Dummy or no dummy?

[Empress]

What's the current opinion on using a dummy? When I had my babies I thought they weren't good for them, so we never used them. Has that changed now? Are they in or out of fashion?

[CHOCOLATEPEANUT]

Granard You can take a dummy away,painful as it will be but you cant take a thumb away.My dd sucked hers from day one and I have seen the effect that this can have on childrens teeth so opted for safer option

I had my dummy taken off me at 3 and I did not need any therapy!

[liquoriceallsorts]

The great dummy debate! I think whatever helps you and the baby although I think it can interfere with speech development when a bigger child is walking around with one plugged in all day.

[piglit]

I gave ds a dummy at 3 months to help him settle when I was at my wits end. I had never been a fan of them but as with so many other things to do with childbirth you can have all kinds of principles that go out of the window when you actually have a child. It worked a treat and rather than having a baby screaming for over an hour it took him 10 seconds to go to sleep. For some bizarre reason he decided at the age of 9 months that he didn't want one anymore and refused to take it. I've never worked out why but I suppose it saves me weaning him off them later. If you can manage without one then great but if they give you back your sanity then give them a go.

[Windermere]

My family are all anti-dummies, I have never really understood why as long as you wean them off before it can affect their teeth and only use them as a comforter rather than having it in all day when it could delay their speech then what is the problem?

[Jenny1973]

Both my ds & my dd have had dummies.My dd is 2.5 & still has 1,along with a dummy holder attached to her muslin square. I say each to their own. My dd finds it a great comfort when she is upset,hurt etc. It makes the episode over alot quicker.I think she will have her muslin square(which she calls a shushie)for alot longer than her dummy. My ds was 3.5 when he got rid of his, I think Santa or Easter Bunny took it. He never bothered,as by this age they get used to dealing with traumers in a different way, & although he seemed to have a lisp,its never fully developed,& doesnt have one now.
I love to see babies with dummies anyway-I think they look scrummie georgous.

[kezziejane]

Only one of my DS's has had dummies, my first, he had it until 4 1/2 months old when he spat it out and didn't want it again. My second DS has sucked his thumb from day 2 pretty much and never wanted a dummy.

We thought that sucking his thumb wouldn't be a problem (not that we could stop him until recently). Last month we went dentist and he isn't happy. Says there's a 1/2 cm to 1cm gap in his teeth where his thumb has sat between his teeth (top set gone forward, bottom set gone backward) so if he doesn't stop sucking his thumb he'll have to see a specialist. Made it sound like it was our fault? Like we'd sucked it for him? Anyway we tell him now not to suck his thumb and he does take it out (only does it when he's tired or poorly now anyway) or I give him something to hold like his favourite car and he forgets then.

Third DS (7 weeks old) I haven't even bothered giving one as he slept from day 1 and he hasn't found his thumb yet!!

Oh yeah, and apparently it makes no difference whether they suck dummies or thumbs, it still does no good to their teeth if they suck them for too long. Can't win eh?

[nessa68]

Go nannas(as they are known in our house!)Our little one is 21 months, use of hers is when really upset and at night.How did i get through the early days without one!!!
However little does she know but the baby reindeers will get hers on her 3rd birthday(she was born new years eve).But with nannas she does sleep from 6.30 till 7 the next morning!!!

[Steffers]

Dummies have been a life saver (literally for me). I suffer with depression and a crying baby would drive me mad. Both my 8 year old and year old have had them. I don't care what other people say, they don't have to deal with my children, I do. I don't think that are ever 'in' fashion. You get looks in the supermarket whether your baby is crying or being quiet with a dummy in it's mouth. So does it matter.

[mumball]

Hi there, my son had a stoke at birth. Couldn't suck he didn't have enough strength for breast or bottle, tried a dummy to strenghten sucking, took a long while to get a reasonable suck, but it eventually worked. So I say there is nothing wrong with a dummy at all, it's a matter of personal taste! Don't 'diss' someones taste! If you don't like them don't have them!......anyway some of you mums must be to old for them now!! PS can someone please tell me how to wean my now four year old son off of his pleeease. (He only has it for bed)