Any tips on giving up dummy?

[jojoisamum]

As I think this could be affecting my baby's sleep but I have no idea what to do?

[twelveyeargap]

Ah, just the thread I was looking for. Dummy has been great for getting my 16 week old off to sleep, but I am worried that he's starting to wake up when he loses it.

He's starting to pull the dummy out with his fingers, stick his fingers in his mouth and then get frustrated that fingers aren't the dummy. Do you think this is a good indication that it's time for the dummy to go and let him self soothe? I also want to train him to fall asleep unassisted when I get back from my night away, so I'm thinking it's better to do it all in one go, so I'm not sleep training, then re-training without a dummy?

My 18 month old never took one, so DS taking a dummy has given us a quiet few months, but have no intention of getting into night time dummy replacement dramas.

Am going away for the night next week, so should I leave it be for now (he's breastfed usually so figure it might help if he frets).

Any thoughts?

[inscotland]

He's 17 weeks. Will try cold turkey then!

[Victoria72]

Cold turkey for us. It's the only way. Although he/she may scream their head off to start with, eventually they forget all about it and you can get on with your ilfe. We found DS 15 months started sleeping right through once we withdrew dummy (we did this about a month ago).

Except for lately, when he's waking up and is as bright as a button for two hours every morning from 1-3am. But that's another thread....

[pudding25]

We went cold turkey at 16wks too. We had 3 days of missing dummy and then she started sleeping through the night . Some crying was involved which was horrible but it was better than I expected and better for all of us. She is happier now she usually has an undisturbed night's sleep and so am I.

[EllieG]

Just went cold turkey with DD when she was 4 months - I was getting up every hour to put it back in. We had a couple of weeks of difficulty and needing lots of cuddles and reassurance and then she slept brilliantly.

[MatNanPlus]

With GreatFun take the dummy away and have a soft toy or 2 / blanket to replace it with.

But don
t introduce new comforter with dummy in situ.

[MatNanPlus]

Take it away and in a few days it will all be forgotten.

[Greatfun]

Cold turkey if too young for the dummy fairy. You could try introducing another comforter (a soft toy?) before but personally I would just go cold turkey.

[LynetteScavo]

How old is your baby? I'm guessing too young to be bothered about the dummy fairy!