Does your lo sleep/nap well without a dummy?

[Vmama]

hello just a quick survey really -my DS sleeps really well at night and we have never given him a dummy but it'soften a battle to get him to nap in his cot in the day. People keep telling me to give him a dummy and whilst I'm sure this would help I'm also sure there must be people out there who don't use a dummy but have LOs who sleep/nap well.

Can anyone tell me whether you have managed to teach your lo to go to sleep on their own without using a dummy and if so how?

Just interested to see if dummies are really the only/best way forward.

[nickytwotimes]

my lo used a dummy for naps for the first 3 months or so, then he didn't want one at all and prefered to just fight sleep instead!
it's up to you whether or not to use one, but i am glad that my ds weaned himself of it. btw, he does nap well now, but he is 10 mo and knackered from crawling! up untik recently, it was a nightmare getting him off to sleep during the day - i often resorted to the pram.

[Vmama]

I don't want to give him a dummy -especially now as he's over 4 months but I keep getting told to do it (which is really getting on my nerves!)

Even though the constant battles to get him to nap do get to me I don't want to give him a dummy so am wondering what other people did in my situation.

Also have heard that at 6 months naps sort themselves out so maybe I'm through the worst bit?

[nickytwotimes]

well, i didn't know the 6 mth bit, but it was around then that he stopped screeching when he was put down for a sleep (will not sleep in my arms! weird kid!)
i'd persevere. maybe establish some kind of going for a nap signal? for us it was saying goodbye to the sheep out the window, closing the blind and having a little cuddle

[Vmama]

thanks for the encouragement -I will persevere he's such a little poppet the rest of the time and touch wood has always gone to bed easily so I should count my blessings really!

[teuch]

at people who try to prescribe how you parent!!

I do use a dummy but I know plenty of mums who don't, never have, and have babies who nap/sleep well - generally!

All babies have spells where their routine doesn't fit in with their developmental stage - or whatever - but it seems to pass, or the routine adjusts slightly and you fall back into the groove.

My DS was definitely the 'sucky' type and needed a soother - I think if you have managed thus far without it, especially at nights, then there might be something else you could try, like the nap signal suggested already.

Good luck and remember, when anyone suggests something you don't like, just smile sweetly, say thank you, and ignore

[vesela]

DD (3 months) doesn't have a dummy either, and yes - the whole time I have people suggesting that she use one/asking whether she has one etc. etc. Except for my mother and sister, who didn't use them either (that's partly why they feel alien to me).

It really gets on my nerves, as well. They make me feel as if I'm denying her something she ought to have, even though I'm completely happy to let her suck on me whenever she needs to (especially in the evenings).

But she sleeps for up to 10 hours at a stretch at night. Like yours, she's not a great napper during the day, although she seems to get what she needs.

(Still, with the number of people whose babies' sleep seems to go all over the place at 4-5 months, I'm just waiting for this sleeping through to blow up in my face...)

[Seona1973]

my ds had a dummy from birth but I took it away at around 5 months as it was interrupting his sleep i.e. he would wake looking for it several times a night and we would have to get up to stick it back in again. If you have done without it up till now then I see no reason to introduce one. They dont always help sleep and can be very disruptive if your lo relies on it for sleep but cant put it back in when it falls out in the middle of the night.

[ScoobyC]

Vmama - as your ds isn't used to a dummy you might find he wouldn't take one anyway! My ds stopped using one when he started teething at 3 months and periodically I try him with one in case it would stop him feeding at night but he is having none of it!!

[Piffle]

ds1 no dummy awful sleeper
dd dummy but never at nap time - great sleeper
ds2 (13 wks) no dummy great sleeper

[Lizzer]

"does she not have a dummy? What? Ever?" followed by critisising looks if a meer peep came out of her mouth at any point.Yep, I remember that! The leader at the creche at the gym almost accused me of neglect!

Some people seem to think that babies without dummies can't sleep and never cry. Don't listen Vmama, lots of people don't use them and my trick for getting dd to sleep at that age was in the pushchair, round the block or (bad green vibes) in the car, round the block. Even rocking in the pushchair in the house sometimes worked. Good luck Vmama

[Vmama]

thanks everyone

We had a great day today -he slept in pram on way to and from baby massage then slept in car on way to and from a friend's house and cos he got plenty of sleep (2 hrs in total) he was dream baby -an absolute joy to be around.

It's a bit of a cop out to be out and about all day I know but we've both had a good day and I know he's had proper amount of sleep.

plus I just left him wide awake in his cot and he settled himself within minutes so I know he can do it when he wants to!!