Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

If you have a child, then you may have heard from other parents that it is possible to wean a child from a pacifier so as not to deform teeth at an older age, but not from thumb sucking. But let's face it: some kids don't like pacifiers! Many parents have to endure a battle to keep their baby from getting used to thumb sucking. Note that thumb sucking is not a dental problem at this stage, as the baby has no teeth yet! Most (but not all) children grow out of this habit before teeth appear. Thumb sucking is a natural way for an infant to comfort himself, which means that parents will have to work less effort to calm the baby. However, if you are worried that your child will not be able to quit this habit in time, this article offers you some useful recommendations.

Steps

1. 1 Wait. If you intend to breastfeed, wait until the baby is used to breastfeeding so that he does not develop a pacifier habit earlier. (In some babies, this habit is not formed, in which case the nipple can be started from the first days). In the process of teaching a baby to a dummy, carefully remove his handles from his mouth every time he gets the impression that he wants to start sucking his fingers. If the cause of thumb sucking is hunger, the problem can be solved by adjusting the feeding regimen. It is also helpful to use gloves or clothing with sleeves that cover the handles.
2. 2 Gradually start offering the baby a dummy and watch for his reaction. The best time for dummy training is when the baby is almost asleep while feeding. This is due to three factors working in your favor: the baby is in a good mood, he has a need to suck and he is in a sleepy state, that is, more pliable and receptive.
   • Be careful - the first experience shouldn't be negative. Try not to force an irritated, hungry baby to pick up a pacifier, otherwise it may irritate him even more, thus forming a negative attitude towards the pacifier. Also, do not push the pacifier too quickly or at the wrong angle - the baby may choke and, because of this, also dislike the pacifier. (If you inadvertently already did something that turned the baby away from the nipple, don't worry - the situation can be corrected!)
3. 3 If your baby is comfortable with the pacifier, skip this step. If he doesn't seem to be interested or in love with the dummy, try the following:
   • First of all, if the child picks up the pacifier but soon spits it out, try to jerk it a little while it is in his mouth. This triggers the baby's sucking reflex, which keeps the pacifier in the mouth. Be careful not to push the pacifier too hard, otherwise the opposite reflex will work and the baby will spit it out.
   • If this trick does not make the baby hold the pacifier in his mouth, try offering it to him later, when he is in a different mood. Try several times at different times and find the best one to introduce your baby to the dummy.
   • If that doesn't work, experiment with the size and shape of the pacifier. The standard dummy for some babies, especially babies, is too large and causes a gag reflex. In this case, special pacifiers for newborns are more suitable.
   • If all else fails, dip the pacifier in something sweet, canned fruit juice, or sugar water as a last resort. Of course, this is undesirable, but some children start taking a pacifier only after that. Continue to offer the baby the pacifier little by little so that he or she begins to show interest in it. (Sometimes it takes one to two weeks. Don't give up! Sooner or later you will be successful).
4. 4 Now that the baby is already interested in the pacifier, keep it close at all times and offer it every time the baby pulls his fingers into his mouth. It is helpful to purchase a dummy clip and attach it to your baby's clothing. (it is better to choose with a short chain, so that there is no risk of suffocation). Or you can just carry the pacifier with you in your pocket at all times.
   • Another option is to buy several pacifiers and put them in different places so that they are always at hand (for example, next to the crib, in the bathroom, in the car).

Tips

• If you have an older child sucking a thumb, dummy training for a younger child can be a good way to switch to a dummy! Older children are extremely interested in everything that a newborn does, and if a toddler takes a pacifier, they will want it too. (This is precisely the reason for the regression in potty training, when with the appearance of a newborn, children again begin to demand diapers).
• When your toddler's teeth are teething, keep the pacifier in the refrigerator to help reduce gum pain through the low temperature.
• If your child is already accustomed to thumb sucking, observe exactly when he tends to do it (for example, in a dream, when he is upset, when he is bored, watching TV) and be ready with a dummy or another alternative - a couple of soft toys for comfort, an activity occupying both hands or some other decision that upsets him.

Warnings

• Remember that you should never be forced to suck on a pacifier! It will turn your life into an ongoing war! (Don't worry if this has already happened. Just follow the advice in this article and your little one will eventually get used to the pacifier.)
• Do not give up! Perhaps you will lack patience or inspiration, and sometimes you will simply be angry with what is happening. This is fine. Keep your line. You will succeed.

What do you need

• Dummy (s) - better than bright colors, it attracts babies; and keep a few at all times, as they get lost easily.
• Something sweet to attract a child.