For some new babies, the thrill of "open oral fissure, insert thumb" begins within weeks of nativity. For others, thumb-sucking is a continuation of a habit perfected well before they were born — and the proof is in those adorable ultrasound pics.

Only whether your little 1 started thumb-sucking in utero or acquired a taste for her pollex soon subsequently birth, it'south normal to wonder whether a fondness for sucking her thumb at present ways information technology will carry over into eye school — and you'll finish upwardly footing a giant nib for all the orthodontic work she'll need.

You don't need to pull the plug only yet, though. Get the low-downwardly on your baby's thumb-sucking habit.

Why do babies suck their thumbs?

It's perfectly natural for newborns to suck their thumbs. Hither's why:

  • Babies are born to suck. Sucking is a normal newborn reflex because it's how they eat. And then it's definitely a skilful matter that your babe has figured it out already.
  • Sucking calms your infant down. Fifty-fifty when you've just finished feeding your baby, she might still need to suck some more. But that doesn't mean she'southward ready to eat once again. Not only do they take to suck to fill their tummies, babies besides demand "not-nutritive" sucking, the kind that soothes them. It's the whole reason we accept pacifiers in the first place. And some babies, like your own footling thumb-sucker, like non-nutritive sucking more than others.
  • Thumbs are always at manus. There'southward some other explanation for why your infant is already sucking her cute little thumb: It'southward right at that place. Of course, the beginning few times were probably simply accidental gustatory modality tests, just when your baby figured out how comforting (and accessible!) her pollex was, she apace learned how to go it into her mouth on purpose.

Benefits of pollex-sucking for babies

At that place are also some advantages to a thumb-sucking baby: With her thumb literally at her side, your newborn has a congenital-in mode to calm herself downwards any time she'south feeling cranky, no help required. (Just be sure she isn't sucking because she'south hungry.)

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So what about getting your baby to suck on a pacifier instead? Well, yous can, if the pollex-sucking really bothers you lot. And as a bonus, you have more command over when and where your baby uses a pacifier, which makes it easier to accept information technology away in the cease. Something else to consider: Studies show that using a pacifier while sleeping reduces the gamble of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

All About Pacifiers

When to stop thumb-sucking

A skilful rule of pollex if your baby continues to uses her pollex or a pacifier for the long-term: As she grows, besides much of either can disturb the alignment of her teeth and fifty-fifty the construction of her mouth, so yous'll want to wean her off well before her permanent front teeth come in. Dentists typically recommend getting rid of pacifiers and thumb-sucking before age three.

A lot of kids will terminate thumb-sucking on their ain, often because their preschool classmates tell them it's babyish. You can help that process forth while your child is still a toddler by offering other condolement objects similar a beloved stuffed fauna when she reaches for her thumb.

But for the time beingness, yous tin permit your happy little sucker suck her thumb to her middle's content and be glad she's found such a handy way to soothe herself.