How to use dummy?

[DreamingOfTheMaldives]

We have realised that 2 week old DS wants the comfort of sucking in the evenings - he cries a lot during the evening and wont be consoled unless he sucks at my finger. He sucks st his fingers, sucks at the bottle but then spits it out as he isnt hungry - we've realised that a dummy will give him the comfort he wants and have therefore given him one this evening and it has done the trick.

My query is how do we restrict dummy to evenings/night only, or is it not really possible? Are we going to struggle to soothe him at any time of day unless we give him a dummy? We'd rather he didn't have a dummy during the day but don't know if its realistic to only use it at evening/night

Anyone else keep them for evening/night only and how do you prevent their use creeping into the daytime?

read the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg. good advice about dummies (and of course many more)

also look at this link, see if it helps in understanding and handling your baby's needs! I found it a life saver!

You don't give it to them in the day! You're in charge

But at 2 weeks old, I'd not worry until a bit older when naps have settled down and you restrict to just nap times.

I have friends who restrict to sleep time, which seems to work out ok.

My DD was EBF and very sucky. Constantly feeding her was killing me, as she was only sucking, so we got her a dummy and it saved my life! Without it, I would have given up on BF for sure.

We decided to use it for sleeping only. So we kept it in her cot, and as she got older, if she ever got it out during the day, I'd just say to her, "oh you've got your dummy, do you want to go to bed?" And she'd pull it out as quick as. When they're younger, it's easier because you just put it away, and they can't get it. So, she never had it daytime. Many people thought she never had one, people said to me she didn't have a dummy, yet she always did.

At two, she gave up her dummy. That was easy too - simply find something they want more than the dummy. Then you say things like "when you're a big girl you can X" along with "big girls don't have dummies". Then when they want to do X say things like "yes, when you're a big girl, but you're not a big girl yet because you have a dummy". After a couple of weeks, both my girls decided they were "big girls" and declared they were giving up the dummy. The dummy fairy took the dummies away, they got the big item in return (DD2 wanted to do ballet, so she got some ballet shoes) and neither girl ever wanted their dummy again. They asked a couple of times, I reminded them they were big girls now, and they accepted that. No tears, no tantrums because it was in their terms (or so they thought ).

Thanks for your replies.

CreatureRetorts -ha, of course I am!! Would you mind telling his little Lordship that now!

I've downloaded the Baby Whisperer and am just trying to find time to actual read it now!

We've given DS the dummy a couple of evenings now, just to settle him during his witching hour and it has really helped. So far he has managed to sleep at night and during day without the need to suck, he just seems to need to suck for comfort in the evening.

dreaming have you looked at my link yet?

I used to say it out loud with ds (repeat "I'm the mummy")- I used to worry about things like putting him down in case he woke up and the world would implode. With dd (my second), I was much more confident.

Our daughter had colic, which was pretty much what your describing. We gave her a dummy but only when the colic kicked in in te evenings, and now at 8 months she knows that if she wants her dummy I will put her in her cot. Also, neither me nor dp will pick her up or really communicate with her when she has the dummy in. Works pretty well for us, maybe worth a shot?!

Zing sorry I missed the link initially but I've just watched it and it is really interesting. I'm going to listen out for those sounds when DS starts grumbling. Thanks

Bubbless - I had wondered about colic and had also read that sucking a dummy can help relieve it.

Over the last couple of days DS has had the dummy a couple of times in the evenings but sometimes isn't interested and will push it back out of his mouth. At least he isn't screaming for it all the time and we can continue to just use it it the evening when he is really unsettled.

good!

and please let me know how you get on - if you can
I hope things will improve soon