Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

Original poster

Am I doing the right thing? Damn dummy!

15 replies

ComeTalkToMe · 22/08/2013 19:54

My DD is 20 months and is addicted to her dummy! I have been trying to cut her down over last few weeks and then yesterday I decided naps and nighttime only.

Well, she has other ideas. She's fine most of the day as she can be distracted but in the evening, near bedtime, she has had a major tantrum both nights. I am sticking to dummy after milk to go to sleep only as I feel it's important to stop her using it too much for speech and teeth.

Has anyone else been through this? Or just have any advice?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

gutzgutz · 22/08/2013 20:07

Marking place for ideas for DS2 later. DN still has his dummy age 4.5 if that makes you feel any better! (Daytime too)

mumofboyo · 22/08/2013 22:32

Don't know if it'd work for a child as old as yours, but for dc 2, who was 6mo at the time, we just took it off her. She fell asleep in my arms one night and I put her to bed, forgetting the dummy (I think she was very tired). She slept really well without it so we never gave it back. No idea what to about dc1 though, who is 2.4 and sucks his fingers.
You could perhaps just 'lose' it and see how well she copes without it.
Or even swap it for a special toy? Or wait until Christmas and give it to Santa?

TwoTearsInABucket · 22/08/2013 22:35

DS had his till 4.5. He grew out of it. He was down to one left and then chewed a hole in it. I said it was broken and that was that.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

Forgetfulmog · 22/08/2013 22:39

Sorry, got a bit confused by your op - is your dd just using the dummy for night & nap times? If so, surely that's fine & not an issue re speech/jaw development?

My dd is nearly 1 & she uses a dummy just for nap & night. It's a mam one so developed by orthodontics. My view is that it's better than a thumb (less stress on a jaw) & when she's older it'll be easier to wean her off it.

Personally I'd just leave your dd with dummy for the time being. There are enough things in parenting to feel guilty about - this isn't one of them!

Original poster

ComeTalkToMe · 22/08/2013 22:59

Sorry, she has been using a lot during the day, when upset for example. I am now reducing that to sleep only and it's causing tantrums!

OP posts:

trixymalixy · 22/08/2013 23:02

Just take it away. We let dS have his for far too long, partly due to advice from MN. It was so much less painful than I thought it would be. He cried once for it then forgot about it.

Original poster

ComeTalkToMe · 22/08/2013 23:20

Really trixymalixy that's encouraging, she's cried for it a couple of times (and asked for it and tried to search my pockets for it!) but I'm hoping it will pass soon!

OP posts:

trixymalixy · 22/08/2013 23:24

Honestly I was totally kicking myself that we'd let him have it for so long especially as I think it has affected his speech.

I reeally wish we'd done it years earlier than we did.

apprenticemum · 22/08/2013 23:32

Stick with it. Consistancy is the trick. My DD had hers reduced for naps and bed times and then before Christmas,(at 22 months) we told her that Santa would swap her bed time Dummy for a very special gift. When we went to see santa at the local shopping centre I said in a clear voice as we approached him "Don't forget to tell Santa what you would like in exchange for your dummy" Bless him, Santa played along and told DD that he needed the dummies for to keep the baby reindeer happy while their mummies and daddies were helping to deliver the presents. I reminded her every day after that and sure enough on Christmas eve DD reluctantly placed her dummy with the carrot. The following two nights she asked for it but accepted that Santa had taken it. Job done.

seensomuch · 23/08/2013 17:02

i broke my dds dummy on her 2nd birthday , she only asked for it twice the next day, i showed her the broken dummy , she never asked again, too late for the jaw though had to have block retainers and braces at 13 or a broken jaw at 18 .

Forgetfulmog · 23/08/2013 19:21

All the posters whose children have experienced jaw problems - how often was your child using the dummy (if you don't mind me asking)?

MummyDuckAndDuckling · 24/08/2013 00:20

I took dd (23 months) dummy away a few weeks ago and it went much better than I could have expected. I cut the top so she was unable to suck it, then to her it was broken and she should put it in the bin. She was heartbroken and did have a cry over it but did seen to accept it was broken and couldn't be fixed. When she asked for it I just had to remind her of this and she was fine.

seensomuch · 24/08/2013 15:57

forgetfulmog my dd had her dummy for naps and bedtime , it was out of her mouth by morning so not sure how long it was in at night , she never had it when she was awake , mummyduck thats exactly what i did to my dd dummy .

Forgetfulmog · 24/08/2013 21:16

That's concerning then that it still caused problems even though she didn't have it all the time

trixymalixy · 24/08/2013 21:26

DS pretty much only has his for naps, at bedtime and in the car, once he started talking but I still feel it has affected his speech

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread