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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to try a dummy to stop my nipples from falling of?!

58 replies

AngelicCurls · 02/12/2015 21:56

Posting here for traffic-sorry Blush

DS 11wk has just spent the last 90 mins sucking. He started off feeding well, swallowing milk but is now just sucking and not swallowing. If I unlatch him he fusses then starts to cry. Rocking him to sleep just makes him cross.

Up until now I've fed him to sleep in about half an hour, slid him across to his crib (we've a homemade side cot type arrangement) and he's stayed zonked for the next 4-5 hrs.

Last night was horrendous, took nearly 2 hrs to get to sleep, slept for 3 hrs then took another hour to go off again after his feed, before his big sister decided she wanted to wake me up as wellSad

So I sent DH get a dummy tonight when after the 4th time I tried to unlatch him resulted in him shoving his whole fist in his mouth, gagging then projectile vomming milk all down the wall. he's now sucking quite happily on it but I'm all guilt striken... What if he is hungry/on a growth spurt? Will he still grizzle for a feed with a dummy? I don't want him to not feed if he needs it but I can't cope with another night like this (or rather my poor boobs can't!), plus I'd really like to go downstairs and eat my dinner now (hungry emoticon!)

OP posts:
TesticleOfObjectivity · 02/12/2015 23:54

I wasn't so much a dummy snob as a dummy indifferent person. Sadly my dd is a dummy snob, and a teething ring snob and my uses my nipples in place of both. When she's bitten particularly hard on my nipple a few times during teething I've thought 'it feels as though that could come off.' Now I know they can!! And they grow back?!!? What the fuck?

Original poster
AngelicCurls · 03/12/2015 09:11

Well, I'm converted. He woke once after about 15 mins (I'd just finished my lovely dinner thankfully!). Dummy plugged back in and slept for the next SEVEN HOURS!!! Toddler slept through too so i feel like a new woman this morning!!Xmas Grin

Not sure if that's anything to so with dummy or all the fussing/suckling beforehand had tired him out but we'll definitely be using it again tonight.

Thanks for everyone's support (apart from notawhale , there should have been a TMI warning on your post!!)

OP posts:
MatildaTheCat · 03/12/2015 09:16

No hungry baby will settle with a dummy so don't worry about that. Sounds like you've hit on the solution for settling him.

Dummies and nipple shields saved my bf and I'm a midwife with all the right info on positioning etc. Some babies just love sucking all the time.

Much, much better for everyone than constantly feeding and rocking babies to sleep. That really is a recipe for long term misery.

SalemSaberhagen · 03/12/2015 09:27

I wish DD would have taken a dummy Sad as it is we are 14 months in and she is still as nipple obsessed as she was when she was born.

You lucky thing, embrace the dummy!

Skiptonlass1 · 03/12/2015 09:37

Do it! Mine's like this - totally orally fixated..

whaleomelette I am going to show my Dh this as proof that my fears regarding ds sucking mine into oblivion are founded in reality!

Did it grow back??

NotAWhaleOmeletteInSight · 03/12/2015 10:29

I'm pleased to confirm that nipples grow back. At least, I assume they always do. I only lost half of mine but now they are fully symmetrical once more. I think it was all caused by bad latch/positioning etc, and possibly not letting them dry and recover between dd's constant feeding.

Following the incident, we bought the Poang, rushed home and called the midwife. She came straight round and sent dh straight to Boots for shields. I ended up using them until dd was 5 months old, and then we carried on breastfeeding until she self weaned at 16 months.

I'll have them in my hospital bag this time!

NotAWhaleOmeletteInSight · 03/12/2015 10:30

We found they survive the dishwasher very well too Grin

Original poster
AngelicCurls · 03/12/2015 10:47

Is that nipple shields or dummies? With the dishwasher I mean?

OP posts:
goodcompany2 · 03/12/2015 10:53

dummied in dishwasher is fine. I lost part of my nipple too - grew back with an extra bobbly bit! Was a bit wow Shock but it's another badge of motherhood I guess. No biggie.

goodcompany2 · 03/12/2015 10:54

I blamed it on using one of those creams made from beeswax supposed to 'help'. Next three kids I went natural. Lots of bra off and fresh air to dry them and no further problems. Smile

NotAWhaleOmeletteInSight · 03/12/2015 11:13

Dummies and shields in the dishwasher. Nothing is allowed in my kitchen if it claims to be dishwasher unsafe Blush

Pyjamaramadrama · 03/12/2015 11:14

Of course yanbu. The baby will just spit the dummy out and let you know if he's hungry.

Be warned though, dummies are very annoying, they fall out, drop on the floor. You'll need 4-5 on the go.

I sterilise all of them each night if I run out during the day I just pour boiling water over.

NotAWhaleOmeletteInSight · 03/12/2015 11:14

goodcompany - we should start a secret society Xmas Grin

Boomingmarvellous · 03/12/2015 11:16

Do it. It's a win win situation. Sleeping, peaceful baby, rested mum.

Pyjamaramadrama · 03/12/2015 11:17

Just seen your update glad he slept.

BertieBotts · 03/12/2015 13:48

Oh no am I awful? Blush I never even thought of sterilising a dummy. DS had one from about 2 weeks to 6 months when he started chewing on them instead so I took them away and he was totally unbothered.

BertieBotts · 03/12/2015 13:50

He's seven now and doesn't seem to have suffered any ill effects.

FeliciaJollygoodfellow · 03/12/2015 13:56

So glad it worked!

An jealous because none of my three would countenance a dummy, it was mummy or nothing. Or a thumb in one case which is more difficult to get rid of than a dummy.

Pico2 · 03/12/2015 14:02

DD2 had a dummy as DD1 was a thumb sucker. We've taken it off her at 10 months and a week later you'd not know she had used one. So they don't have to stay until they are a toddler (which I was a bit worried about).

LaLaLaaaa · 03/12/2015 14:04

You'll be fine - some babies are more sucky than others and it's the only way to get a rest. If he's hungry you'll know

goodcompany2 · 03/12/2015 14:31

NotAWhale Yep! don't think people will be queuing up to voluntarily join! Blush

LauraMipsum · 03/12/2015 14:38

Haha NotAWhale we did exactly the same sparkly wintry morning trip to Ikea with a newborn for a Poang chair!! Fortunately my nipple didn't fall off though Shock

Lansinoh cream, OP, it's like magic. And a dummy, although those people who will tell you that the baby won't sleep without one if they get used to it..... are right. DD won't sleep without hers now. On the other hand, I got through the first six months with both sanity and nipples intact.

Skiptonlass1 · 03/12/2015 15:14

we bought the poang

Hardcore. you carried on shopping?

Pico2 · 03/12/2015 15:58

The reason we took DD2's dummy away at 10 months was that she was waking up every 5 mins in the evening to have it put back in. A week later and you wouldn't know she'd ever had one. She sleeps fine without it.

chanelfreak · 03/12/2015 16:47

Dear Lord above, I am clutching my boob in sympathy at the NIPPLE FALLING OFF. I genuinely did not know that was a thing (faints)