Classically, thumb-sucking supposedly leads to an overbite, but I don't know if it's really supported by medical studies.
I haven't ever seen the medical support either. I tend to think the problem is overrated.
My nephew used his pacifier up until he was 4 or so. He used it to soothe himself when he was upset. When he was sad he'd go find it and he clearly took a lot of solace in his sucking. I can't imagine denying that to my child if she needed it. He eventually decided on his own that he was old enough to put the pacifier away. He weaned himself.
Trouble is, I see the "put the pacifier in! It quiets her down! And she's shrieking in public!" tendency incipent in myself, so I'm extra-vehement in fighting it.
I dunno. Is it so bad to give your baby something that clearly soothes her when she's upset? I mean, sure I try to figure out *what* is upsetting her to see if I can fix it, but sometimes the problem isn't fixable--like she's fussing herself to sleep, for example.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2004-01-27 10:48 pm (UTC)I haven't ever seen the medical support either. I tend to think the problem is overrated.
My nephew used his pacifier up until he was 4 or so. He used it to soothe himself when he was upset. When he was sad he'd go find it and he clearly took a lot of solace in his sucking. I can't imagine denying that to my child if she needed it. He eventually decided on his own that he was old enough to put the pacifier away. He weaned himself.
Trouble is, I see the "put the pacifier in! It quiets her down! And she's shrieking in public!" tendency incipent in myself, so I'm extra-vehement in fighting it.
I dunno. Is it so bad to give your baby something that clearly soothes her when she's upset? I mean, sure I try to figure out *what* is upsetting her to see if I can fix it, but sometimes the problem isn't fixable--like she's fussing herself to sleep, for example.