I'm a "big picture" kind of girl - I look at things in the future as to how I handle them now.
When Seth was born, Jeremy and I both agreed that we would offer him a pacifier. We both were under the mindset that a pacifier is easier to throw away than a thumb. Fortunately, we had absolutely no problems with Seth taking a pacifier as a baby and giving it up at 18 months.
So we tried it again with the twins. Jack and Ian both like their pacifiers but have always had a difficult time keeping it in their mouths. Jack likes the Soothie pacifiers (they mimic a bottle nipple). We bought a Wubbanub pacifier (a Soothie pacifier with a stuffed animal attach to it so that it help them hold the pacifier in their mouths). It's working okay...he still has a difficult time keeping it in his mouth. Ian likes the NUK pacifiers. And he really does a good job keeping it in his mouth.
Several weeks ago, Ian discovered the art of thumb sucking and that it offered immediate soothing. At times when they were both screaming and couldn't keep a pacifier in their mouths, I'll admit, it was nice for him to self-soothe this way. However, the "big picture girl" in me knew that this would be a bad habit to break down the road. So I would gently take his thumb out of his mouth and replace it with a pacifier.
This brings us to today. Am I really up for that battle? The hard-headedness in me says "YES! We can win!" But the sleepiness in me says "ah, just fight it later."
I know what I need to do - persistence. I'm sure I'll end up sucking it up and replacing the pacifier every chance I get (...starting after my nap).
6 comments:
Krista! Cute blog! And good job at how often you are updating! Just wanted to say hi and I think power naps (even for 15 minutes) are AMAZING and can totally change your way of thinking! Ha! Good luck!
Shanna
Krista, my two were hardened thmb suckers at about four months, now they seem to have forgotten about them and they will not have a dummy.....they just screech...argh...I loved the thumb thing while it lasted :):)
I found your blog via my cousin Katherine's blog. I love the pacifier/thumb debate! I have one of each in my growing family (Jackson 3 and Lauren 12 months) and I was a major thumb sucker. I didn't uncork it until I was about 5 and its been rumored that I still sucked my thumb in my sleep until I was about 7. My advice to you as a mom and a Child behavioral therapist is to not worry. Think about it this way... pacifier or thumb they are both being used to make them more comfortable and teach kids and babies to self soothe and eventually emotional regulation. This is what you want! Let them decide what works for them best and when it is best for them to put them away. When the pacifier and thumb begin to be socially inacceptable or uncomfortable for you then suggest they leave the binky at home or have something for them to hold in their hands to redirect them.
Your blog and kids are super cute!
My reasoning was exactly like yours. "I know how to get ride of a pacie, but I don't know what I would do with a thumb!" My ten all had pacifiers and I did exacatly what you have done, replacing the few that sucked their thumbs w/pacifiers (and holding them in until they could remember how to). However, many of mine had their pacie till they were 3.... mostly at home or only in bed, but I was lax about that battle. I also figured the orthodontically studied and shaped pacifiers wouldn't mess up their teeth if they kept it a little longer. Hang in there, a baby is easier to overcome than a toddler.
Sorry-- Hammond did NOT post on your blog! His email account was open so my post has his name on it!!
Thank you, girls! :)
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