<body><script type="text/javascript"> function setAttributeOnload(object, attribute, val) { if(window.addEventListener) { window.addEventListener('load', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }, false); } else { window.attachEvent('onload', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }); } } </script> <div id="navbar-iframe-container"></div> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://apis.google.com/js/platform.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> gapi.load("gapi.iframes:gapi.iframes.style.bubble", function() { if (gapi.iframes && gapi.iframes.getContext) { gapi.iframes.getContext().openChild({ url: 'https://www.blogger.com/navbar/16436977?origin\x3dhttp://naneaallen.blogspot.com', where: document.getElementById("navbar-iframe-container"), id: "navbar-iframe" }); } }); </script>

Thursday, April 20, 2006

The Great Thumb Debate!

There seems to be a constant battle between the thumb sucker/pacifier-loving theories and the "no-way-is-anything-going-in-my-child's-mouth-besides-a-boob-or-bottle" theories. Everyone has an opinion, whether they have children or not. Even before I had Nanea, I had decided that "self"-soothing, whether that be using a pacifier, thumb or something else, is not a bad thing. A thing backed up by several books and articles I read, and by Nanea's pediatrician. (side-note: since I consider myself a well-read and educated woman, we're talking about legitimate reads, not glossed over, Jenny McCarthy baby-book-as-bible type reads - though I did ready that too :)!). So, getting back to my thought: Nanea has successfully found her thumb, and it makes her sleep through the night. 11 - 12 hours sleeping through the night. Now, how can this be a bad thing? Let's face it, ALL babies suck on their hands. And yet, people still discourage it. I can see discouraging a school-aged child, but come on, a 3 month old? She will even occasionally put herself down for a nap while sucking her thumb duing the day. Random naps when I'm not even trying. Even as I type now, I hear her happily sucking away, having just woken up from a good night's sleep. She doesn't really like the pacifier, but I still occasionally try, when she's in places she can't reach her hand, like her car seat.

So, the moral to my story is "self"-soothing is GREAT! This was brought on by my recent encounter with my great-aunt who shouted in horror, "take that thumb out of her mouth!!" when she saw a very fussy Nanea trying desperately to get her thumb while I was changing her diaper at Easter. I quickly retorted, "I will not, it makes her go to sleep!" SO much for respecting your elders!

alohab @ 9:47 AM
1 comments

Comments:
Aloha,

Isn't it funny that people are very willing to give you advice on parenthood? I know I got it a lot when I was pregnant, whether solicited or not. :) I just listened and nodded because, in the end, the decision is yours. Your post reminded me of the other great debates... breast vs. bottle, how long to nurse, when to potty train, etc.

Neither of my kids ever got into thumbsucking, took pacifiers and really didn't care for a bottle so I was their human pacifier and I was fine with that...it worked for me. So you do whatever you want to do! :)

Send my best to the family... Nanea is just adorable!

--Marica
# posted by Blogger Marica : 4:42 AM
 
Post a Comment


Name: alohab
Home:
About Me:
See my complete profile


Powered by Blogger