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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think dummies are bloody marvellous?

38 replies

Picante · 21/09/2009 16:52

Oh yes can of worms blah blah blah but I think they are fabulous when used properly!

A dummy helps dd to sleep, keeps her happy for 10 minutes if she's hungry but my dinner's ready, allows me to put ds to bed without a screaming baby...

I honestly don't know how people cope with a newborn without one. DS gave his up at 6 months and I plan to do yhe same with dd - I don't think they are great for babies over one. I make sure I'm using an orthodontic one (even my cranial osteopath says these ones are fine - and he's hard to please!).

They weren't invented donkey's years ago for nothing.

AIBU?

OP posts:
CatIsSleepy · 21/09/2009 16:53

yanbu
but some babies won't take 'em
grrrr

2shoes · 21/09/2009 16:54

yanbu, ds had one ( he is 17 now,) I remember loving his dummy

diddl · 21/09/2009 16:56

Fine if they work for you.

Never occured to me to buy one.

hullygully · 21/09/2009 16:56

They are fab. Plug em in and keep em quiet. Was hard to get them back out tho.

pippel · 21/09/2009 16:57

they are great if they are used properly and not as a "plug" iyswim

my baby will only take a cherry one, but if she doesn't have that she sucks her thumb and personally I would rather she had a dummy even if it is a cherry one!

she will give hers up at about 1 after I have finished with bottles the same as dd1

fishie · 21/09/2009 16:58

ds took to using one when he was 2yo which he got from cm's chid. it had a most peculiar effect, he went into a sort of trance. i stopped him from using them.

LeonieSoSleepy · 21/09/2009 17:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

pippel · 21/09/2009 17:11

when he was two!
mind you dd1 (5) has been eyeing up dd2s!

welshone51 · 21/09/2009 17:44

My son loves his- he enjoys the comfort, it helps him sleep and settles him down. Research has also shown that it can help to prevent cot-death too. I wouldnt be without one!!

pranma · 21/09/2009 17:52

I'm a believer!

5inthebed · 21/09/2009 17:52

DS1 and DS2 were great with a dummy, and I thought I'd never be able to comfort a baby without one, was in awe of women who could. DS3 doesn't have one, was never interested in one and is quite happy without one. And you know what, I can actually comfort him without one although it is slightly harder.

They are great things, as long as you take them away before they are about 2. Otherwise its a job and a half.

FlamingoDuBeke · 21/09/2009 17:53

Sorry, but YABU. Really ugly things.

I managed four babies without dummies!

ChilloHippi · 21/09/2009 17:56

I too am a believer, but not for children over 2ish really.

hullygully · 21/09/2009 17:58

I had to send the dim-dum fairy in at three and leave presents under the pillows. Dear lord.

juicy12 · 21/09/2009 18:00

Neither of mine would take one, but friends successfully used them. Chacon a son gout, as they say. TBH I think they look pretty vile on a child older than, say, 18mths.
(joins Flamingo behind the sofa hard hat in place.)

beaniesinthebucketagain · 21/09/2009 18:02

i dont like seeing my children with dummys, but christ i love them!!!!

My dd was such a miserable new born i think without id have lost the plot and jacked in breastfeeding! needless to say the dummy gave me precious time to eat sleep and so on, love them!!!
DS still has his he has just turned two, HV advised to remove both at the same time, not looking forward to that, BOTH only have them for sleep, and in the event of being hurt or ill! No exceptions, moods, the others got it etc, if they arent going to sleep or in pain its put away!

beaniesinthebucketagain · 21/09/2009 18:03

i ment just

kreecherlivesupstairs · 21/09/2009 18:11

Love them love them love them. DD had one hundred, she was very particular about the shape, totally refused the orthadontic tooth friendly ones and insisted on cherry shaped tits. I don't think they are terribly attractive, but, who sees your offspring when they are asleep apart from you?

SmallScrewCap · 21/09/2009 18:18

Sorry, but I have spent all my life thinking that dummies are used by parents who just aren't prepared to put the extra effort in with their child.

That is, all my life up until the 6th week of listening to my newborn scream for upwards of 6 hours a day due to colic and a Pavlik harness, in between fits of chewing my nipples angrily.

DH went to a 24 hour supermarket at about 10pm to buy one. The look on the baby's face said it all "Thank God for that, what took you both so long?"

We stopped using it when she was 6 months old and had a few other things to distract/please her besides suckling.

New DS just spits it out though. I am at the stage where I have to check that I have put my nipples away whenever there is a ring at the door.

Original poster
Picante · 21/09/2009 18:30

Horah.

OP posts:
girlsyearapart · 21/09/2009 18:45

yanbu
But only if they're used for limited times.
Dd2 has one sleep times/ill times only.
Can't bear seeing kids playing with them in their mouths/walking around with them in/talking around them.

But yes for sleep they are vg.
Apart from the phase they go through when they are big enough to spit it out but not big enough to find it themselves!

Knickers0nmahead · 21/09/2009 18:51

YANBU. DD had one until 14months, only on a night though.

Ds wont bloody take one and would rather use me as a dummy!

I hate seeing toddlers running round with dummies in their mouths though.

girlsyearapart · 21/09/2009 18:56

knickers- how did you get her off it at 14 mo?

thighsmadeofcheddar · 21/09/2009 18:57

It took me three weeks of sleeping with my finger in dd's mouth at night to realise the godsend that was a dummy. Love them for little babies. Not so great on walking talking toddlers though.

starynight · 21/09/2009 19:00

i think its fair enough if you want to use one, each to there own and all that.
personally i hate em neither of my 2 kids have ever had a dummy, id much rather spend a extra 10mins comforting mine and id never judge anybody that chose to use one.