You’ve probably noticed your baby or toddler has some cute, endearing, or even downright strange habits that she uses to comfort herself before going to sleep. Some need a favourite teddy, some suck their thumbs and some play with their hair. Under most circumstances, these are perfectly harmless, and are a part of your child’s learning to self soothe.
There are some forms of self comforting where your child may inflict pain on him or herself. Banging her head against the wall, or chewing fingernails down to the quick are destructive habits, and definitely need to be addressed by a professional, sooner rather than later.
Even a seemingly innocuous habit, like going to bed with a bottle, can be a bad idea, as it can contribute immensely to tooth decay, and there is the risk of choking, that most parents don’t realise.
In short, as long as your child’s comfort habits are quirky, rather than painful, and as long as they don’t involve taking a bottle to bed, they should be fine.
There are some forms of self comforting where your child may inflict pain on him or herself. Banging her head against the wall, or chewing fingernails down to the quick are destructive habits, and definitely need to be addressed by a professional, sooner rather than later.
Even a seemingly innocuous habit, like going to bed with a bottle, can be a bad idea, as it can contribute immensely to tooth decay, and there is the risk of choking, that most parents don’t realise.
In short, as long as your child’s comfort habits are quirky, rather than painful, and as long as they don’t involve taking a bottle to bed, they should be fine.
