Removing dummy early enough? Dd 6 months

[Afritutu]

For dd1 we used a dummy initially as she couldn't manage to suck her thumb. Within 3-4 months, she had learnt to suck her fingers and it was easy to wean her off dummy. I assumed when dd2 came along, she would do the same thing, but dd2 is now 6 months and very reliant on dummy for day naps and during night. She has not learnt to suck thumb or fingers and has stopped trying. If she doesn't have the dummy she cries endlessly.
I don't want her to have a dummy as a Toddler. I don't mind if she sucks fingers/thumbs as I think it is not that hard to wean children off them at a slightly older age (4-7ish) when it starts to affect teeth etc.
Have I been foolish and missed the boat with removing the dummy? She is waking so much at night and crying until she gets the dummy back. What should I do???

[steppemum]

actually I think it is much easier to get rid of a dummy later than the fingers, and 4-7 is definitley late and going to be a teeth battle.

We removed dummy at around 12 months. It seemed then that he could understand then, and was well established at getting himself off to sleep. He was very sucky and dummy dependent as a little baby. We did it then because he began to throw it out of the cot to get us to come back into the room to return it. So it went. He fussed the first night for 20 mins, the second for 10 and that was it. We were verystrict about it only being for sleep in his cot though.
Rather than missing the boat I think you are a bit premature.
FWIW, dd1 had no dummy or fingers, dd2 had a dummy for a bit and wasn't bothered, lost it herself at a few months. Every child is different.

[HenriettaPootel]

DS1 had a dummy for sleeping until he was 4, when we took it away. It was pretty grim for a week or so, but ok after that. However, the point I wanted to make is, our dentist advised against taking it away earlier. He said it was much better to let him keep a dummy until he was ready to give it up, than to take it away too early and risk him starting to thumb-suck, which is worse for teeth and a harder habit to break. (He is now 5, and has never sucked his fingers or thumb.)

[bluesmile10]

My ds had a dummy from first born but after few months became a nightmare at night time. Cried every 2 hrs to have dummy put back in, lying there like a little bird until someone popped it back in! At 6 months I decided enough was enough so took it away initially at day time naps. Only did this for few days and the night time was a breeze. Best thing I ever did and to be honest wasn't anywhere near ad traumatic as I thought it would be!

[greensnail]

Dd2 recently gave up her dummy, aged 2. She gave up very easily despite being really attached to it as she understood she was giving it to the dummy fairy (the dummy fairy gives them out to little babies apparently).

Dd1 never had a dummy. She sucked her thumb instead and gave that up by herself at about 18 months.

I would go with whatever works to get everyone sleeping while she's so little and worry about giving it up later.

[Alliwantisaroomsomewhere]

I thnk it is easier to remove a dummy at a later stage rather than stop a child sucking his or her thumb

[Lilicat1013]

I took my son's dummy when he was six months old. I am pleased I did it then as it would be so much hard to do now (he is 2.5). He never started sucking him thumb. The only time I regretted it was when he was in hospital at nine months old as it would have been useful to have a dummy to settle him but you can't predict that sort of thing.