However, Wonderstuff, your link is brilliant, a couple of parts stand out in particular;
"babies who used a dummy during their last sleep were less likely to die, but that routine dummy use is not protective. This may indicate that infants are at greater risk of SIDS if they routinely use a dummy but have not been given their dummy on a particular night.
Secondly, the potential risks of dummy use need to considered. These include:
- interference with good establishment of breastfeeding in the early weeks
- increased risk of otitis media infection
- increased dental malocclusion
- risk of accidents such as obstruction of the airway"
and;
"Some studies have also suggested that breastfeeding may be protective against SIDS. While this also needs further investigation, the access a bed sharing baby has to his mother's breast during the night may offer another mechanism for protection."
So, the UNICEF article actually doesn't recommend dummy use, in fact, it suggests that breastfeeding and bedsharing also have "protective" effects against SIDS. Now, I am aware that this advice contradicts the advice of FSID, but I, unlike many people, am also aware that FSID is a charity, not an independent government body, and are sponsored by MAM, where as UNICEF are a totally independent body who are not influenced by funding and sponsorship in any way.
Use a dummy, don't use a dummy, justify it any way you want, but make sure you make an informed decision, not one influenced by commercial sponsorship.