https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 10 May 2026 01:54:20 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158253 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 09:07:13 +0000 MrsF 1158253@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>M stopped using her pacifier once she started teething (maybe 4 months?). Around 6 months she started sucking her thumb when trying to fall asleep. Now at 12 months she's still only sucking it to fall asleep. I was worried at first, but it's comforting to her and she doesn't suck it while she's sleeping, so it's probably less than 20 minutes a day total. Hopefully it stays that way! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158246 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 09:05:10 +0000 Smurfette 1158246@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would prefer pacifier. I think that it would be easier to break that habit. We are lucky R wouldn't take a pacifier and doesn't suck her thumb. She does stuff her whole hand in her mouth. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158233 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:57:00 +0000 LittleFox 1158233@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO sucks his thumb. We tried giving him a pacifier and he never took to it or preferred it to his thumb. At nearly 10 months, he will chew on the rim of a pacifier like a teether, but will not suck on it. I think sometimes the baby's preferences will be strong enough to outweigh our own. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158229 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:56:21 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 1158229@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Awwwww :-) </p> <p>DD never found her thumb, but she used pacis and she chews her fingers. I'm glad she never found her thumb because I can take the paci away, but I can't take the thumb away. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158223 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:53:57 +0000 rachiecakes 1158223@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs squirreld: omg seriously. I've had family do it, too. It's like, leave my tired kid alone.<br /> Yep, he only does it right before he takes a nap or goes to bed. It's the signal that he's wearing out. </p> [attach=1845/13/muvaoz.600x600.image.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158221 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:53:08 +0000 prettylizy 1158221@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We started with the soother when she was a NB and she loved it until she found her thumb at 7-8 months. She puts it in her mouth when she gets tired, crabby or scared/over stimulated. I didn't really want a thumb sucker, but alas, nothing I could do about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158190 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:40:25 +0000 Boheme 1158190@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>First off - squeee! E is SUCH a cutie pie! </p> <p>DS seems to be ok taking whatever. Thumb, pacifier, edge of his jammies are all fair game to him. I like that thumbs are readily available, whereas I would have to run and replace the paci when it fell out. E may change preferences several times in the next few months, so I'd just roll with whatever works! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158176 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:35:51 +0000 Mrs squirreld 1158176@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@rachiecakes: OMG... if I stranger did that to him I would probably punch them. lol...seriously. Does he only suck it when tired? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158173 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:34:06 +0000 autumnlove 1158173@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Both LOs are thumb suckers </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158171 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:33:31 +0000 rachiecakes 1158171@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs squirreld: DS made the decision for us. He eventually whipped the pacifier aside in favor of his thumb. He's almost 2 and is still a thumb sucker. (DH was one when he was small! I was not)<br /> It's easy for us to tell when he's tired because he starts to go for the thumb when he's ready to take a nap or go to bed. </p> <p>I have had strangers take his thumb out of his mouth and say, "don't do that" to him, which makes me livid. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158163 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:29:01 +0000 shinymama 1158163@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would choose the pacifier over his thumb, because the pacifier will be easier to outgrow. Having said that, you may not have a choice, and he might make the decision for you - he looks mighty content with that tiny little thumb! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158152 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:25:03 +0000 Mrsbells 1158152@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Pacifier is definitely better than thumb sucking. its much easier to wean them from something you can take away than from their finger. We used the pacifier </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158094 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:12:07 +0000 Mrs squirreld 1158094@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@illumina: He started with the whole hand first.... ;-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158083 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:09:25 +0000 edelweiss 1158083@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i totally debated between pacifier vs. thumb in the early days, so i feel you. for us, the pacifier became a burden because we were spending up to 1 hour each night replacing it in order for him to fall asleep. the thumb was a better option for us. he completely lost interest in the pacifier. he's 9 months old and still sucks his thumb a bit, but not enough to concern me (especially at this age). if it starts to become an issue down the road we'll deal with it, but i think there are so many factors and unknowns, that going with what's easiest for you and your LO right now is best. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158081 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:09:10 +0000 illumina 1158081@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely thumb! I can't wait until S finds hers. At the moment she just sticks her whole hand in her mouth to soothe! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158078 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:07:30 +0000 mediagirl 1158078@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just saw the pic. Total cute overload. :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158074 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:07:01 +0000 mediagirl 1158074@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs squirreld: oh yes. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158071 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:04:35 +0000 Mrs squirreld 1158071@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: haha it is adorable isn't it?<br /> @mediagirl: So I guess bub can always choose to suck his thumb over a pacifier anyways?<br /> @oliviaoblivia: Definitely isn't hours yet...<br /> @char54: wubbanub's are super cute... do you let her sleep with it though?? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158043 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 07:53:49 +0000 Charm54 1158043@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO started taking a wubbanub when she was in the NICU at 3 days. She uses it probably 4-5 times a day now (girl loves to suck). I think she's close to finding her thumb and honestly I don't care which she prefers...soother is great bc I can take it away, but her thumb is great to because I don't have to fetch it every time it falls out and she starts crying! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158025 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 07:46:09 +0000 oliviaoblivia 1158025@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO sucks her thumb and will occasionally pick up a pacifier. She doesn't seem tied to either of them. She only sucks her thumb when falling asleep.<br /> When I first saw her suck her thumb my reaction was like yours. I talked with our ped and he was fine with it as long as her thumb isn't in her mouth for hours a day. It apparently only becomes an orthodontic problem when adult teeth come in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158024 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 07:45:41 +0000 mediagirl 1158024@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I gave M a paci at a few weeks old because her suck was so fierce, she needed it to soothe. She ended up giving up the paci on her own...and taking on her thumb. I think at that age, a paci is just fine. Try it out and see if he likes it. I know from experience, a paci is easier to toss than the thumb!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158019 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 07:42:22 +0000 Adira 1158019@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have no advice!!! I originally would take his thumb away and give him his pacifier instead, but then I decided his thumb-sucking was adorable and I stopped doing it. And NOW (7.5 months) he takes his pacifier during naps and at night and will suck (more chew - WTF?) on his thumb whenever he pleases. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thumb-or-pacifier#post-1158013 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 07:39:35 +0000 Mrs squirreld 1158013@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ok.... so little E is 1 month old ... and today he discovered his thumb... yep he's sucking his thumb. NAww..</p> <p>I never really planned on using a pacifier. But now that he's sucking his thumb, I'm confused... should I give him a pacifier instead? You can take a pacifier away later on but you can't take away a thumb? They will grow out of both eventually anyways?</p> <p>Help!? I know this is a widely debated topic.. so no judgement either way here.. I'm just after your experiences either way so I can make a decision on what works best for us! :-)</p> <p>Adding a pic for cuteness factor ;-) </p> [attach=2518/13/muv82k.600x591.image.jpg]