How can I get my 5 week old to take a dummy?

[RebeccaP]

My 5 week old has a strong sucking reflex. At the moment she's using my nipple and I really want her to use a dummy instead. So far I have tried a Mam one, an Avent one and today a special one for breast fed babies - but she doesn't keep them in her mouth. Should I persist with them? Can anyone recommend any other dummies?

[allgonebellyup]

oh god, i had this with both of mine.Although your dd is v young so may be persuaded!

Just not my kids though!
To this day, neither of them ever let any type of dummy stay in their mouths.

Sorry!

[sophierosie]

I'm afraid I was dd's dummy when she was really little - she just spat out anything that wasn't the 'real' thing.

To be honest though, as I didn't have any other children to look after once I quite enjoyed the enforced sitting down and endless hours of daytime tv!

[Babyisaac]

RebeccaP, we tried a dummy on a few occasions when our DS was a similar age to your DD. We struggled for ages but persevered. We found he would only take one when he definitely wasn't hungry. Actually, it was quite a good indicator when we weren't sure! I would say, persist and one day she might just accept it. DS used the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature one (bf one) but now he also has MAM ones as he's 6 months old and not that fussy.

[colditz]

Express some breast milk and dip the dummy in it.

[katpotat]

Same prob when our wee one was a baby, never managed to get her to take one. She'd launch them out of the moses basket after about 5 secs Try putting her thumb in her mouth??

[lilyloo]

Have they got cherry teats as these are bigger so stay in better the new born ones are useless imo all my 3 wouldn't entertain them !

[cookiemonstress]

try NUK from greenbaby.. my second was v fussy and this was the only one she tolerated (for the reasons you mention).. unlike DD1 who loved her dummy and although she now doesn't have one, she asks for one every christmas and birthday!

[bethoo]

my ds never took to them and i think that if yours is not intereested why force her? and i bf for 14 months.

[Ledodgy]

Only my ds1 would take a dummy. Dd and ds2 wouldn't have them. Ds1 still has the bloody thing now and he's 2.5,it's the bain of my life. If they're not interested don't bother!

[blackthorn]

It could be that at 5 weeks old he is sucking more to increase the demand, if i remember rightly they do 'feed' more at this age to ensure supply, he should have a strong suck action, your supply should increase and then the obsessive sucking will ease off. my daughter had a dummy til she was 5 but my son would never take one, if he doesn't want one i wouldn't worry, it doesn't make life easier!

[blackthorn]

Sorry should have said she!

[foxymolly]

I had the same problem and really found I couldn't cope with having her attached to me 24/7.

So I put her down when she was asleep in the daytime and when she started to wake up because she wasn't attached I gave her the dummy, she was really sleepy, eyes closed so she took it. when she spat it out I offered it again .. and again .. and again.

Eventually it worked. But she will only suck the ones that replicate the nipple, she won't accept any other.

[QS]

Nah. Just give up. If baby wants dummy, he/she will take to it like duck to water. I did not want my first born to ever use a dummy. It took a week, and he was on it. I wanted my second to use one, and tried to introduce it at 2 days old (silly old me) and a few weeks later I had still no luck. You may just as well give it up, and a few months down the line you will be delieiously happy you never succeeded as you dont have to deal with baby waking up in the night EACH and EVERY time he/she loses the dummy out of his/her mouth.

[foxymolly]

Tis true QS, I was so relieved when dd took the dummy at the time, but then when she was waking up because she kept dropping it I wasn't so pleased!