Dummies - yes or no?

[newmum234]

My 7 week old baby is quite unsettled at the moment and has been crying a lot. On another thread a couple of posters suggested that I try a dummy to help soothe him, but I’ve always been dead against them.

However I’m now wondering if I’m almost being cruel to the baby by not allowing him to use one, as apparently babies find them very comforting and I’m denying him that comfort. What do you think?

On this website it says they’re no longer physiologically necessary after 3 months, so if he had one now he would only use it for about 5 weeks.

www.senderspediatrics.com/health-and-parenting/fussy-baby/

Are there any downsides to using a dummy apart from the fact that it could be hard to take it away once he’s used to it?

Sorry, posted too soon. I’m going to try not to use one, because the thought of starting to wean baby off it in just four months time is too stressful. I know some posters don’t have any problems with this, but I’ve seen other people really struggle. Knowing my luck I’d fall into the second group!

I think you need to decide how you're going to use the dummy. I dont agree with using it all the time to make the baby quiet, I think thats when you run into problems down the line.

I do think using it strictly as a sleep aid is ok. I think in total my son has a dummy in his mouth for an hour a day as its a sleep association. As his naps get fewer, his dummy use will get less, therefore much less likely to cause speech and teeth developmental issues.

I do think using it strictly as a sleep aid is ok. I think in total my son has a dummy in his mouth for an hour a day as its a sleep association. As his naps get fewer, his dummy use will get less, therefore much less likely to cause speech and teeth developmental issues

This is exactly it.

If a dummy is used for the purpose it is intended (to go to sleep) then it is in baby's mouth for 10 mins or so, for each nap. Dummy drops as soon as baby is actually asleep. By 6 months old that is probably 30 mins total in 24 hours - use decreases as naps and night wakes drop.

The only issue comes with dummies being used to "keep baby quiet". Which is, frankly, lazy parenting. Dummies are judged for this reason.

If everyone used dummies only as a sleep aid then there would be nothing to be judgemental about. Plus, with naps in the cot, no one outside of your home would know anyway!

And as a final aside, being judgemental anyway is just a means for Mums to increase the (already massive load of) Parental Guilt of other Mums. That helps no one. #bekind and don't judge!