Dummy use - what to do about it falling out & he wakes up?

[stinkypants]

Really in a dilemma about whether to continue with a dummy or give up on whole idea. DS2 is 6 weeks old and we've been using it for a few weeks,he usually likes it and it always soothes him. only trouble is it constantly falls out so it is such a tie. if he falls asleep with it in, when it eventually falls out he usually wakes up and then i have to start again with holding it in. DS1 didnt have one but i often wished he would as we had to do lots of controlled crying and endure horrible car journeys etc where he;d endlessly cry.
also is it possible to sometmies give dummy but sometimes not or is this too confusing. eg. not give it for naps at home but give it when want him to sleep elsewhere.
any advice gratefuly received.

DD was a real dummy-holic and I couldn;t get rid of it til she was 3 - dsis was determined not to fall into that trap so she let hers have a dummy til they fell asleep and then gently removed it so they got used to sleeping without it - so literally using it as a soother when fretful to help them sleep but not so they were dependent.

I so wished I'd done it on those many trips back into the bedroom in the wee small hours

I've never used one and had no problems as a result.

What are they for anyway?? Never did quite understand...

DS is also a dummy addict and we had this problem until he was 7 months and could put the dummy back in his mouth on his own. I think MaudOHara is right - take it out once he is asleep to prevent is becoming a habit.

We had this problem and it got worse and worse, up every 20mins in the night so got rid of it and gave a muslin by his face instead, after 3 days was sleeping 7 hour stretches at about 8 weeks! best thing we did! lol

thank you... we have gone cold turkey on it with no ill effects!! am so pleased. really want him to develop his own self-soothing and sleeping skills, not be reliant on a bit of plastic in his mouth!!!