When and how to stop the dummy?

[FrillyMummy]

My DD1 is 3 months old and she is a sucker! I give her a dummy otherwise she sucks on her hands. This would be fine, but she very often makes herself sick by doing this. She also likes to suck when going to sleep.

When and how did you stop dummies? I hate that she has one (only when she starts making herself sick or fussing when tired), but it seems to make my life easier at the moment!

My DC were serious suckers, we hated it but it was a means to an end. We decided when they turned one that was it, so after their birthdays we took them away. We had managed in the previous months to reduce how often they had their dummy and it was mostly just sleep and car but still we had 3 bad days going cold turkey. But friens who let hem keep it til 2 or 3 had an awful time getting rid of it so I'm glad we did it at 12 months.

OP I recently took the dummy off my 6 month old - best decision we ever made. He didn't notice - I was petrified before bedtime, but I was able to get him to sleep really easily.

As DS is crap sleeper I have read obsessively about sleep and also got advice from a sleep advisor - after 4/5 months if they suck to sleep they will wake up wanting to do it - ie. they may start waking more often ( obviously I am not talking about replacing night feeds , I still feed at night..this is separate very frequent waking) - so you should get them to sleep without sucking either on boob bottle or dummy if you can (note - obviously only if you have a problem with their sleep - don't worry if not!)

It was so easy to get rid of - I do miss it sometimes while out when he is crying, but he has learnt to go to sleep so quickly without it - he is still not a great sleeper but it's much better and we don't have to keep replacing the bloody dummy.

I ahve read that 5 months is best time to get rid of it - although older is fine, honestly he didn't notice not having it, it was me that worried!

ps. just to add - I wouldn't worry for now but when you do get rid of it - throw them away so you aren't tempted. And put a little bedtime routine into place to replace it if she normally needs it to settle - ie. bath/ story/ bedtime...

she might cry more than normal but you can cuddle/ stroke etc to soothe her - and think of the hassle you are saving trying to get rid when she is a toddler!