2 yr.old sucks thumb constantly, what can I do??

[mom2lucy]

I'm a huge believer in not forcing babies/toddlers to do things they're not ready for or to give up things when they're not ready. DD, who will be 2 at the end of the month, has always been a thumb sucker but since she's weaned at 21 mo. it has turned into a constant habit. She literally has her thumb in her mouth all the time unless she's actively doing something with both hands.
This hasn't really bothered me and I had no plans to do anything about it for quite awhile, until I noticed that her 2 upper and 2 bottom middle teeth are becoming shaped differently (ie. like her thumb). This really concerns me because I don't want her to have horrible teeth with 2 buck teeth by the age of 3! Everything I've read says that it's not a big deal until their adult teeth come in, but I can already see changes in her mouth.
I honestly don't think she could possibly sleep without her thumb, and I don't want to take that away from her, but now it's just a habit and I don't know what to do.
I'm pregnant and due in May so I hate to take her main comfort measure away from her, but I also don't want her to have a screwed up jaw.
What can/should I do??????
Thanks for any insight!

[OTMomma]

I would just try to do a lot of 2 handed activities during the day to help her break the habit. Play-doh, finger paint, sand play, and shaving cream games all use 2 hands and have the added benefit of making her thumb less appealing until the activity is done and her hands are washed. Other 2 handed activities are- pushing a doll stroller, making her hold on to both ropes on a swing (I only push if the child holds on with both hands), many musical instruments, toys that have to be put together.

Doing this a lot may help her start to forget to suck her thumb all day. At this age I wouldn't stress about needing it to sleep, and just focus on the constant daytime habit. Make a goal of having her too busy to suck her thumb a little more each day.

Hope this helps.

[springbabes]

I wouldn't worry. My son sucked his thumbs constantly until he decided to give it up for his 5th birthday. He had rather pronounced buck teeth at the time but it's been nearly 2 years and you can't tell at all now. He doesn't even have an overbite and his two permanent teeth have grown in perfectly straight.

[Rowansmama]

My daughter is 27 months and has been a hardcore thumb sucker since she was 10 or 11 months. I actually got her to stop for awhile by putting the bitter stuff on her thumb, but it was miserable for all of us. So I ended up taking her to the dentist because her teeth are also quite noticeably crooked. The dentist reassured me that I don't need to worry at all until the permanent teeth come in. He also said the vast majority of kids will stop sucking on their own by that point. It was really, really reassuring to hear. I'd say don't worry about it at all, but if you are quite concerned, go to your dentist and have the teeth looked at. I'm sure he'll say, like mine did, that it's nothing to worry about. Good luck!

[Letitia]

I was that kind of little kid. Normal, well-adjusted, and sucked my thumb, always the right one because the left one just felt wrong, all the time until I was about ?4. Then I just stopped. My parents never did anything other than suggest, at some time around when I stopped, that I stop, but I have vague uncomfortable memories of hearing things discussed as if I wouldn't understand them, mentioned by other people. Like the bitter stuff. So I'm kind of against those measures; brings up an old anxiety, I guess.

I don't know anything about the dental end. What the PP said is pretty reassuring, and if it were me I'd discuss it with my own dentist, whom I really trust. Do you have access to anyone like that?

[mom2lucy]

Thanks ladies, that is reassuring. I think I will talk to my dentist about it, but I just wanted to hear some personal stories.
Thanks again!

[granolalight]

I'm glad to read these, as my 3 year old is a thumb sucker too. His thumb and lovey go together. Can't have one w/o the other.