The dreaded dummy.

[Casschops]

We have just been placed with a 12 week old baby, who is beautiful.However his previous carer has let him become very dependent on a dummy. This is really two fold but he will go down well to sleep and will sleep from about 7pm just wakimg for a feed then I'm the early hours he will bexome restless and flail around with his arms and wake himself up. I have tried tucking his arms in with a blanket over his baby sleeping bag but he hated it. He also supports out his dummy and doesn't have the hand skill to put it back in. I'm up every half hour or so retrieving it. He likes the cherry dummies and we use a MAM clip to no avail. Any tips about his flailing limbs and the dummy would be much appreciated. Thanks

[CaesiumTime]

Do you mean a foster placement?

I don't have any help, bumping maybe someone can give some advice. I wonder if there isn't a better category for this -will have a quick look

[CaesiumTime]

There is a "sleep" board - maybe request this be moved to there? It looks a bit busier. Good luck, OP.

[Applesauce29]

No real advice for removing it. Our first ended up with multiple dummies in bed - he could eventually put them back in from about six months so settled himself back to sleep if not hungry.

It's so tough trying to get them to give them up tho, so sympathies. Maybe cold turkey best? We still haven't had the resolve to bin our 2 yr olds who now is v.v.attached tho only has them for naps / bed or if sick.

[trilbydoll]

DD2 still does this and she's 18mo and never had a dummy! Not sure what the answer is but the dummy might be a red herring.

You could try a Sleepytot, nice and big for him to find once he does have the coordination.

[flumpybear]

At that young age a dummy would t bother me, some babies are just sucky babies ... let them get on with it

[LivininaBox]

I think that sort of sleeping pattern is normal for a baby that age, the waking may not be down to the dummy? I would be inclined to let him keep it as it probably helps him feel secure. You could try tajubg it out of his mouth once he is fully asleep at 7pm so that he gets used to sleeping without it in his mouth? Congratulations on your baby!

[FizzyFeet]

We do what LivininaBox suggests - dummy to go off to sleep with but take it out just as she is asleep so she gets used to not having it. Started this approach at about 4 months - it was hard work for a couple of weeks but has got much better now. We tried the sleepytot dummy bunny but found the weight of it dragged the dummy out of her mouth. Worth a try though!

We too had flailing arms to deal with. As long as baby can't roll, you could swaddle - he might resist at first but then relax into it. If he likes to have his arms up, you could try the SwaddleUp sleepsuit too. The alternative could be putting him in a big cot (am guessing he is in a smaller crib or Moses basket?) to see if it is bashing his arms on the sides that is waking him. Good luck!

[Bubspub]

12 weeks is very young. My DS wouldn't have slept without it at that stage. It is infuriating keep having to get up to put it in. I guess they're only a few months away from being able to put it back in themselves. I agree with the poster who said some babies are very 'sucky'. Mine was/is though we've reduced use now that he's 18 months and obviously in the night he can put back in himself.