Dummy Management - DD2 wakes every 45 mins and wants it back! Now What?

[saffron71]

We decided to use a dummy for DD2 as she is a VERY sucky baby and I was getting fed up of sitting for hours with a nipple or finger in her mouth! All well and good until the last few nights.

She has started waking screaming at the end of every sleep cycle but will fall back asleep almost immediately as soon as the dummy is replaced. So now I am going to her hourly! Aaargh! (If she sleeps in our bed, it doesn't happen - only when in the cot by herself.)

She's 16 weeks so some way off being able to retrieve it herself and although she breaks her swaddle she's not finding her own fist to suck as a replacement.

Is this how it is going to be until she can roll over or harvest the dummy back? And if so, when, when, WHEN will it happen?

Or am I going to have to take the dummy away and resign myself to some bad nights while I help her learn to fall asleep without a dummy?

I would take the dummy away and help her learn to fall asleep herself.
I speak from experience.Ds2 never slept all night till he was 3yrs old.He used to wake up about 3 times a night because he had lost his dummy.
Good luck.

I also would take dummy away to get her to learn how to sleep without it. I only let my 2 have dummies at night when they could put it back in themselves.

If you don't want to dump the dummy try changing types. I found that my baby can keep the latex ones in far more easily than the silicone ones. Also she has one where the bit outside the mouth is slightly curved so it kind of sits a bit more easily with the shape of her face as oppposed to a totally flat front. (does that make sense?)

If you want to dump it then do so by all means, but playing with the kind you use can work. I use NUK ones. Have heard the cherry shaped teats are good as well although never used one.

We always used the avent ones which have a handle, because the handle rattles slightly when moved, so baby can find the dummy in the night. dd was about 6mo when she could find and put it back in her mouth. we used to practice in the day, putting a dummy next to her whilst she tried to pick it up!

Message withdrawn

Thanks Everyone.

Sticky - it is a cherry latex one but she still manages to spit it out a long way!

I guess cold turkey is the way forward......

We had this and couldn't find any way round it until DS discovered his fingers after a few weeks and sucked them instead (eventually moving onto his thumb)...

We have just gone cold turkey a week ago and stopped using the dummy as we were having same problem through the night.
I thought it couldn't be much worse without the dam thing and it has been amazing.DD now sleeps right through until around 6-7 am from 7 pm !!!!
I was advised to do controlled crying for 5 mins at day time sleeps by HV, then I did pick up and put down to settle DD.

The most I have had to do it is 3 times no going back now!

Don't know how it's going for you but if you're going to continue with the dummy, I'd invest in a Sleepytot Baby Comforter. You can put the dummies on it, get your little one used to finding the dummies on it and by the time your DD is six months she won't need you to find it anymore. Worked a treat for me and my DS.

Well, we did it . Cold turkey and a bit of controlled crying. She settles herself with a muslin square that she scrunches up and snuggles with. It was a bad couple of nights but we seem to be coming out of it now.....

Thanks for the advice.