PLEASE tell me what the deal is with dummies??

[oranges]

Are they lifesavers, stopping baby crying and stopping cot death, or are they tools for lazy parents. I've been harangued this weekend for both not using a dummy and saying I may consider one for ds, who is 4 months.

nothing wrong with them - or the parents who use them

personally I think they are good for helping to soothe to sleep and that's it - I HATE seeing them permanently in the mouth or worse, pinned to the child's clothing!

Dummies are one of my pet hates. I did, however, try all 3 of mine with them in desperation. DDs reaction was the best - at barely 6 weeks old she lifted one had up, pulled out the dummy and gave me a look of pure disgust. I know it was just fluke but it did make me laugh.

Like JoolsToo,I hate seeing a child with one permanently attached although as a soothing-to-sleep item they certainly have their place.

It's a snob thing, until you have children and then you realise that anything that helps your baby settle is a lifesaver. All three of mine used them, the youngest two moved onto their thumbs by about 4 months. The oldest gave hers to father chirstmas at about 3. When DD1 had hers it was a total sanity saver, although I gradually weened her off it so that it was just at nighttime or in the car. I never let her just have it in all day at the toddler stage - but that was me being snobby .

Do what's right for you and your baby.

It's got chuff all to do with being a snob.

he he he - that was my DD for a looooong time, a dummy on a "soother saver", one in her hand and three in my pocket - fabulosa

Id rather have had DD's dummy pinned to her clothes than have some candlestick-snotted-toddler pick up her dummy at nursery and shove it in their mouth. But hey ho - each to their own

Aren't dummies brilliant?

Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!

D'ya like dummies? D'ya like the footie?

Then you'll love the Engerland dummies...only a quid from Boots.......

Its wot my 2 dss are sporing.
Just to wind up their not-in-the-world-cup-Irish Dad.

oranges think if your son is 4mths then he probably doesnt need a dummy now..but thats just my opinion.

DS had a dummy from 3wks - 3mths then gave it up himself and never needed any comforts.

DD has had her dummy from 1wk old and still does at 6mths old and cant see it going..however she has had a few health problems so her having the dummy as comfort is fine although I am alreayd making plans for the reduction in its use.