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Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Sleep

Talk to me about dummies... Do they help to settle?

17 replies

zippyswife · 06/04/2016 08:08

I'm on dc3 and have never used a dummy yet. I didn't want to use them with dc1&2 and I can't recall
The reasons why. Dc3 is 9 weeks old and wakes during the night and I can't settle him without feeding though he never seems particularly hungry- will often only take 30-60mils and that's with coaxing from me. I wonder if a dummy would do the trick? But then am I going to be waking all
Night to put it back in his mouth?

OP posts:

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SamiSambo · 06/04/2016 08:42

I use a dummy for my DD she is nearly 4mo and it does settle her. Sometimes I get up anywhere between 3-10 times a night to give it her but some nights I dont get up at all. I always know when she is in a deep sleep when the dummy just drops out of her mouth and most of the time she will then sleep for hours.

zippyswife · 06/04/2016 08:43

Thanks. I have a dummy with my avent pack. I think I will sterilise it and give it a go.

OP posts:

loveulotslikejellytots · 06/04/2016 08:48

My DD has one. Only at night or when she is 'overtired' during the day and is struggling to fall asleep. During the night it does fall out, sometimes she'll wake for me to put it back in, other times she doesn't.

I never understood why some people hate them so much, dd settles quickly with one, usually without any rocking or shushing from me.

zippyswife · 06/04/2016 08:57

I can't even recall why I was against them initially. I know some people say it delays speech but my nieces have excellent speech from an early age and they had dummies. I think I wasn't keen on waking up in the night to give them back their dummies either or having to take dummy away when they get older but I'm thinking ds would probably settle nicely with one. Do you just put it in his mouth at bedtime/nap time? How do you stop them wanting it all the time?

OP posts:

SamiSambo · 06/04/2016 10:49

You give it them when you want them to have it and they will get into a routine with it. I allow my DD to have it whenever she wants it but she only really wants it to nap or sleep anyway. You may have to keep trying with it to start woth as they may not take to it straight away.

amarmai · 11/04/2016 11:53

dummies are a great mummy's helper. Bet it was a woman who invented it!

honeysucklejasmine · 11/04/2016 12:02

We gave DD a dummy after she'd worked herself in to an inconsolable rage one night. Now, we give it to her when she's struggling to settle herself. She spits it out and sleeps without it, and doesn't use it when awake.

Sanity saver. For sure.

maybebabybee · 11/04/2016 12:08

My DS is 3.5 weeks old. I love, love the dummy. He's a very sucky baby and would just suck on a finger all night to soothe himself otherwise. He is EBF and it's not interfering at all - he's had it from 3 days old in the hospital.

Each to their own but I don't see the problem with them if they provide comfort to baby.

maybebabybee · 11/04/2016 12:09

Oh and DS spits his out in the night/when sleeping too, and it doesn't wake him.

CityDweller · 12/04/2016 20:18

I LOVE DS's dummy. We started using one around the same age (9ish weeks, I think) because he clearly wanted to suck on something (kept on gagging on his hands) but did not want to breastfeed for comfort and cannot fall asleep on the boob (weird child). It was an absolute godsend. I had a few nights of having to reinsert it a few times (but he's in a bedside crib, so all that involves is leaning over and popping it back in), but now (he's 6 mo) he rarely wakes up solely for the dummy.

I am evangelical about dummies now - best invention ever. I have no idea why anyone would not use one (unless the baby refuses - I'm looking at you DD)

zippyswife · 15/04/2016 07:36

Well.... Bit the bullet this morning and did it- ds was screaming inconsolably at 5am.... I stuck in a dummy and ...... He sucked it and fell asleep straight away. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this could be my saviour!!!!
Thanks for all the advice. Why has it taken to dc3 to use this (can't even recall way I was against the idea of it!!).
How often do you sterilise it? Can you buy different types or should you stick to same type?

OP posts:

CityDweller · 15/04/2016 10:08

Exactly the same with DS. He was inconsolable one afternoon. Stuck dummy in and as soon as he started sucking it he calmed down and then fell asleep (and stayed asleep for nearly 2 hrs). I could kiss the person who invented it.

We've ended up sticking with the same brand (I did try to change at one point, but he spat the different one out!). I stick them in the dishwasher after about 24hrs of use (or if it's fallen on the floor, etc). We have 4 dummies in total. I think you're supposed to replace them every month or so (for hygiene reasons, I guess).

Lalalili · 15/04/2016 10:33

One of our kids loved their dummy, the others didn't like them. For the one that loved it , I found that I had to put the dummy back in several times a night until she was old enough to put it back in her mouth alone. We had plenty of sniffy comments from family and friends but dd loved her dummy.

Our next dc found their thumb at seven weeks old and kept it in their mouth for the next five years. Stopping thumb sucking was a nightmare. In my opinion a dummy with limits is easier to manage and less detrimental to teeth, speech etc. than thumb sucking.

OP I think that you are supposed to stick with the dummy, once introduced, for cot death prevention. At least this was the advice when one of our dc was a tiny baby. Might no longer be recommended but maybe worth investigating.

Lalalili · 15/04/2016 10:34

And yes, settling, sleep etc. was far better for dd when she had her dummy.

zippyswife · 15/04/2016 12:30

Do you need to stick with the same make of dummy to prevent cot death or just any kind? I've just bought a different brand to properly start him on- is that ok?

OP posts:

zippyswife · 15/04/2016 18:38

So... Early days obviously (only started with it last night). But he's just refused his bedtime bottle in favour of the dummy. Refused the bottle and kept screaming. So I eventuwlky put the dummmy in and he was fine. Is this a common problem? Any tips??

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Lalalili · 20/04/2016 11:02

Zippy I'm not sure about sticking to the brand but maybe it makes sense. I remember reading up about this on one of the cot death charities websites at the time. Maybe it would be worth calling one of the cot death charities and asking for more up to date advice? I'm afraid I really can't remember and don't want to tell you the wrong thing!

I don't have experience of bottles, but would guess that the most important thing is that he is putting on weight normally. If he's gaining then choosing the dummy over the bottle wouldn't bother me.

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