Good evening Humble Readers...
It's confession time. Big dark bad confession time. Earth shattering, life-altering, outting-me-as-a-bad-mommy confession time. **sarcasm heavily implied**
I let Ginevra suck her thumb.
In fact, I encouraged it. Ok, so obviously I'm being sarcastic about the bad mommy thing. Although, some of the reactions I get from people when they see her sucking her thumb, you'd think I was letting her mix cocktails in the cleaning supply cupboard.
When Ginny slips that thumb into her mouth at church or a family gathering, the ladies around me start raising their eyebrows. Then come the stories of so-and-so's kid who sucked their thumb until they were 12, and needed thousands of dollars of dental work.
I knew that I would be getting a lot of unsolicited advice once I became a parent, just like I did while we were trying to get pregnant. I mean, if my mother told me one more time to stand on my head after sex, I was certain that I would throw a fit (not to mention the ick-ness of having that discussion with my mom).
So, my baby girl sucks her thumb. What's the big deal? She's five months old, not five years old. I'd rather she suck her thumb than get addicted to a pacifier/binky/sucky. I'd rather she be able to soothe herself, than need an object to provide comfort. I think there's also something to be said for the fact that it's something she could have done in the womb. But that's my opinion.
If she's still sucking her thumb in a year's time, we'll be working on breaking her of the habit. For now, I'd like to let her do what comes naturally to her.
But according to the biddies, I'm committing the cardinal mommy-sin. Who'da thunk it?
Oh, I don't think that's the cardinal mommy-sin. Or at least not the only one. It's one of about 1000, of which I have committed 999. Actually, I'm thrilled that my daughter loves her pacifier and also that my son doesn't. It's a huge pain to keep track of her millions of pacifiers, BUT - it keeps her from putting all kinds of crap in her mouth.
ReplyDeleteWhich brings me to my point. There is an up side and down side to everything, so I wouldn't worry about all the assvice you'll be getting. Sounds like you're not too worried anyway.
By the way, the pictures in the previous post are darn cute!
What is it about pregnancy or parenthood that makes people turn off their personal censors? They say the most judgmental things and it's usually about petty crap. Ugh
ReplyDeleteGinerva's thumb sucking is a perfectly appropriate developmental step. It is fabulos that she can self soothe.
You see, everybody is perfect in their every darned thing, so it's just you who is so bollocks...*sarcasm here*
ReplyDeleteWell, pacifiers are very addictive, and self-soothing is good...so there, having a child suck a thumb is not that horrible really...
Self-soothing is soo natural! My gp even admitted her 13 year old still does it-just the tip of the thumb though! Go away buddies :) Nice post!
ReplyDeleteSupposed to read "away buddies" damn autocorrect :)
ReplyDeleteGiving up now LOL-can't fight the power! Xxoo
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with you, and I allowed both my kids to suck their thumbs. They looked cute, it was natural and it was always on tap to comfort them...However, my eldest WAS still sucking her thumb at 12, and the only reason my 7 year old stopped was because she had to have two front teeth extracted, and it was so painful she had to stop. So all swings and roundabouts, and I'm going to try Baby Boy on a dummy when he's born! xxx
ReplyDeleteHey - I sucked my thumb til I was 12, and I didn't need any expensive dental work (but I'm British, and we're less obsessed with straight teeth). I stopped when my dad promised to let me get my ears pierced if I did... nothing like bribery!
ReplyDeleteSo not a sin. Babies want to suck, so it's either going to be fingers, a pacifier, a nipple or a bottle. And there's no way any mom is going to sit breastfeeding a baby for 24 hours a day or sitting there with a bottle. The baby would get fat/sick! Anyways, Tzipora sucks on her fingers a lot, but honestly I'm not worried about it. I'll deal with it when she turns one, but for now at least she can calm herself down.
ReplyDeleteI, too, am a bad mommy. We all are, you know. No mommy has ever known as much as whatever witch is throwing their assvice your way.
ReplyDeleteI get a lot of tongue clucking and comments about letting Graham suck his fingers (it is the cutest this evah), but it is his way of self soothing and seriously, how would it be better to force him to stop doing something that brings him comfort? Most babies wean themselves from sucking fingers/thumbs when they are toddlers, anyway. Graham sucks much less than he used to (just when he's sleepy now, I used to have to pry them out to get him to eat).
Anyway, I try to let the comments slide unless (and yes, one special witch did, and I think you know which witch it was) someone physically tries to take his fingers out of his mouth. But a well placed "Oh, did you raise a perfect child?" may make you feel better ;)
I sucked my thumb until I was 9 and I have perfectly straight and healthy teeth.
ReplyDeleteI swore off a paci...for a whopping 36 hours, LOL. It soothes him, and if he gets his fingers in and that helps, then so be it. It's natural and soothing. And breaking them of it comes later when they can soothe themselves in other ways. I am joining the bad mommy club and flying my flag with pride!
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's a big deal at all! Ruby does suck her thumb occasionally. I never thought seeing my kid suck on her thumb would elicit, "oh my GOD that is SO stinkin' cute!" from me.
ReplyDeleteLike you, if she is still doing it in a year or so we'll talk. Until then it's cute as hell.
you need to do what you think its right not what others think you should do. I wish more people would just support others rather than just push their opinions!! Hugs
ReplyDeleteKudos to you for sticking to your instincts, Girl!
ReplyDeleteYour Ginvera is so beautiful! (I love the pics in your prior post.)
I'm with you and the others---thumb sucking is natural and can be "weened" away in time just like a bottle or pacifier can. :)
my niece thumb sucks and it is amazing, she's been the best self-settler and I only wish D would self settle like that!
ReplyDeletePfft to the nay-sayers unfortunately life is full of judgemental b@#ches :( just ignore them.
Look to the people who you think are great parents. Some people are worthy of accepting advice from, and other are not. As much as I long for a baby in my arms I do not relish the day I start getting the onslaught of advice....
ReplyDeleteI have to agree that I'm anti-pacifier, but really what it some down to is what each parent/family can handle. Some parents are willing to have the battle of the pacifier or thumb or WHATEVER for the quiet of a not-screaming-child. Screaming babies I can live with, fighting over a pacifier not so much. We pick out battles.