Thumb versus Pacifier: which is better for sleep?

Sleep and a pacifier

If you want a great sleeper, then don’t choose a pacifier over the thumb. You are simply setting yourself up for failure.

The second the pacifier falls out of the baby’s mouth, they need someone to put it back in again.

By the time they are mentally and physically able to do it, (without calling for mom or dad in the middle of the night), they are three or four years old. That’s a lot of sleepless nights (1370 in total from three months to age four) which could lead to a lot more serious health and behavioral issues for your child.

Even if they can put it back in their mouths, you are still giving your child fragmented sleep. They will end up having a full arousal, put the soother back in their mouth and then go back to sleep. This is similar to you waking up to use the bathroom or looking at the alarm clock, noting the time and then going back to sleep. You remember these wakeful periods. Studies have shown that fragmented sleep is not as beneficial as consolidated sleep. When we get fragmented sleep, our bodies do not go into the deeper stages of sleep, and therefore we do not wake up feeling as refreshed the next morning. The same is true for babies and toddlers.

Thumb sucking is an intuitive process

For babies, sucking on thumbs and fingers is a natural and intuitive process. We have all seen the pictures of babies who suck their thumbs while still in the womb. So, if your newborn or infant gravitates to a thumb or finger as a self soothing strategy – embrace it!

Celebrate that they have the ability to self soothe and will be better sleepers as a result.

When we sleep, we have partial arousals throughout the night. We come gently to the surface, scan our environment and then go back to sleep. These are the times that we adjust our pillows, roll over, pull up the blankets or snuggle up to our partner. In the morning, we do not remember them and therefore we wake up feeling more refreshed as we were able to get into the deeper stages of sleep. This is considered consolidated sleep. The same is true for babies and young children.

Just because you don’t use a pacifier, does not mean that your child will automatically choose a finger or thumb. Many babies and young children find other self soothing strategies such as cuddling with a small stuffed animal or a blanket.

If they do gravitate to fingers or thumbs, then early intervention is best. Some parents have reported that their babies spontaneously stopped sucking on their thumbs or fingers on or around their first birthday. If that does not happen, then you will want to engage in behaviour management techniques around two years old to stop any finger and thumb sucking while awake and then again around three to four years old for the sleep association.

About the Author:  For more on baby sleep, visit Good Night on www.goodnightbaby.co.za

 

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