Dummies

[mehhh]

I've just seen a different thread along with various comments from other mums at baby groups etc like "I always said she wouldn't have a dummy" "I hate dummies"

I have given dd a dummy pretty much from birth, I was breastfeeding so gave me some time away from having my cracked bleeding nipples suckled on, she still has it now when she's going to sleep but spits it out once asleep... I'd never really thought about it and thought it was pretty normal babies have them

I know some babies don't take to them and it's personal preference as a parent whether you give them or not but why do people hate them / are so against them?

I've just had a quick google and it says it can help prevent SIDs and also babies have a natural need to suck so obviously a dummy helps this

Just curious of downsides really and the other point of view

It is pretty normal.

Throughout the next 20 years, you'll find people parent differently from yourself. Some things you think are really important, a friend won't be bothered about, but they will be particularly fussy about won't hit your radar.

However - a lot of people - especially Speech and Language Therapists, which should tell you something - don't like older children walking around with dummies or having dummies in their mouths preventing them from being able to form their first speech sounds - or later whole words and phrases - properly. Completely different from a baby suckling as they go to sleep.

Personally I don't like dummies because people use them to shut their babies up. Usually a baby cries because he needs something. If baby is wet/hungry/upset he needs changing/feeding/cuddling, not a dummy stuffed in his mouth to shut him up. Not to mention the potential dental problems, delayed speech and difficulty in getting the child to stop sucking it at an appropriate age. And I'm always afraid that the teat comes off and chokes the baby. Each to their own, though.

I can definitely see both sides of the argument and I was very much against them myself for the reasons mentioned in the previous posts, but my DS really struggled to settle at night no matter how much feeding/changing/cuddling he got, and as a very last resort I offered him a dummy when he was 3 weeks old and it made such a massive difference.
However, he only had it at night as he was falling asleep after his last feed, and I didn’t give it back after he woke for a feed at about 5am. As he wasn’t massively attached to it I managed to wean him off of it completely by 10 months at the same time as stopping breastfeeding. Second baby is 4 months and has never had one.

Gave all my kids dummies and they all speak well and have perfect teeth and had no problem giving the dummies up . They were a godsend for me and a comfort for them . Don't overthink the simple things in life x

I hate them. I don't see any need for them at all. Ugly pieces of plastic shoved in a child's mouth. Should be banned I think.

I'd be worried that I'd miss the fact that the baby wants or needs something if he or she had a dummy because they just try to comfort themselves by sucking it instead of crying for attention. I gave mine teethers quite early on though as they don't stay in the mouth like a dummy does. As I was breastfeeding, there was also the option for them to comfort feed whenever they wanted too. I think I might have used a dummy if that hadn't been the case as I know babies do like to suck more than just for feeding.

Health visitor asked if baby had a dummy. When I told her DD wasn't interested as I had tried one to calm her when colicky and a very sucky baby. She basically told me I should keep trying. DD doesn't want the bloody thing!

Same with first. If it didn't provide food she didn't want to know.

Each to their own. If it provides comfort then why not.

I think people get overexcited in the issue, there are pros and cons in both sides.

I personally don’t like dummies. I agree with a previous poster, some (not all) people use them to shut their children up. Babies cry do communicate - you do need to at least attempt to work out why they are crying.

For older children it’s not great for speech development.

However I’d never dream of commenting in real life and several of my friends have used them effectively without either of the above problems

I was very much against dummies pre-baby. Having read the sleep stuff on here, I don't mind the idea of them as a sleep aid now, I get that babies need that comfort sucking. For mine, I was happy to do that by breastfeeding so I've never thought they were needed for us by I see their purpose.

However, I can't stand seeing the things in older toddlers mouths all day! Yes as a sleep aid, no as a 4 year old being dragged around the shops!! I realise this sounds judgemental and I actually think it's really very unusual in the U.K., but where we live at the moment it's almost the norm! It's crazy! Dummies, smooth purée and bottles and bottles of formula until they're really quite old but then they all start full time school at 2.5? I really don't get it! 🤷‍♀️ Tangent

Should be banned I think.

You want to ban something that helps to prevent SIDS? Logic fail?

Not using one helps people feel superior, along with homemade baby food, baby wearing, wooden toys and all that gubbins. Better to support women with their choices and stop judging perfectly fine choices.

Adored mine having dummies. My two rules were: as they get older try to keep them just for sleep, and get rid of them altogether by age two.

Mine have all had dummies (4dc)

Dc1 and 2 we took them away at the same time (age 2 and 3)
Dc3 lost interest about 5 months old
Dc4 is a dummy fiend aged 18 months!

Those saying they should be banned are ridiculous.

I do however think they should be used less when the child is older and stopped all together certainly before school at the max