation, the child will begin to use the prohibited technique more often to calm down.

1. If the habit affects your newborn, try increasing the breastfeeding time to 40 minutes. This way, the baby will be able to eat to his fill, and there is a chance that the need for thumb sucking will disappear. If your baby is bottle-fed, use a bottle nipple with a smaller hole. This will increase feeding time.
2. In the case when the fidget has already reached one year of age or more, you can use games that occupy the hands. Offer to assemble construction sets or puzzles. Drawing or sticking interesting pictures. Any activity that uses both hands. Gradually the need to suck will disappear. After all, this has already turned into a habit, and, as you know, they can change.
3. Some toddlers engage in bad habits while watching cartoons or reading books. give him soft toy to keep your hands busy. There are a number of soft-filled items that use pellets inside. When palpated, they are felt. Kids love to crush these things. In addition to getting rid of a negative habit, motor skills will also be trained.
4. Older girls can be suggested to visit a manicurist. It is unlikely that the little princess will want to destroy the beauty on her nails. This is not about applying bright varnishes, but simply about processing. Possible use special means to protect the nail plate. And she will like the process itself.
5. Visiting the dentist. A good specialist who has an approach to children will help convince and wean the baby from sucking. Fortunately, there are special pediatric dentistries where doctors can and know how to communicate with children.
6. Focus on age. After 2 years, explanatory conversations are allowed with the child. He is already able to understand the words of an adult. If you focus on age, that adult children do not act this way, a good result is possible. The main thing is not to put pressure and not to allow physical methods impact.
7. Creating more trusting relationships. If a parent begins to get angry with a tomboy, such behavior will not bring love. With good relationships, children will begin to listen and understand loved ones.

To wean a tomboy from a bad habit, you need a set of activities carried out daily. The approach to each child is individual. And the main reason lies in compensation for attention. If you spend more time with your child, he will probably not develop this bad habit.

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