not to give DS a dummy even though it could save his life? (new research out)

[lowrib]

I just came across new advice from the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths which says to give your baby a dummy from 1 month old to one year, to reduce the risk of cot death.

They say "A number of research studies have been published in the last few years suggesting that babies who are regularly given a dummy when put down to sleep are less likely to die suddenly and unexpectedly than those who are not... the risk of SIDS for infants who had used a dummy for the last or reference sleep was less than half that for those who had not". link here

I've always hated dummies. I would hate to see my son with one in his mouth. But perhaps this is just a hangover from my mother's own hatred of dummies taught to me when young? Or am I being a snob perhaps?!

I have just spent 2 days agonising over whether I need a new mattress for a travel cot. So why haven't a rushed out and bought a dummy now I've read this?

This does seem to be backed up by science, so we should all just go buy one, right?

I agree completely Oblomov - dummies are one of those things that being a parent can make you see completely differently. The fact is they do help some children a lot, and I think people who are completely against them just have no experience of that.
They do not look wonderful, but to me a happier baby is more important than one that llooks like an upper class sophisticate

iamaLeafontheWind we aim to please!

Ive never liked to see toddlers walking around with dummies, though have always thought that was more to do with the parents than the child. I've just seen a child at pre-school and did a double take when I saw he had a dummy

My ds1 didnt have a dummy till he was 2 months old, he loved to suck to sleep but became apparent he didnt want milk, he would start to fal asleep with nipple in mouth, get some milk and splutter on it spitting it out. We gave him a dummy and this sorted this.

DS2 was givena dummy in SCBU, all the baby were encouraged to especially those being tube fed, the dummy was to stimulate them to suck and instill that to get milk they had to suck. He was a very distressed baby due to Reflux so I did try to use a dummy tho nothing will really help with that. He still does occasionally have a dummy at night tho his preference is to fall asleep with a nipple in his mouth even at three

if you don't need it- then forget it! you're doing fine as it is...

agree with oldraver - we spent a long time inscbu trying to teach dd2 to suckfeed with a dummy. she was ng fed.
dd1 had one from 6 weeks (she was a nightmare colic screamer baby) and we took it away on her first birthday (shame on me)
ds1 didn't want one - he had rsv as a tot and couldn't bear anything plastic near his face after being nebulised 5 times a day lol. (spot the difficult to wean off the boob baby)

horses for courses, and as long as they aren't trying to talk through them (yeuch) then i'm ambivalent.

i'd have been beside myself with joy if dd2 had managed to suck one though x

Starlight - how do you know the research is not true? It has been around for a while and I've always thought it made sense tbh. Also, a baby who is used to having a dummy at night will definitely not allow you to forget to give it to them!
I agree that not giving a dummy is not risking the babies life though - other factors such as smoking, sleeping on their back etc... are far more important.

If you dont want to give your child a dummy, dont.

I spent years being told by various HVs that I shouldnt give my child a dummy. It was very odd to be told I should when I had my youngest.

I am a fan of dummies. All my babies have had them and I have had no trouble weaning them off them. Their teeth were fine and they didnt suffer from lots of infections. No speech problems apart from DS2 but thats not to do with dummy use (honest - its not).

But if you hate them, dont use them.