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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

6MO WAKING FOR DUMMY DURING THE NIGHT

11 replies

feckinfeck · 15/11/2011 21:07

My 6 month old is very attached to her dummies. The problem is, she is now waking every hour to 2 hours and won't settle until she has it! I would like to stop this, but the only way I can think of doing it is by getting rid of the dummy altogether, but I have no idea how to start?!! Has anybody got any advice?!

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Buffy71 · 15/11/2011 23:01

wait till you have a weekend or a couple of nights when you don't have to get up then...deep breath...throw the dummy away!

you don't need to let her cry it out. do everything you normally would for bed time and put her to bed awake and no dummy. go in when she cries sooth her in her cot and come out do this as many times as u need to. It will be alot the first night and mybe the second but then should improve. What you're doing is teaching her to get herself to sleep.

We all wake up throughout the night but we are aware everything is the same and go back to deep sleep without remembering.

When we use dummies or milk or cuddles to go to sleep, when baby starts waking her brain says something is different and she's wide awake. A bit like if you fell asleep on the sofa and woke up on a train, you'd soon be wide awake and panicking.

If she can get to sleep on her own without the dummy she can get back to sleep in the night on her own again, may grumble a bit but once the initial few nights are over it shouldn't be enough to wake you too.

Hope that helps.

cockle84 · 16/11/2011 19:12

alternatively if you want to keep the dummy cos there's no harm in doing so, try moving up to 6 month plus dummy. She'll be able to keep it in her mouth more easily.

Original poster

feckinfeck · 16/11/2011 19:56

We were already on the 6 month plus dummies, but she still always loses them. We went to bed with 4 of the things every night..

Thanks for the replies. I had a feeling that was the answer, but I cannot do controlled crying, so needed the advice.

We have done day 1 dummy free today, with some fuss (well, quite a lot actually), but she survived and had a few naps as a bonus. Its tonight I'm dreading!!

I actually feel quite mean. I gave her the dummy and let her get attached to it, and now snatching it away! Plus I'm worried she is too young to self settle. But I'd rather do this now, than in a few months/years when it will be more of a battle...

Wish me luck :(

OP posts:

mandoo · 16/11/2011 20:02

I had this problem so I put about 5 dummies around my DS head area before I went to bed in the hope he would be able to find one himself. It was pot luck really but it would work now and again. Either that or go cold turkey. Good luck

cockle84 · 16/11/2011 20:50

I think it was around 6 months that my daughter woke every hour for the dummy. She's now 7.5 months and only usually wakes once, if that. I don't know if she's finding it herself or if it stays in more easily but do whatever you feel more comfortable with. She loves her dummy and I'm happy for her to have it for a while, at least when they're older you can explain Why you've taken it away. Good luck.

Timeoutofmind · 16/11/2011 21:16

I went through this when my DD was about 6mo but put loads of dummies in her cot and she started putting it in herself at about 6.5mo. I didn't have the heart to take it away and she is such a good sleeper now at 10mo.

Good luck whatever u decide to do :)

Buffy71 · 16/11/2011 23:36

How did your night go? the other suggestions re dummies seem fine too, and yes babes do work out how to put dummies back in themselves...but i would just say from experience that its alot harder to persuade a 3 yr old to give up a dummy then a 6 mo.

no right or wrong answer, hope you get a nights sleep soon feckinfeck whichever way you decide to go :)

GiggidyGiggidy · 17/11/2011 16:21

Hi,

Buffy71, it went a lot better than I expected!! :o She woke up about 12:30 screaming, eventually settled at 12:55, and I didn't hear another peep until 7:30am!! I honestly can't believe my luck, but am holding back from patting myself on the back as I doubt we're out the woods just yet. But I am keeping my fingers crossed!!

She can find and put dummies in her mouth by herself, I've observed it many times during the day. But she moves about a lot during her sleep at night. I'll put her to sleep in the bottom of the cot, and when I go in she's shuffled her way to the top and snuggled her head against the bars in a corner! So she usually leaves dummies at the bottom or accidentally knocks them out of the cot whilst on her travels.

GiggidyGiggidy · 17/11/2011 16:39

Sorry, I have changed my nickname!! Just realised that may confuse! :o lol

Buffy71 · 18/11/2011 08:45

Ahaah sounds promising :) hope it continues to go well.

PeggyL · 18/11/2011 13:48

Mine used to wake up at 6 months for dummy, was getting silly as was up about 4 times in night, waited till weekend, then just took it away cold turkey, soothe in other ways instead, he took it worse during day, but explained that he didn't need it (not that he understood of course!)..took 3 nights but now sleeps through - good luck x

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