Expectant parents consume masses of information about how to care for newborns, what developmental milestones there are, and when they should worry about a child’s behavior.While thumb-sucking is normal in infancy, even before birth, a persistent thumb-sucking habit can be destructive. What you should know about thumb-sucking in the womb will help you stop your child from sucking their thumb before it becomes harmful.

What Causes Infants in the Womb To Suck Their Thumbs?

Part of the process of growth in the uterus is developing reflexes that will assist a newborn in survival. The sucking reflex is essential for an infant to take in nutrition in the first year of life. As the fetal brain develops, neurotransmitters can begin to react to the soothing sensation that thumb-sucking provides. Ultrasound images have shown fetuses sucking their thumbs between the fifth and sixth months of gestation.

Does Thumb-Sucking in the Womb Affect the Baby After Delivery?

According tothe Fetal Behavior Research Centre at Queen’s University, the finger the child prefers to suck inside the womb determines their dominant hand after birth. Children who suck their right thumbs grow to be right-handed, while children who suck their left thumbs become left-handed, with only some negligible deviation.

What if the Baby Doesn’t Suck Their Thumb in the Womb?

Parents are sometimes concerned that their baby doesn’t suck their thumb. Usually, this is nothing to worry about. What you should know about thumb-sucking in the womb is that when babies don’t suck their thumbs, it may simply be an individual difference.

However, once the child is born, one of the measurements of their health is the sucking reflex. If that reflex doesn’t manifest itself, it could indicate a developmental issue and could affect the type of neonatal care that medical professionals must provide. If you’re concerned about it, ask your doctor at your next ultrasound appointment.

How Do You Eventually Break a Baby’s Thumb-Sucking Habit?

If a child who once showed their natural sucking reflex in a healthy way persists in sucking their thumb after age two, parents may want to stop the habit. Prolonged thumb-sucking can cause dental deformation, infections, and problems with speech development and swallowing.

A TGuard thumb-sucking glove gently removes the pleasurable sensation of thumb-sucking. Its design makes it impossible for the child to create a sucking sensation. By eliminating the pleasure of sucking the thumb, the Tguard AeroThumb causes the child to lose interest in sucking altogether, usually within 30 days.

If you’re concerned about your child’s persistent thumb-sucking habit, try the TGuard AeroThumb. Be aware that some children will simply switch hands for thumb-sucking, so purchasing two fully prepares you to break your child’s habit. Try the TGuard AeroThumb before your child experiences the complications of thumb-sucking.