How do I get dd (2 months) to take a dummy?

[tiredandgrumpy]

she's bf and I can see her trying to suckle the dummy rather than suck it. Then she gives up and pushes it out. I could just do with giving her something to help calm her during the daytime when she's in need of a nap.

I wanted my ds to have a dummy when he was tiny because his sucking of choice (apart from my sore nipples) was his thumb. He wasn't keen at first and didn't seem to know what to do with it but I perservered every time I saw his thumb start to migrate towards his mouth. Now at 20 months old he adores his 'bubby' (although he only has it when in his cot for naps or sleep) so I am aware I will have the pain of getting rid of it someday!

Just keep gently offering it and if your dd wants it, she'll take it in the end. But be warned that some babies never take to a dummy and if she does accept it chances are you won't be able to remove it quite so easily later! (But that's said by someone who actually sees a huge amount of benefits to the dummy (I know, I know, lynch me now!) if used sensibly and sparingly).

Don't! If she's refusing a dummy, think 'oh good' and leave her to it.

Dummies are horrible

We kep persevering coz of dd's sleep- she was NINE months when she accepted it (around time she started sleeping through) and now she's 17months wish I hadn't bothered as will have pain of getting rid at some point. Plus now she is mobile she often
chucks dummies out of cot and wakes up. Thumbs are always there- encourage the thumb!

But the difference is, however hard, you CAN take a dummy away in the end. You can't take the thumb.

I'm with Thandeka - isn't that what thumbs / fingers are there for? Children will usually only suck their thumbs at bedtime, and tend to drop the habit before they're old enough for it to be any kind of issue.

Dummies just look so grim - especially when you see older babies or toddlers out and about with them.

My DS has a dummy and is breastfed. It calms him down and helps with his reflux and gives my sore nipples a break! I agree that they don't look good, I try to avoid taking photos when he has it as it covers up his smile! However, having had 7 months of terrible napping and screaming in pain I would rather him have a dummy than without just for the sake of appearance. He only has it at sleepy time and if he's really suffering and if he still has it by 12 months we'll wean him off it. There was a period at about 2 months that he wouldn't take it and we chucked them away. But a month later his reflux got really bad and we re-introduced them.