What should I do if the child sucks a finger?

Do not panic if your child is sucking a finger, since this problem can easily be handled.

You may have heard a lot of advice on how to proceed in this case. For example, it is advised to smear a finger with something unattractive, then this harmful habit will disappear by itself. However, first we need to understand why the baby starts to suck his finger.

Pediatricians and psychologists do not yet have one opinion on what to do if a child sucks a finger. Some believe that the baby should not suck a pacifier or finger. However, other experts disagree and argue that it will be better if the baby begins to suck the nipple, as from it he can ever refuse, which can not be said about the finger. However, some people hold the opinion that a child sucking a finger is very physiological, because the child does this while still in the womb of the mother.

It is known for a long time that one of the main reflexes in children is a reflex sucking. Therefore, one can firmly say that if a child sucks an arm or a finger, then the sucking reflex of the child was not absolutely satisfied. Very often, this occurs in those babies who are breastfed and they do not get enough pleasure from sucking a bottle.

Many give advice on what to do if a child sucks a finger. For example, you can increase the duration of feeding. With breastfeeding, you can breast-feed your baby longer. If he is on artificial feeding, then try using a nipple with a hole of a slightly smaller diameter, so that the baby has time to "puff" enough until the mixture slowly flows through the hole. The best size of the nipple opening should be such that no more than 2-3 drops per second flow out.

In order to satisfy the child's fully sucking reflex, it is also possible to increase the frequency of feeding. Thus it is necessary to reduce a single portion of food with artificial feeding.

One of the important questions that most parents are worried about is whether the baby needs a nipple? Experts in this matter have not come to a common opinion. However, all agree that if a child does without a nipple calmly, then it is not necessary to accustom it specifically to it. However, if the baby sucks a finger, sucks a blanket, pulls everything in the mouth, then you can replace these items with a pacifier, since it will be easier to wean the baby from it. However, all this is true only in relation to infants .

But what if a child sucks a finger after the year has hit him? Here the reasons are completely different. Psychologists say that a child can suck a finger if it feels psycho-emotional discomfort, or when the excommunication from the bottle or from the chest was too harsh. Also, a child can suck a finger if this has become his habit since the very first months of life

How can you solve these problems and psychologically defeat the child's bad habit?

Try to create the most favorable atmosphere in the family. It is required that the child understands well that parents love him and each other very much. Do not quarrel and scandal with the child.

Give your child more attention, more often hug and caress him, so that he has as many good emotions as possible.

Without a serious reason, do not sharply take the baby from the chest, as the sucking reflex remains with the baby after a year.

However, what should I do if a child sucks a finger out of habit? Do not put mittens on his hands and shove the handle on the tire. When you remove the barrier, the baby will again take over the old. Better try to distract him, while not really focusing on this habit, so that he does not start to do it from a contradiction.

At night, as soon as the toddler falls asleep with a finger in his mouth, quickly remove it.

Be sure to remind the child that he is already big enough and he does not need to suck a finger, so only small children do.

Do not scold him, but better together with him try to cope with this problem.