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Love Affair With Thumb

So, any mamas out there have experience weaning their rabbits from the thumb?

The Rabbit is now five and still sucking her thumb. Believe me. I don't think this is a huge crisis. I sucked mine until I was at least 7. Might have been 8.

But both her dentist and doctor are really putting the pressure on me to make her stop. Even telling her she has to stop.

Problem is her teeth, they say, and palate. She has a nice overbite. Nice enough that the teeth sometimes stick out when she smiles. I don't notice it. We're not talking Bugs Bunny. But they say this could permanently affect the permanent teeth. Sigh.

See -- I never had orthodontia. Even after my love affair with my thumb. So I have a hard time believing this is the cause of her overbite. I suspect it's her papa's family -- with their severely messed up teeth that required years of braces. Not to mention my own sister and her messed up mouth.

Tonight she went to bed crying, knowing she wasn't supposed to suck her thumb. And when I went to check on her she had burrowed her head under her covers -- covers she normally loathes -- and had fallen asleep with her thumb in her mouth, thinking I wouldn't spy her buried under her blanket of flowers.

I hate this.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Both DQ and Terrorist suck their thumbs/fingers as did I, I never needed braces or anything but I have been told by their dentist that they both have overbites. I'm chalking it up to Spouse, who needed braces etc, not their soothing methods and refuse to force the issue. My parents tried to get me to stop for years and failed. Rooster will give it up when ready and not a moment before regardless of what you do so don't stress yourselves out about it.
divrchk said…
My almost 5 year old still sucks his thumb. It drives me crazy since I wasn't a thumb sucker. We want him to stop but he refuses. If you find the answer, let me know.
sarah said…
Poor thing! Ethan's not yet discovered the tasty goodness of his thumb, but he is fairly loyal to his pacifier and the pediatrician gives me grief about it at every turn. I don't know how to take it away without breaking his heart, so I guess I'd better get back to work pronto to start saving for the decade of dental work he's going to require later on...

best of luck to you and Rabbit on this *little* challenge!

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