HV suggested dummies - advice needed

[alana39]

This is sort of feeding related but wasn't sure where to post.

5 eweek old ds3 likes sucking - and feeds for a long time for much of the day (Typical feeds would be for a good 45 mins on 1 side then often takes the other side for a while. Every 2 hours, so only about an hour off - less once changed / winded.)

So HV has suggested dummies but I wondered if it could impact on bf at all?

DS1 fed like this too, byt it was easy when feeding 1 baby was all I had to do. Now there are 2 older DCs to get to school etc.

DS3 produces many dirty nappies a day so there seems to be plenty of excess not actually being used!

Any thoughts please?

I think, though am no expert, that by 5 or 6 weeks, breast feeding is getting close to being established.

Saying I have no expertise.... I do have dd, ds1 and ds2, all of whom had (or have in ds2's case) dummies and all of whom were/are exclusively breastfed.

IMHO you could try them and see what you think. If you don't like the effect, if there is one, stop using a dummy.
A lot of babies will soon let you know if they WANT MILK rather than a suck.

If you want to try a dummy then do. I used one with ds1 from 2 wks and exbf him till he was 17months with no problems. I would always offer breast and if I was sure he was just sucking would give him the dummy. He refused it from 4months though! DS2 would never take one.

Thanks for quick replies, sounds like it is worth a go.

Both mine had dummies by that age and both were excl bf. It didn't impact on feeding at all

With dd2 in particular it helped a lot because she used to comfort feed A LOT but got very gripey and windy as a result. SO the dummy helped by providing the sucking comfort

I used a dummy with all 3 of mine DC1 from about 2 weeks and the other 2 from about 1 week old. They were all v sucky babies. It had no impact on bf so far as I am aware (all had great weight gain, fed well and regularly etc). You will soon know whether they just want to suck or whether they are hungry (dummy spat out and WAILING!!). It really really helped us in the early days to be honest - e.g. DC1 went from screaming all the time to calm and happy. All three of them completely rejected the dummy in favour of their thumbs by about 3 months and they then sucked their thumbs almost non stop when they were tiny (which presents a whole load of other problems of course, but they do seem to grow out of it e.g. DD1, now 4, only sucks her thumb at bedtime now). Some babies are just V sucky so give it a go and see what happens, you can always take it away again.

As above, really! DTs had dummies from 1 week old - now 12 weeks and still exclusively breastfed. They also took bottles of ebm (we use closer to nature ones) from 6 weeks wit no problem.
Hope it helps!

Hi Alana - Both of mine had dummies to great effect from a week old until 5 months
They only had them when there was a need - ie occaisionally - not permanantly stuck in their mouths

At 5 months I chucked them all away - they mithered for a day or so but otherwise not bothered

i used a dummy with dd from the night she was born until 6 months. it never had an impact on bf. i only gave it to her when she was a bit fretful, but it was phased out eventually (by her, not me). i'd say go for it

I think dummies can be extremely useful if your baby likes to suck for prolonged periods. I didn't use one, but my SIL did with her DS from quite early on she didn't have any problems with bf.

alana we use a dummy with DS2 and I used them with both of the other two DC's. I found the mam ones the best, the 0-6 months ones have non slip tips so little mouths can hang on to them. Go for it!

another yes vote from me too

had 3 dds and never really used them (all thumb suckers) but ds was a very sucky baby and used a dummy from about a week old. He gave it up by himself at about 8 months. I'm still feeding him now at 23 months, so it didn't harm breastfeeding at all

DS has had dummies since about 1 week old and is still exclusively breastfeeding at 16 weeks. Never caused any problems. If he definitely wants milk, he'll spit it out and let me know!