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@BabyBoecksMom: no advice but hoping it resolves itself soon! I would definitely give my pediatrician a call and get some guidance...whether it's a book or referral.

My LO sucks her fingers so hard that her nails peel off as well. Don't have any advice but i'd definitely talk to your pediatrician.

I'd ask for advice from your pediatrician now, before it becomes too ingrained of a habit. My sister is 21 and pulls her hair as a coping mechanism and it's gotten bad. I wish we had helped her with it when she was younger. It may be just a phase for your LO, but I think it's worth some investigating. Good luck!

@BabyBoecksMom: hopefully they get back to you soon with some guidance on how to help. I know your LO was a paci baby so maybe this is her substitute? My LO is a thumb sucker but only at bedtime but around 18 months she started doing it when she is scared/nervous or bored. So we've been reminding her to take her finger out of her mouth during the day...and it's working. When we tell her to take her finger out of her mouth she likes is to tell her stuffed animals to do the same. So we say "C, take your finger out of your mouth please...Bunny, finger out of mouth please...George, finger out of mouth please". I think it helps for her to always have something in her hands... Like she has 4 small stuffed animals in her car seat so she doesn't get bored and start sucking her thumb. I know it's controversial but we prefer to try and limit it now and so far it seems to be working. So maybe some gentle reminders and using stuffed animals as an example.

@BabyBoecksMom: I have no experience, but I hope your pedi has some ideas! What about like an amber teething bracelet, that she could twirl the beads?

@sandy: Don't want to threadjack, but I didn't know this was controversial! I've been starting to ask DS to take his thumb out during the day, unless I know he is stressed out (i.e. he just fell down) or it's before nap/bedtime and he's in his sleep sack. He knows what I'm asking, and usually obliges; I don't push it if he doesn't. It's cold here and he had sucked a giant gash across his thumb that was incredibly hard to heal, so I'm trying to prevent that from happening again!