Dummy addict-what to do?

[bobbygeorge]

Hello ladies

I am a new mum to a beautiful 11 week old girl. She is a "sucky" baby who loves her dummy! A couple of weeks ago, she stopped waking up to be fed in the night (when I offered her boob, she sucked for a minute, then fell asleep, so next night I gave her the dummy and off to sleep she went!) The problem is that she has continued to wake for the dummy ever since, sometimes as often as every hour during the night. She's not hungry as when I offer her food, she's not that interested and drops off after a suck, just as she does when I give her the dummy. I am very sleep deprived and wondering if I should try just getting rid of the dummy? I know about the SIDS risk being greater if I confiscate the dummy before six months, but I think I will go mad with tiredness if I wait 'til then... Am seriously considering cold turkey, but not sure if I have the strength! On the one hand it feels so wrong to take away something which is obviously so comforting to her, but on the other this dummy addiction is seriously disrupting my sleep and hers and I need to do something about it!

I'd love to hear from anyone who's been through the same thing. How did you deal with it?

TIA

BG

When mine needed Dummys, if they lost them in the night and needed them (often they lost them and didn't) I would pop it back in and fall back into bed and be asleep straight away. If that is all it is then its easier having the dummy.
It is up to you, but I found it easier for mine to have one than not. Actually they quickly managed to find theirs and reinsert themselves.

Why don't you try settling her for sleep without the dummy, especially during the day? Then see if you can gradually get her more used to settlign without it.

However at 11 weeks nothing is settled, and nothing stays the same for more than a week. So you will get a week of reasonable sleep followed by one of disturbed nigts, followed by grizzly and drawly etc.

Thanks mummytime!

I'm finding it hard to fall asleep straight away, but I will probably get used to it I guess!

How old were yours when they learned to find and reinsert the dummy themselves? knowing there's light at the end of the tunnel would make things much easier!

I always use to put several dummys in LO cot at bed time so he would have a better chance of finding it whilst half asleep! I also changed him to the Tommee Tippee Cherry teat dummys as the flatter type fell out of his mouth easier than the Cherry Teat ones did!

www.sleepytot.co.uk really helped with our son when he was a little older.

Thanks all. Some useful suggestions there. Last night was remarkably good! DD slept from 9pm to 6am and I only had to reinsert once! That's the best night we've had, although I didn't sleep a wink as I was expecting to be woken up all the time! Maybe things are starting to improve - fingers crossed!

Oh great! Now you need to get used to sleeping whenever you can, and not listening too much.

BTW it does have draw backs, as now put me in a warm quiet place (even worse if subdued lighting) and I fall asleep. So Church especially prayers is bad, as is the Opera!

hi all an new to mums net i have a lil girl she just turned 3, and i cant get her off her dummy and blanket, any help or tips for me please. xx