4 weeks old and loving the dummy

[becsta1]

My son is only 4 weeks old and has a dummy to get to sleep in his crib. After doing lots of reading (too much) I'm worried introducing a dummy was the wrong thing to do. He seems to need to suck a lot and I was originally putting him on my breast but knew this wasn't right. The annoying thing is constantly having to out it back into his mouth when he drops it when trying to get to sleep.

ANy tips? AM I doing the right thing?

He'll soon learn how to put the dummy back in himself.
Its not forever.

My dd loved her dummy, she was a fantastic sleeper and we had no problems taking it off her when she was older.

I really wouldnt worry.

My ds is 16 weeks old and as a teeny baby he LOVED his dummy. Unfortunately he´s now replaced it with his thumb/fingers/entire hand which will be harder to take away from him . I don´t worry about it, it really comforts him and I can´t see anything wrong with that.

Thanks, I thought so too. Dummies seem to be so controversial though. I didn't realise this until I had my bub - everyone seems to have an opinion!

Everything in parenting is controversial
I'm sure your finding that out!

The best advice I can give you, do whats best for your baby and you.
If he likes the dummy, let him have it.

Worry about it later when your dropping him off at the school gates.

My only concern would be whether he's getting enough milk. He's still very young - and a lot of them are feeding more or less continuously at this age. I'm not sure that the supply and demand element of breast feeding is properly established by 4 weeks. Why do you think putting him to the breast isn't right?

My DS had a dummy from birth. He was (is) an extremely sucky baby and still (is 5 months) rarely comes off the breast on his own - he'd be on there virtually all day if I let him.

He has gone from 2nd centile at birth to 75th centile so I don't think it's affected his feeding

Oh yes and it is annoying having to put it back in but they do get better at it. Also different types of dummy are easier for them to pull out. I had some for a newborn with a fixed handle but eventually a few weeks ago (can't believe it took me so long) replaced them with a handle which folds flat which is much harder to pull out accidentally

If you want opinions (of which there will be many) - yes yes yes !! A dummy was my saving grace. I used one from 4 weeks til about 14 weeks. It became the bain of my life BUT it saved my sanity and got my lo going down in his own cot at bedtime and for all naps. I'd pop up and downstairs putting it back in until he went off (this bit could take up to an hour at bedtime) but then he never had it after we'd done a dream feed so I didn't have that middle of the night thing with him.

At 14 weeks, he was desperately looking for his thumb, so I took the dummy away (I'd weaned him off it gradually anyway) and then he found his thumb and has another addiction...although at least it's attached.

Some babies just need more comfort than others - I don't think you can get away from it if they're one of those. My ds is a cuddly thumb sucking muslin carriers...but he just needs that comfort, that's the way it is !

Thanks Herbgarden - that's very reassuring to know mine isn't the only one.