Dummies or not?

[Smarshian]

I have a 17 month old DD. She never took to a dummy. I didn't really push it as I don't love them and didn't want to deal with having to wean her off it etc etc but there were times I wished she would take one.
Expecting ds very soon and wondering whether to get some in this time round.
What are people's thoughts? Pros and cons please?

Pros: Some research suggests it can reduce the risk of SIDS in young babies. It can be used as a sleep cue. Sometimes babies comfort suckle and it can be preferable for them to do that on a dummy rather then your boob. It's useful if you're going somewhere that you really want to keep your baby quiet. It's preferable to them sucking their thumb, which you then can't take off them!

Cons: Some people don't like the look or feel judged about using one. It can affect the structure of the mouth the longer it's used. Frequent wake ups to go put it back in your baby's mouth during the night if they spit it out. Sometimes it's difficult to take it away. It can impact breastfeeding, I think if used before it is well established.

Personally, I wanted DD to have one for the lower SIDS risk but found she wasn't a big fan for the first couple of months. I wasn't insistent on it, just tried every so often and now she's really taken to it. We mostly only use if for sleep though. I haven't given much thought yet to when/how to get rid of it but she's only 5 months old.

My DD is 5 months and has had a dummy since birth. I originally gave her one as I was advised in my anti natal class that they reduce the risk of SIDS.

She also has bad reflux and it seems to help ease any discomfort after she's had a bottle and a burp. She also tends to uses it just before a nap or bedtime, but I'm fine for her to use it whenever she wants it.

No harm in having one, but some babies just don’t want or need them. My first had one from about 4 months as it really helped her settle. We got rid of it when she turned 2 (only had it for naps and bedtime) and it was no big deal. My 2nd had no interest and is really chill and settles to sleep fine on his own, so we’ve never used one with him. No harm in offering one. The evidence on dummies and SIDS is really solid so for that reason alone it can be positive, especially if you don’t bf. But some don’t want or need them.

Yes. Always. They are amazing.

Since birth and EBF-ed. Never had an issue. Helped a lot with soothing to sleep when DC was colicky.

My DD wouldn’t take one then at 8 months when her sleep was awful we tried it and it’s turned her sleep around. I am dreading trying to get her off it though but I imagine with another baby I would try one as it did massively help with sleep.
She lets it drop out of her mouth when she sleeps so we don’t have endless putting back in but if she wakes in the night she’ll go back to sleep straight away with it

I'd have one in just in case this time round your baby likes them. DD had one and it was way more use than it was hassle. At 8 months we cut it back to only used for sleeping and I think she was about 3 when we stopped it for that too. Did the dummy fairy and had not a single problem, she adjusted beautifully. I'm not a fan of how they look but i coped very well when it helped her sleep

Hell, yeah.

Mummy's little sanity saver. Top tip is save it for naps/bedtime once he's mobile. Mums to massive toddlers walking round with a plastic plug glued to the bottom lip like fag ash Lil will be judged.

God Yes! Dummies are ace.

I didn't want my firstborn having one (I don't think anyone does with their first).

Second time around I took a pack of dummies in my maternity bag when I gave birth. EBF no problem.

Mums to massive toddlers walking round with a plastic plug glued to the bottom lip like fag ash Lil will be judged

This! Dummies look awful imo and delay speech if the child sucks it too often. And my dentist said the vast majority of kids he treated who needed braces, needed them because sucking a dummy had deformed their mouths. Plus I tend to think that if a baby cries it's trying to communicate, and plugging the noise doesn't solve whatever is causing the crying. I've never given my DC a dummy and it hasn't been a problem.

DS took one at 5 days old when I was desperately trying to help him sleep/stop crying. He had reflux and I had a fast let down and oversupply so he couldn't nurse for comfort. Dummy fairy at age 2 and no issues getting rid. He napped in his cot (if only for half an hour) he went to sleep in his bed.

DD wouldn't take one, she nurses for comfort, now 9 months and still only sleeps on me. DH finds her harder to manage because he doesn't have a dummy to use when it gets desperate and I do tend to stick her on the breast whenever I need to. I wish she had taken a dummy and I occasionally consider trying again now but I feel like I shouldn't considering they suggest you remove by age 1 (even if none of us listen to that)

I'd say if you are breastfeeding then decide how much you want to be solely responsible for the need to suck. If bottle feeding then definitely try. Personally I would always try, it gives you an extra parenting tool and then you can decide how to use it (totally agree about hating to see toddlers who are actively enjoying themselves with one in their mouth though! Sleep or comfort sure but I doubt many children laughing on a swing actually need that dummy at that moment)

Congrats on #2! It's chaos!

I love dummies! My DD found comfort in it in the scary time of entering the world and getting through the first year of her life.

Need to tone it down now she’s 2 as Dentist has suggested it, it will be having a “home” soon on a shelf in bedroom to be left each morning.

One thing I’ve learned is to really not sweat the small stuff

Xx

My LO has it for naps but not at night so i don't have to keep going in when she spits it out

The SIDS risk was found to be shaky which is why they removed it from the official recommendations.

Personally I would see how you go. Don't offer one unless the baby seems unsettled or very sucky.

I'd of lived my children to have dummys. As they used me as a comfort most times. Neither of them would have it. I tried for months and they both hated it.

Pfb is 7 weeks, EBF and sucks to sleep, so we thought dummy would be a life saver but waited the recommended 6 weeks (to establish breastfeeding). He seemed to like it the first time we gave it to him but has spat it out ever since! Not sure whether to persevere or not.

Never wanted DD (7 months) to have one, but gave in after a couple of weeks when feeding was agony and she needed to suck for comfort. She occaisionally has it during the day and has it at night (as long as she can find it and doesn't throw it out the cot she can manipulate it to put it back in herself). I'd like to start reducing how much she uses it but its been a lifesaver. No problems with bf either.

Mine all had dummies, they were great for us. All older now and no teeth issues.

DS has had his since about 2 weeks, he was good on the breast from day one but wanted to establish it a bit. Its a life saver tbh it really helped with his wind and reflux which caused him a lot of pain.
He only ever used it to get rid of wind post feed and to get to sleep but spits it out soon as he's out.
He's mad for sucking his hand now so I'm encouraging swapping for the dummy as I figure its a better habit as it can be removed later. My sister was a hand sucker and it ruined her teeth so I'm actually trying to save his teeth, lesser of two evils in that regard I think.