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Original poster

Dummies & Breastfed Babies

30 replies

notharryssally · 27/03/2019 20:51

Sorry, posting here for traffic.

Baby is 6 months old, ebf. Co-sleeps in double bed with me and latches on as he pleases. This is fine.

However, daytime naps are the same, which means I have to lie down with him for his naps. I get no time to get anything done, which isn't such a big deal now but in a month, I will be starting work (from home, own business) again. I'd really like to use his nap time to work rather than evenings or weekends when DH is around.

I'm thinking of giving him a dummy for nap times only. Are there any downsides to this? Will it work in lieu of my boob? I think sometimes he's feeding but a lot of it is just comfort suckling I'm sure.

Any advice? Thx x

OP posts:
CallMeCarolDanvers · 27/03/2019 20:55

The main downside is that he might refuse it completely. The next downside is that he might love it, and you're beholden to always having a dummy, and him waking up looking for it, and not being able to get him to sleep without it, and then not being able to get him off the dummy. I think 6 months is quite old to introduce one for the last reason, as he'll be getting teeth soon.

rollwiththis · 27/03/2019 20:56

I wish I could get mine to take a dummy and a bottle. Stressing me out.

Original poster
notharryssally · 27/03/2019 20:57

@CallMeCarolDanvers thank you. Yes I wondered about it being quite late. But is it a problem them having dummies when teething? And I was hoping to only give the dummy for naps but not at night as he's with me, so perhaps wouldn't be so reliant?

OP posts:
Applesandpears23 · 27/03/2019 20:57

Have a read of this. www.laleche.org.uk/dummies-and-breastfeeding/

FitzChivalry · 27/03/2019 20:57

My two wouldn't take a dummy. Sorry.

Original poster
notharryssally · 27/03/2019 20:58

@rollwiththis I've never tried a bottle either so I actually have no idea whether he'll be amenable to either 😫

OP posts:
FitzChivalry · 27/03/2019 20:58

My two wouldn't take a dummy at all. Sorry.

CIT80 · 27/03/2019 20:59

All 3 of my BF babies had a dummy but I do think as your little one is 6 months you May struggle to get them to take it - anything is Worth a try tho 👍

Dueinnov19 · 27/03/2019 21:00

Mine took a dummy from 6 weeks as she liked sucking. Hasn't affected teeth or bf and I ebf till 13 months.

Dont know how we will get it off her but will cross that hurdle at a later date.

We used the nuk orthodontic ones

Original poster
notharryssally · 27/03/2019 21:00

@CIT80 that's good to know. Did you find it stopped them needing to latch on when asleep? And was it difficult to wean them off?

OP posts:
Fr3d · 27/03/2019 21:00

I put a mattress on the floor and fed to sleep then sneaked away. Mine wouldn't take dummies, I did try them

Whatamidoingwrong86 · 27/03/2019 21:01

We introduced a dummy at 7 months old. Dd would only fall asleep on me (bedtime and naps!) And I went back to work, dd went to nursery and was having no sleep all day so we had to do something. She took to a dummy for naps only quite well, she had it for about a year and then we went cold turkey. 5 days of stressful nap times and then it was like she never had one!

Original poster
notharryssally · 27/03/2019 21:02

@Fr3d yes I can definitely get away with sneaking away. It's staying away that's the issue. He'll start moving his head to try to latch and will wake up if I don't get there pretty swiftly.

OP posts:
Original poster
notharryssally · 27/03/2019 21:03

@Whatamidoingwrong86 oh this gives me hope, thank you!

OP posts:
Unihorn · 27/03/2019 21:04

Mines 11 months and still feeds to sleep now, unless I'm in work, when she screams at her dad so much she wears herself out. She would never take a dummy to bottle sadly. I so wish she would have :(

rollwiththis · 27/03/2019 21:06

I'm struggling massively and I'm due back at work soon. I wish you luck!

MaverickSnoopy · 27/03/2019 21:08

I didn't exclusively bf but did combi feed and very used to being used as a pacifier. Two of my three rejected dummies (I offered during the early days when nothing would settle them) but one took a dummy. In fact she didn't at first but when she was about 4 months and nothing would settle her the HV suggested it. I explained she'd previously rejected it and she looked in her mouth and said she had a high pallet and that a cherry dummy would suit her better (we'd previously tried the flat ones). It fixed everything overnight. We never had the scenario where it would fall out and we'd have to replace. We did put several dummies in the cot though in case any went missing. Dummy left with dummy fairy at 2.5yo with no teeth issues. Maybe we were lucky....

chilledteacher · 27/03/2019 21:09

@Whatamidoingwrong86 did you have to introduce any differently at that stage? I'm in pretty much the exact position as OP and a lack of sleep is now doing my head in. I'll try anything!! Currently he just spits a dummy out.

Original poster
notharryssally · 27/03/2019 21:17

@MaverickSnoopy thanks for that! Will keep in mind about cherry dummy

OP posts:
sirmione16 · 27/03/2019 21:23

My LO is 8 weeks and takes breast, bottle and a dummy no problem! I've given him them all since he was 4 days old so I guess he's used to it.

Admittedly he has a few dummies with different shaped teets, he prefers one to the others so try some different ones if yours won't take it right away :)

Barrenfieldoffucks · 27/03/2019 21:30

I've given all three of mine dummies at one stage or another. #1 at about 6 months, #2 at 10months, #3 at 1 month.

They've all been really sucky babies, and I didn't want to be comfort sucked all night. 🤷 #2 had a lip tie and when his top teeth came in it was fucking agony, deep deep cracking etc and I could not handle being sucked all night. I introduced it earlier to #3 because with two older kids I needed to know I could give him something that would comfort him while I was busy with them.

Fwiw, it had no effect on feeding. #1 self weaned at 18 months, #2 at 3 years and #3 still going at 18 months.

redexpat · 27/03/2019 21:34

2 dc, both bf, both had dummies, one refused a bottle.

Newyearnewunicorn · 27/03/2019 21:36

I gave mine a dummy at 10 days old. The only issue is when’s he got a cold and can’t breath and suck, that and the dog eating them
Definitely try a few different ones

CookieSwirlC · 27/03/2019 21:41

Neither of my breastfed babies would accept them and I tried on and off since they were little. Constantly spat them out. Wish they would have though as both of mine were comfort suckers.

Passmethecrisps · 27/03/2019 21:44

My dd(2) having refused a dummy completely, randomly accepted one at 6 months old. She is now 22 months old and we are absolutely in the obsessed with dummy stage.

I am dreading having to get it off her but I am giving myself a bit longer still. It brings her comfort and it brought us sleep.

We used tommee tippee ones and ubersoother ones

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