What should I do if my 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, liketo act 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 figure out why the baby starts to suck his finger.

Pediatricians and psychologists do not yet have one opinion,what to do if the 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 has long been known that one of the main reflexes inchildren 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 the childsucks 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 little smaller diameter, so that the baby has time to "puff" a lot while the mixture slowly flows through the hole. The best nipple opening size 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 issues that really worriesmost parents - do you need a baby's 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 the blanket, pulls everything in the mouth, then you can replace these items with a pacifier, as it will be easier to wean the baby from it. However, all this is true only in relation to infants.

But what to do if a child sucks a finger alreadyafter he hit the year? 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 is well aware that parents are very fond of him, and each other. Do not quarrel and scandal with the child.

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

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

However, what should I do if the child sucks his finger onhabit? Do not put mittens on his hands and shove the handle on the tire. When you remove the barrier, the kid again takes over the old. Better try to distract him, while not really focusing on this habit, so that he does not begin 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.

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