Dummies - are they lifesavers or evil necessities? What is the general opinion?

[greenday]

Your honest and brutal opinions please ...

I was determined not to allow DD a dummy. At around 2 weeks she developed horrendous all-day colic. I hot footed it to the nearest chemist and stocked up on every dummy available. Never say never

I was adamant DS would not suck his thumb as I was a thumb sucker untill about 12 when I ended up in braces because it had wrecked my teeth, you cant send your thumb to the fairy you see!! I tried him with a dummy but he didnt take to it, he started sucking the label on a blanket and now at 8 years old will not sleep without sucking a label. I have to go through the underwear cutting out labels to stop him sucking them. I wish he had taken to the dummy as it would have been harder for him to substitute.

Yep, they're lifesavers. DD had lots - but only in bed, she used to have one in each hand and one in her mouth! They got her straight off to sleep. Then on her 3rd birthday the dummy fairy came and took them away and she was happy as larry. So couldn't recommend them more.

DS not interested at all, he has a blanket which he now carries everywhere, and he bites his nails too (is it connected?). So, they're all different! But if your child takes to it I can't see a problem.

Lifesavers. As someone mentioned earlier they are easier to get rid of than their fingers - you can never take them away from them.

DD1 had one - gave it up at 21 months - she had a dry chin and wouldnt allow me to put any cream or anything on it so I put some vaseline on the plastic bit of her dummy with the intention of it rubbing her chin where it was sore but she refused the dummy from that moment on and has never had one since. Has had no speech or teeth formation whatsoever.

DD2 has one - I had to or she would have fed from me 24/7 - has never interfered with her feeding as when she is done feeding she pulls off and grabs for her dummy before falling asleep. Is only 8 months so will wait a while yet before it comes off her as she likes it to go to sleep.

i don't like them personally, but i understand why some parents use them. what baffles me is the assumption babies are MEANT to have them- FIL must have asked me 100 flipping times: why doesn't DS have a dummy? when are you giving him a dummy? he's still not got a dummy then?

NO! Ring the NSPCC if you are so worried!

i have no intention of giving this baby one either.

the main issue i DO have with them is when you see kids who are 3 / 4 (and sometimes older) still with a dummy and talking with it in their mouth. That's not good.

fantastic. meant i could get on with so much more than if they were using my boos for comfort. we got rid of DS1's about 8months ago. he got a new toy (an iggle plushie) and so i said he could take that to bed with him, along with his monkey comforter and it worked a treat. my DS2 has one which makes it hard of DS1 coz he sees one, but has never asked for one, jsut picks up DS2's and sucks it for a bit!!

they're supposed to effect breastfeeding due to nipple confusion, but i never had any such problem with either, because they had them from day2!

I wouldn't be without them. Can't understand why you wouldn't try them if the baby may benefit. And they do benefit(not all of them of course) but some, including my 2, like to comfort suck. Was not keen on mw's idea of letting dd suck on my boobs. No thanks. Plus I needed some sleep, had been in labour for days!

I do agree that dummies are not needed for 3/4 year olds, they look ridiculous! I always made dd take her's out when she spoke, refused to answer if she didn't(this was when she was 1-2)

DD gave her's up when she was just over 2. But then she'd only had it at night for a while before that.

Never gave my ds one at night as was determined not to have to keep putting it back in all night / have the battle of his giving it up. still give him one for day time naps (2 in a weeks time)as I'm convinced it helps him sleep longer (yay! don't want him to give up his (my)afternoon nap till he's about 15!) but tell him he can't get out of bed and play unless he hands over his dummy. Figure once he gives up his nap the dummy issue will disappear. Very occasionally if he's poorly he can have one at other times, but generally this works for us.

I've definitely been more trigger-happy about giving my 6-week old DS the dummy since this thread.
This morning, while breastfeeding, he took a while to latch on. As if he forgot how to latch on. Not sure if its related, afterall, as the saying goes 'correlation doesn't mean causation' ... but hmmmm!
Still, I'm a convert and happy to give him the dummy of some peace of mind.

PS - my DD used to suck her fingers. An old couple once, after commeting how cute she was sucking her fingers and all, then proceeded to go on about their niece who used to suck hers and now has rabbit-teeth/buck teeth(?). Gulp!

I think it is really horrible to see a baby or child sucking a dummy, BUT if it gets you through and calms a fractious child then you should do it.
I've tried when each of mine were babies but they hatd them. I wa relieved but also wished it could have settled them.

I gave ds1 and ds2 a dummy but not ds3. Don't know if it's related but ds1 and ds2 had no difficulty switching from breast to bottle and back again. Ds3 refused bottles point blank from about 3 months old which made life very difficult for going back to work and getting the odd night out.

DD had 24hr colic from day 1. I was determined not to get a dummy, but DH bought one after a week and it was the best 2 quid he's ever spent. It turns out she had silent reflux and the sucking really soothed her. She ditched it herself after a couple of months once we'd got a diagnosis and her meds kicked in (and she found her fingers!). I think there is a place for them, should you need time not attached to DC in the 24 hour cycle!

DS1 (now 7) had one, in fact had several in his cot - used to swap them round without waking up - hilarious. Was a lifesaver at the time. Can't remember being too stressed about giving it up, though I don't like to see 3/4 year olds with them. He swapped his for a toy when he was 18months ish.

DS2 didn't like it, though I did offer it repeatedly. Instead he sucked his fingers. He still does when he is tired, and those two fingers seem to be permanently misshapen, and the nails all soft etc.

I suppose I am more relaxed about dummies as I had one myself. In fact I had one for so long I can actually remember having one, so I must have been three or more I suppose. Anyway my teeth are perfectly straight without the aid of braces! Funnily enough my younger sister refused one as a baby and her teeth are slightly crooked...

I reckon your teeth grow the way they grow, and we mums have guilt enough without worrying did a decision of ours cause it

A life saver that turns into an evil necessity