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About Your Baby About
Your Baby - Main
Page /
Security & Comfort Items
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My
older daughter discovered her thumb at about three weeks old. She
milked it until she was six. My younger daughter had a love affair
with her
bottles and
pacifiers until she was six. Both girls gave up
their security rituals on their own, in their own time and when they
were ready to give them up. This is not to say that it didn't distress
me to see their teeth protruding and to know that orthodontic bills
loomed large in our future. I just couldn't do it to them ... couldn't
take away something that was so important to their feelings of
security and their self-enforced methods of soothing the savage. Oh, and both my daughters still have their 'blankies'. These have been sharing sleeping space with them for 16 and 11 years, respectively. I wouldn't dream of taking them away. Why would I? I still have the rabbit I clung to throughout childhood up to age 35 when I was finally able to let go and hide 'Penelope' in the closet. (Yes, I'm mortified ... leave it alone ...) Babies
have a need to ensure some control over their powerless environment.
Think about how little say they have in anything that happens to or
for them. They're subjected to painful shots as infants and toddlers
(among countless other horrors) that they no more understand than
you and I understand genocidal murder and torture in third world
countries. They have a little mastery over soothing themselves with a
pacifier, a bottle or their thumb and then, bam! They're forced to
give up something that comforts them. We can justify this by arguing
that it's for their own good. Yes, it is, but there are many
restrictions and limitations we plant on them that are a lot more
important than taking away a relatively harmless habit. Know
this parents ... your kids are not going to start high school sucking
on their thumbs, a
pacifier or
bottle. They might still have a shred
of their old security blanket or lovie, a severely damaged favorite stuffed toy
or a doll that has seen the better side of new but they will
move on and grow up without these babyish soothers. I'm
sure I'll hear plenty of differing opinions. I might even hear from an
orthodontist or two. Could be I'll hear from a parent who swears their
child has a deformed jaw from over-sucking something. Ya know what? I
think if kids are going to have a malformed jaw or crooked teeth,
they're going to have these problems whether or not they suck a thumb
or pacifier. The way I see it is that both my daughters’ father and
myself had teeth that needed correction. Our kids were naturally prone
to crooked teeth and would need orthodontia anyway. They both do, by
the way and I'm sure would have needed it with or without help from sucking on
things. Let
them cling to the little things. Let them have an inch of comfort in
an uncomfortable world and an ounce of power in a powerless existence. And
if your child doesn't suck something from infancy on, consider
yourself lucky! I think it boils down to compassion. Having compassion
for your child and their limitations will go a long way to establish
security in their hearts and minds. Here are other sites, articles, products and opinions on baby security and comfort items:
Swaddling a newborn baby in a receiving blanket is a way to comfort baby and keep baby secure and warm. This isn't as hard to learn as it looks. :-) Here's a video that shows how to swaddle a baby: How To Swaddle A Baby About Your Baby - Site Map This site provides general information and the author's opinions. It is designed for educational purposes only. Always consult with a healthcare professional if you have any concerns about the health of your child. |
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