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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

Dummy Scare.....

52 replies

Woobie · 03/03/2010 17:37

Not sure if this is the right section to place this post but.....
We had the most frightning experience recently with our ds & his dummy. (& please , before all the posts about the downfalls etc of dummies, this is really to make people aware so they can avoid a similar situation.)

We had tommy tippee "Air" dummies for our 5 month old ds which he has to go down for naps etc. He generally spits them out as he falls asleep. He was having a nap on the bed Sat afternoon & dh & I were in the next room. (live in a flat.)
All of a sudden we heard a straining/choking sound coming from ds.
We dashed in to check on him & dh saw him thrashing around, bright red head/face & clearly extremely distressed. His dummy was in his mouth with the teat pointing outwards.
He had obviously woken & tried to put his dummy back in his mouth but got it the wrong way in. Dh went to remove it, only to find it wedged in. The raised circular part of the dummy (with no handle bit on that style) had wedged in with his gums preventing it coming out. (he couldn't open his mouth wide enough to clear the gums.)
Hubby had to yank the dummy out (both he, me & baby in a panick) & ds's gums ended up cut in the process.
Obviously we were all shocked & V frightened. All dummies of that brand /style have gone in the bin & we haven't slept since! - I e-mailed tommy tippe to make them aware & avoid any other parent / baby having this experience. With the response I got, they clearly were not particualrly bothered & stated:

"It is impossible to design
a soother that will not enter a child?s mouth that will
a) be safe and
b) be a user friendly, cosmetically acceptable product."

(I'd rather an ugly, safe dummy thanks!)

Sorry for such a long post, but i wanted to let people know just in case.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Pretormica · 03/03/2010 21:44

My DD did same thing at about 10 months with a Nuby dummy same style (the ones with the "bobbled" teet), only managed to wedge it in teet end 1st, so even harded to disloge as hardly any handle on it & no teet to grab.

PureAsTheColdDrivenSnow · 03/03/2010 22:05

Pret - that's interesting = I think a lot of Nuby and TT dummies are the same design. Not sure if same company though

pigletmania · 03/03/2010 23:04

OMG how scarey my dd used to use them until i weaned her off the dummies. Think i still have some of them in my cupboard better throw them away.

differentnameforthis · 03/03/2010 23:22

Glad your ds is OK! What a fright!

So mad at TT for their crap response!

Well done for highlighting this...I hope they wake up & do something!

ImSoNotTelling · 04/03/2010 08:48

I think you should hammer them woobie. Watchdog is a good idea, and (?) trading standards.

Original poster

Woobie · 04/03/2010 09:33

I Must admit, the more time that passes, the more the thoughts run wild in my head about what could have happened, especially if we'd had the TV or some music on etc & hadn't heard him so quickly.
I don't think it was blocking his airway as I know bubs breath through their noses at this age still & it was blocking the back of his throat, but I don't know if extra production of saliva during his thrashing/panick could have caused him to choke. Never the less, he was very shaken by it. I'm just really annoyed that TT seem to be saying sorry you were shaken up but we're not really bothered.
I think I should speak to someone like trading standards & WD. I'll let everyone know what they say.

OP posts:

LauLau15 · 04/03/2010 10:03

Hi, i use-well my boy has, Vital Baby soothers which say on the leaflet that they are designed not to get trapped in the mouth, please look them up before giving up on all dummies - www.vitalbaby.co.uk

DorotheaPlenticlew · 04/03/2010 10:29

We have used the Avent ones all along with no probs at all, fwiw (but I realize that is hardly a body of evidence to reassure you).

lovechoc · 04/03/2010 13:12

that is shocking, glad you got the dummy out pronto - poor baby

I won't be buying any TT dummies in the future now.

Original poster

Woobie · 04/03/2010 21:26

Dorothea,
we have bought some Avent ones to replace all the TT dummies. there doesn't appear to be any part that could possibly get stuck, -even if he puts it in the wrong way round!
(TT did have some similar styles, which would probabliy be safer too, but I'm never going to buy another thing from them EVER because of the response.)
Laulau, - Thanks, I'll look at the Vitalbaby site.

OP posts:

jollyma · 04/03/2010 21:37

take photo's of his mouth if you can still see any damage and send them to tt and watchdog. Glad he's ok.

Original poster

Woobie · 04/03/2010 21:45

Didn't get any pics (& they weren't cut that badly - just bled for a short time thank goodness.- that was bad enough for my ickle bub!)
I've just e-mailed Watchdog, so I'll let people know any responses I get.

OP posts:

Ewe · 04/03/2010 21:46

We have always used Nuk soothers - they have a handle on outside and the big air vents to prevent choking.

I think that you might find that the air vents negate any liability on the part of TT as these being in place in theory prevent the possibility of choking incidents as even if wedged in mouth the gaps mean they can still breathe. At least that is how I understand dummies to work these days.

AmazingBouncingFerret · 04/03/2010 21:57

I always found those ones without little handles a bit scary, theres nothing there to easily grab onto if they do get it lodged in their mouths.
I have tommee tippee ones but with little handles on. Im still not kean on them because they leave little red marks on DD face when she uses it.
I shall join the boycott and buy avent ones next time.
Shant be getting rid of my tommee tippee bottles, steriliser, flask, and insulated bottle carrier thingy though because it would be to damn expensive to replace!!

(Just realised I must look like a walking advert for tommee tippee when im out and about )

Original poster

Woobie · 04/03/2010 22:01

I think you're right Ewe & I must say from the start I've only wanted to make people aware as opposed to wanting anything from TT. (I even put words to that effect in my e-mail to them.)
What really Pissed me off was their response following such a disturbing event (for all 3 of us.) you'd think they would want to at least reassure us that the air vents wouldn't have let him choke, or even say that they will look at their records & see if they need to consider reviewing the size etc....but nothing!
I use a NUK bottle, so I'll have a look at their dummies too, thanks. x

OP posts:

Original poster

Woobie · 04/03/2010 22:04

amazing - I too have pretty much everything TT ! (or at least until the weekend I did!!!!)

Seems my DS was one step ahead though as after buying everything when he was bon, he wouldn't take any of the TT bottles, so the pumps etc have become unused also!

OP posts:

ScreaminEagle · 06/03/2010 00:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

Woobie · 06/03/2010 20:56

Once DS was bigger I may well have been more aware the need to watch how he put the dummy back in. The problem with this style is the round/oval part on the back of the dummy. Whilst the whole thing was too big to get in his mouth in one bit (let alone get stuck) the round pertruding part isn't & to be honets I didn't even consider it.
I am definately more vigilant now though (obviously) I will continue to be. (Pitty it took such a scare & rotten experience for DS to make me aware.)

OP posts:

Shaz10 · 06/03/2010 21:54

Avent claim on their leaflets that the dummy can't get lodged in the mouth.

LittleMrsHappy · 07/03/2010 10:13

How long did you have the dummy for OP, as this does happen dummies should be replaced every 6 weeks, due to wear and tear. This is on all dummy packaging.

Hopefully this does not happen again, and I would also complain to watchdog, but Its also well known that dummies need replacing every 6 weeks.

lifeas3plus1 · 07/03/2010 11:29

I use Tommee Tippee "Closer to Nature" dummies for Ds. The one's with the handle.

Like LMH said they need replacing every 6 weeks.

I will continue to use the TT dummies as they are the only one's Ds like's and I am confident with.

However, I am really sorry to hear about your son's accident and very for you at the reply you received from TT. I would certainly go to watchdog about this.

BosomsByTheSea · 07/03/2010 12:19

Dummies need replacing every 6 weeks !!!!

DS (25 weeks) still has the same dummies he had as a newborn (sterilised every day, mind)

Eeeek!

ScreaminEagle · 07/03/2010 12:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

stinkypinky · 07/03/2010 12:56

You mentioned the dummy was for 0-3 months, but your DS is 5 months... Could the size have something to do with it? (Not a dummy user by the way)

Original poster

Woobie · 07/03/2010 20:55

LMH - hi, the dummy wasn't 6 wks old...only opened it from the pack about 2 1/2 weeks before hand. I was aware of needing to change them regularly because of the teats & silicone wear & tear.
Hi stinkypinky. Ds is 5 months, but we checked the sizes against ones for older bubs & the difference was in teat size, not the round bit (if you get my drift.) Our ds doesn't like the bigger teats (maybe he's got a little mouth!! )
Whilst I did consider that after it had happened (oh what a wonderful thing hindsight is,) we actually checked again the following day when we went to replace all his dummies for different styles. Again it seemed to us that it was the teat that changed size with the age.
I have e-mailed WD, & at least I've brought it to peoples attention on here & all the baby groups I go to! - All I wanted to do really. x

OP posts:

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