Dummies

[moomin35]

I had never envisaged using a dummy for my baby but it's proved a sanity saver for me and my DP. Baby is now 6 months though and I don't want to continue using it much longer. I feel it's more that I rely on it than my baby but how do I now stop using it? Also how on earth do people survive the first few months without one?!

Following as I have the same issue! My baby is 4.5 months old and we'd be lost without the dummy...

Same. Interested in what people have to say. I don't want DS2 to be one of those kids with a dummy stuck permanently in his face. The very, very most I'd like him to use it for is sleep, but even then I'd rather he didn't.

I know you can use the Pantley Pull-Off with a dummy the way you can with boob (Google it) but I've been trying it for a while without a great deal off success.

I wouldn't worry about it :). Most will give it up easily enough between 2 and 3, and until then they are a lifesaver! I think I missed it more when they gave it up :)

A couple of warnings about taking it off them before they're ready. Firstly they might just start with a thumb instead- mine did and there was no way I wanted that, dummies are far easier to wean off.

Secondly there has been some research that if you start with a dummy, you should use it until at least the age of one. Cot death risk is slightly increased if a dummy is given and then removed, compared to never given or continued use.

I just stopped using it for anything other than naps, bedtime and car journeys - a few unsettled days then he was fine with that.

Then just stopped using it in car once his reflux was more settled and controlled.

He kept it for naps until he stopped napping, and bedtime until he was 2.5, when he ripped his final one (others had all either gone walkabouts somehow or ripped too), when we just told him they were all broken but it was ok because he was a big boy now and only babies needed dummies and he fussed a bit for a couple of nights.

Non of it was as bad as I thought.

At about age 1 we stopped giving it to DS except for naps and bedtime (he was old enough by then to be distracted by other things if fussy in the day) then at 18months we dropped it completely by just giving him a soft toy to take to bed instead. He did ask for it for the first couple of days but was happy to be told 'you've got rabbit now instead'. It was surprisingly easy - fingers crossed the same system works with DS2 next year...