DH puts dummy in his mouth

[PinkyPudding]

Last month my DH decided that we needed to introduce a dummy to our 6 month old son. DS had been sucking his thumb and I thought that was fine and better than a dummy but I worry about being a "gatekeeper" mom so I didn't put up much resistance to the dummy. However I noticed immediately that DH kept putting the dummy in his mouth first before giving it to DS. Even when the dummy falls out of DS's mouth and lands on the bed or couch, DH puts it in his mouth first then gives it to DS.
This drives me absolutely crazy! I really hate it. I don't understand why he does that. I asked him to stop because it's gross and he said that it's a "normal thing" in this country (I'm American and my DH is British and we live in the UK) and basically told me to get over it.
AIBU? Is this a British parenting thing that I just don't understand?

I didn't stop sucking my thumb until I was well into my 20s (I'm embarrassed enough already). I learnt to do lots of things one handed and looked consistently gormless for 2+ decades so I don't think thumb sucking is easier to stop than dummies because of the one handed argument at all

Dallas Really? It's ridiculous that the parents haven't sorted that out. When my DS tried to talk with his thumb in his mouth as a toddler I'd pull it out until he realised what he was doing. I would be mortified if he'd been doing it at school.

My niece still had a dummy at night when she was 7!

MsJudgemental your name fits. A lot of the time babies have dummies for comfort, but studies also show they reduce the risk of sids. In no way does it make a child look stupid. Also, I have 5dc, the only one that DIDN'T have a dummy had significant speech delay and had to see a SALT from reception year till the end of year 1.

I find it really gross and hate it when I see people doing it...but none of my kids have had dummies...

I'm sure I read somewhere that there are way more germs in an adult human's mouth than a dog's for example...I'd rather the dummy fell on the floor than was sucked by my husband 😷.

Do people that object not kiss their partners? Is it ok to share mouth germs with your partner but not your children?

Spit is actually one of the "nicer" methods. At the moment some research is taking place by fecal transfer.

Spit is actually on of the "nicer" methods. Research using fecal transfer is proving promising.

Not only do i do it if the dummy falls onto the floor (not loo or bus) but if my son has something on his dummy he doesbt like he shoves it in my mouth so I can get rid of the evil food. He'll occasionally shove a spare clean one in my mouth too, I consider it his "I love you Momma"

Oops sorry, didn't think the first one posted .

Why would you want the fluff in your mouth? Just run under hot tap or baby wipe will do?

Msjudmental, you had to keep telling your dc to take the thumb out, I just took my dcs dummy away. A lot simpler I think.

My dear dad used to test the temperature of the milk in DD's bottle by having a taste himself. I also caught him letting her suck ice cream off his finger at 4 weeks old . I was a bit but she's a strapping 19 year old now so obviously didn't do her much harm. He reckons we all have to eat a pound of dirt before we die!

It's horses for courses , we all do things differently.

I don't want to stick a grim furry germ-covered dummy in my mouth to clean it

Seriously though. Nope.

I am certain I read that doing this can cause tooth decay in babies.
I may have misremembered so will look it up.

My friend does this, it's gross. YANBU.

There does seem to be a fair few studies that say adult saliva contains bacteria that causes tooth decay in babies when you google it.
Also it looks completely repulsive.

I wonder if your dh had a dummy as a child and just can't resist a little suck for old times sake? Sucking it every time is a little excessive.

I sucked a dummy once that had fallen in the sandpit because my son was howling and I was tired. Now that's motherly love for you!

On the bright side, you can't taste a faecal transplant BarbarianMum

CremeFresh

He reckons we all have to eat a pound of dirt before we die!

This is what I was always told by my DSM. I tend to agree.

I love how this thread has moved onto faecal transplants.

I always do it 

Like @ProudBadMum, my daughter also ate her own shit once

What is a faecal transplant?

I do this.

Germs are good. Builds the immune system.

Rather they get my mouth's germs (good germs) than ones from the cat/the street/the restaurant floor.

《What is a faecal transplant?》

Exactly what it sounds like. Transplant of faecal matter from one person to another (not via the mouth). Done to see if you can transfer person A's gut flora to person B.

I do it. So does dh. The baby gave me a kiss by sticking his tongue out and motorboat licking my face earlier. Hopefully he'll survive.

I was double sterilising everything until I caught him with the dog's chew toy in his mouth. Seemed a bit pointless after that.