If baby doesn’t take a dummy, what soothes them?

[ellecf]

Not a problem at all that my 6 week old won’t take a dummy (will be nice to be without that weaning battle!) but wondering what do you use to soothe a baby if they don’t have one? I’m talking in scenarios like on flights etc? My first took a dummy and fed a lot for comfort (both EBF) so that’s all I know. Second DD doesn’t really feed for comfort at all, just for fuel and doesn’t seem to find sucking very soothing. She is pretty chilled but just thinking about scenarios where I found the dummy helpful!

My DD would spit the dummy out, cry, I’d give it back, she’d spit it out, cry and so on for a few days until I couldn’t cope with the broken sleep so one night I just stopped and she sucked on her fist/hand

My son never had a dummy- he got his comfort from feeding both BF and bottles; and had a little fleecey soft baby blanket which he seemed very fond of - he has that now as his comforter and has been very consistent in comforting himself with that at nap time and bed time. I’d avoid a dummy if you can! X

Just holding or hugging them and talking to them, really. I can’t really think of anything special!

Mine all are/were EBF but none have particularly fed for comfort. Youngest is 8 weeks old and only feeds 4-5 times in 24h, and the older two were pretty similar. I’ve never tried any of them with a dummy, so they’ve never had that option!

Neither of mine had dummies but were ebf and they both just fed for comfort - very useful on flights, long train journeys, theatre shows and school assemblies where we brought dc2 along to watch dc1.

Thanks for the responses! As my first DD fed for comfort I doubt DD2 would in a scenario like on a flight. Not that I’m going anywhere 😂 but just wondered what non dummy babies did. She does seem to like white noise which did nothing for DD1. I can’t see that being helpful in church though where I couldn’t start playing crickets chirping. Agree I don’t want to keep trying as she really isn’t interested and it will save me a job later down the line of getting rid.

Have you tried different dummies? Mine would never take mam dummies but did take another brand.

also we used a muslin comforter, she’s 2 now and still LOVES her comforter. It genuinely provides so much comfort

This is the problem I'm having, first DS fed purely for food and loved a dummy. My new baby is 10 weeks old and feeds for comfort and will not take a dummy at all, he screams in the car, in the pram, when I have to deal with toddler, all the time. Most of the time I can comfort him but in the car for example I just have to listen to him cry 😢 really wish he would take a dummy x

Myself and both my dc didn't have dummies, we all had clothing tags. The silky washing instructions you can run between your fingers.

Neither of mone would take a dummy, DD would feed for comfort and also found her thumb. DS wouldn't feed for comfort and never found his thumb either, I just had to rock him or cuddle him if he got to upset. But was also a much more chilled baby then DD.

I used a sling a lot for DS even more then I did for DD, I could then comfort DS and still deal with toddler. Most of the time he would sleep in the sling.

But I know how you feel about the car, he would cry till he fell asleep. He was much happier when we put him in a bigger carseat (still rear facing), I think he hated being crunched up in the baby seat.

I baby wear him as often as I can but because I'm ebf he just roots on me and then becomes hysterical that he can't find the nipple so I have to take him out and try to soothe him all over again or feed him. And he's in the bigger seat already, still rear facing, he's on the 99centile so he's in his big chair, doesn't make a difference. I feel like we go to all this effort to not do "cry it out" with LO's, only to basically do cry it out in the car for example. Its so distressing we try not to drive anywhere x

My 2nd didn't take to the soother at all. He uses a teddy comforter for bed and naps and I hand him a soother which he either plays with or chews on when teething but never sucks it or uses it for long. His teddy is his main comforter. (Currently goggling it to buy a second back up one)

Edit to add he's only ever been formula fed but so was my 1st who took a soother from day 1

So interesting you say that about the washing instructions because DD1 runs the label of her Teddy through her fingers like that!