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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

2yo sleeps with dummy IN all night - how to give it up

11 replies

annas1 · 03/08/2009 14:10

Hi all,
I have read with great interest the threads on giving up dummies. My 2.3 yo son is addicted to his but I feel its time to think about getting rid of it soon. I have cut it down to (pretty much!!) nap and bed time but when he is asleep it remains firmly stuck in his mouth the entire time.

After 9 months of him being a dreadful sleeper he is now an excellent napper and sleeper. To anyone whos LO has sucessfully given up their dummy- did any of your children have it in their mouth literally all night?? Do you think it will be hard for him to sleep without it given that it never leaves his mouth all night?? Did your LOs manage to sleep through without it??

I am expecting a few disturbed bedtimes and nights with this but (sorry if this sounds dreadful) am reluctant to go back to terrible broken nights which transformed me into a zombie and not so happy mummy!!! Any advice very gratefully received.

OP posts:

nickschick · 03/08/2009 14:14

Why would you want to?

If he is happy and content I wouldnt set myself or him up for misery,its no great thing clearly hes getting comfort from it and what could you do if he were a thumb sucker?.

Id be inclined to leave him and as the dummy gets older and worn tell him you cant buy anymore they are only for babies and the shop wont sell you them.

Original poster

annas1 · 03/08/2009 14:21

Thanks, Nickschick maybe I am being too harsh on hi, poor thing. He definately does get a lot of comfort from it. I guess I just feel he's getting too old for it but having read your reply I am already thinking I should just concentrate on limiting it to nap and sleep times. Thankyou!!!

OP posts:

nickschick · 03/08/2009 14:22

Lifes just too short and childhood ends too soon for you to get upset over it,imo.

Glad I helped you .

vonsudenfed · 03/08/2009 14:23

We were in exactly the same position, and decided to wait until DD was old enough to really understand not having a dummy (about 2.5 ish I think). She'd had it since 6 weeks so I was dreading doing this.

We then told her that she could be a big girl and not have a dummy any more, and then the dummy fairy would bring her a present (this was recommended on here, and has the great advantage that it's not your fault and there is nothing you can do to get them back).

First night she didn't want the dummy fairy to come, second night she did. She woke up once, and that was it - fine from then on (and I really had thought that she was totally dependent on it!).

she got a scooter, and now scoots about saying 'I'm a big girl, I don't have a dummy any more).

malfoy · 03/08/2009 14:26

Hi annas1, if he is sleeping well, don't mess with it.

My DS was also addicted to his dummy for sleeping. We had restricted it to sleep times only. He gave it up with no tears when he was nearly 4.

snickersnack · 03/08/2009 14:26

Just before her 3rd birthday I suggested to dd that she might want to give up her dummy in return for something more interesting. I didn?t say that she had to ? I said it was up to her. She handed it over without a single word of complaint and never mentioned it again. She didn?t once wake up for it, or ask for it and it made absolutely no difference to her sleeping. And she was a die-hard dummy addict ? in her mouth from when she went to bed to when she woke up.

It was very surprising, but I?ve heard other friends say they?ve had similar results with this approach. I think it?s about waiting until the child is ready ? perhaps he?s a bit little at the moment to understand. It doesn?t sound like it?s causing any problems at the moment ? I?d leave it, maybe mention it when he?s a bit older, and see how you get on. Honestly, it doesn?t seem to be causing any problems except that you think it?s time to get rid of it. But I suspect if you choose the time rather than him, you?ll find it more of a struggle.

The only downside to our approach was that dh then had to go out in the freezing cold to a 24 hour Tesco to find ?something more interesting? (some piece of Fifi and the Flowertots tat, as I recall) so it would be there when she woke up.

luckylady74 · 03/08/2009 14:27

It is no big deal- I had a dummy at night up to 7yrs old and I'm fine now! My brother sucked his thumb a lot longer and that did shove his teeth out.
I have twins and dummies were a life saver-sometimes I couldn't be there for both at once and dummies gave them comfort.

Original poster

annas1 · 03/08/2009 14:34

Thank you all so much for your replies- this is the first time that I have posted on mumsnet and its great get such good advice- what a lovely bunch!! I am going to look through the other threads to see if I can offer some advice myself......

I think I will relax on this one and leave it until a bit later, when he can understand a bit more.

OP posts:

nickschick · 03/08/2009 17:32

My nanna says she used to have to walk past my brothers primary school every day at dinner so she could give him a little suck on his dummy .......

stubbyfingers · 03/08/2009 17:36

nickschick, I'm loving the mental image of your nanna sidling up to the school railings with a dummy secreted in her mac...

nickschick · 03/08/2009 17:42

stubby do not even joke she does wear a mac and her rain hat and apparently she used to let him have a little suck whilst she made out she was wiping his nose ......

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