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?

Don't like the mumbles of a toddler talking through plug either.

Tried a dummy with ds at 5 mths but he wasn't interested so no dummy for us!

I think putting little boys in dresses is absolutely revolting.
No offence.

Nice.
Thanks aloha.
I won't tell him though. Anway I don't 'put' him in dresees, he dresses himself.

You're welcome. Not so nice, is it?
Does he buy his own dresses? If not, then he is in the same position as a baby with a dummy.

He wears his sisters'.
Go and do some yoga or something. I can feel the fumes coming through your posts. It's not good for your heart.

use dummies if you want to, but they're for nighttime (or when poorly) not when trolling around Tescos . child in park with dummy who mumbles to me, I say "I can't understand you with that in your mouth"

Come now aloha - babies don't buy any of their own stuff. Except Karl of course.

does Karl have a dummy?

Dummies conjure up two images for me. One is fine, the other worrying.

1. A small baby alseep, content and barely moving but for the odd gentle suck.
2. A large toddler with a glazed expression in a pushchair zoned out and sucking.

I'm not quite sure at what point number 1 blends into number 2 or what has to occur to prevent that from happening.

Yes bundle but he uses it to perform experiments about the nature of air locks and vacuums.

spidermama it's easy, they're for sleeping only and should be kept at home

oh I see. has he published his findings? in the journal Dummies for Dummies?

Hey I'm not the one using absurdly extreme language about a small, beneficial bit of plastic that is extremely helpful and beloved of many babies.

very good bundle.

I suppose the problem comes, for thoseof us who don't use dummies, because we only see the glazed-toddler-zoned-out-in-the-pushchair examples of dummy use.
The other, less contentious users, are quietly tucked up indoors away from public view.

spidermama, but that's a parenting issue, rather than a dummy one, per se (ie No Boundaries)

As it happens, I really have no view on boys wearing dresses per se. But even if I did, I wouldn't post that it was 'revolting' or 'freaky' or a sign that children weren't properly cared for, loved or comforted 'in other ways' (funny how the 'other ways' are always the proper ways, as if a child can't show how comforted they are with the method of their choice...anyway). Just as if someone posted a picture of sofa and I though it was totally hideous, I wouldn't say so. After all, it's not my sofa, it's probably very comfortable and it does me (or anyone else) no harm.

I think judgemental parenting is revolting and can be hideous in extreme cases.

Does anyone remember the fashion for older girls, possibly even teenagers, having dummies and wearing them round their necks?
It was about about ten years ago I think, though my memory's a little fuzzy, and I was living in South London at the time. I don't know if it was a local fad.
Any memories anyone?

Yeah spider, I remember that - I was about 14 at the time and a lot of girls at my school had dummys! Wow, that's brought back a few memories. I'd also like to add that I didn't follow the trend on that one !!

I have to say I agree with Aloha. Its really extreme to use the expression "revolting" about someone else's parenting choices. I find lots of things revolting which come up frequently on this site but I wouldn't use that expression in case it hurt someone's feelings. Imagine if I said "I find extended breast feeding revolting" that would be unacceptable and really mean. It might not be my cup of tea but what about respecting other people's choices? I don't know what you mean about "zoned out toddlers", they are sucking a sterilised dummy FGS not sharing a crack pipe.

You're probably right bosscat. 'Revolting' is a little over the top. I was using poetic licence because I felt, in the current climate, this was a light-hearted thread. Sorry. Misjudged.

For the record though, on a recent thread quite a few people did use adjectives like 'disgusting' and 'weird' to describe extended breasfeeding.
As a confident extended breastfeeder, I wasn't in the least offended though.

If I'd only had my daughter, I might well think that dummies were unneccesary and breastfeeding and cuddles is all any baby required - she honestly doesn't need and isn't interested in having a dummy. But having also had my son (with his problems with sensory stuff and dyspraxia) I know that isn't the case. Of course, I had no idea that my tiny baby had problems processing sensory information or felt insecure in space, but now I do know, I'm really glad that he was held so much, AND given a dummy. You could have ten kids and not have one like mine.
As it happens, I haven't let him have dummy during the day since he turned two, and I am pretty shocked that kids go to school with them (or so I've heard), but that's a totally different thing.