Hi ladies,
I was resisting putting in my 2 cents worth but I think we really have to be
careful in coming to unfounded conclusions.
I am a LONG term thumbsucker (notice the present tense).  I am a fairly
stable person as an adult. Hold many leadership positions etc so it hasn't
yet interfered with my adult life.  As far back as I can remember people
worked hard to try to get me to quit but I think the initial desire (for
whatever reason that might have been)turned into habit and habit is extremely
hard to quit.  I wish I had because I endured TERRIBLE teasing in school
until we moved and I learned this was something I needed to hide and I got a
fresh start. We need to be careful in assigning reasons to why we become
thumbsuckers.  We are complex individuals.  All I can conclude is that I must
be a very oral person (I am also overweight).ANYWAY
enough about that, my concern is that some are attributing long term nursing
to absense of thumbsucking and I don't think this is accurate.  Many times
women have nursed for extended periods and still had a child that preferred
to suck his/her thumb.  I nursed both my kids past 3yrs. One never touched
his thumb (Thankyou god!) and the other who nursed for a longer time, got
lots of love and attention etc. would love to always be sucking something
even now as a 9 yr old.  She doesn't suck her thumb regularly but every once
in awhile I catch her and actually this is something I have little patience
for as it brings up so many bad feelings in me.  It must be hard for her
though because she sees me doing it still.  I just know I don't want her
burdened with it and will not let it become a habit.
I will distract her or get her busy with her hands inorder to keep her from
sucking.  However I have also used lollipops and  gum.  Like me she must just
be an oral person and it is not necessarily due to any one particular deficit
as an infant.  She has had more sucking time than most at that stage and
certainly more holding and skin contact as I believe in kangaroo care and the
family bed soooooo.......