dummies

[GirlWithTheMouseyHair]

i think ds who is 10wks is getting addicted to the dummy - well, to be fair, it's prob me getting addicted to it!

he had colic in the first 7 weeks of life which has gradually eased and the dummy was a life saver during this time, but he now needs it to sleep more often than not and I do resort to it very quickly when we're out and he's fussing (fussing for my baby seems to be what most other babies class as screaming!)

Once he's asleep (a constant battle) he generally sleeps well and normally has one early morning waking (any time between 3:30 and 5:30am) - which he used to go straight back to sleep after. Now it can take me an hour to re settle him - with or without dummy but I'm sure it's contributing.

I just don't want to be in the position of having to get up several times a night to give him his dummy back - he does sometimes go to sleep without and so far doesn't wake if he pops it out in his sleep...what would people recommend in terms of geting rid of it? presumably it'd be easier to do now than when he's 6/8/9/10months old but I do appreciate babies ned to suckle to sleep sometimes up to 3 months, should I wait til then, when hopefully he's sleeping should be mroe settled anyway...and what's the best way to get rid of it?!

should add the early morning waking is to feed, not to put dummy back

My DD kept hers until she was 1 for daytime sleeps and 2 for night time. I think they whole point is that they are addicted. We had various phases of her dropping the dummy and bought extras to put at the side of her cot for when she dropped it.

When they're older the advantage is that you can reason a bit more. Think we told her Father Xmas was taking the dummy and leaving presents.

DD (9months) seems to be getting rid of the dummy by herself. She's only ever had it to help her get to sleep, and we had a phase where she'd wake up in the middle of the night wanting it to be put back in her mouth, but now she spits it out if it's given to her.
At 10 weeks, I personally wouldn't worry too much - if it works, use it. Perhaps just use it only at times you know he needs to sleep, not when he's bright and wakeful.

Ten weeks? I would just be delighted that DS is accepting a dummy and it's soothing him. Mine didn't take one until he was five months and it was a godsend.

When your baby wakes in the early morning I presume he's having a feed? It's not unusual for small babies to take a while to settle during the night.

My DS didn't get rid of the dummt at night until he was four! You may judge, but he loved it. It took one night of crying to lose the habit when we did get rid.

It's entirely up to you what you do, but for my money I'd take the power of the dummy over the odd raised eyebrow any day!

My DS is 3 months and has a dummy, but is discovering his fingers/thumb, which makes me happy as that is my "ideal" self soothing solution for him (I know it will be more difficult to wean him off his thumb but I think most kids grow out of it naturally unless they are constantly hounded over it - and I still suck my thumb, I am sure this was because my Dad never let the issue go.)

At about 6 months there is supposed to be a window where you can easily wean them off the dummy. Perhaps in the middle of teething you could replace the dummy with one of those special teething dummies, and then hope he decides he doesn't need it any more when he has finished with teething? By 6 months they can usually find the dummy and replace it themselves anyway.

I love dummies

For babies that 'get' them, they are a source of comfort as well as sanity-saving for parents

Mine had them when needed (ie day or night) until about 1ish... thereafter reserved for sleep/unwell/teething/grumpy etc

DD2 is now 2.5 and has hers at night only. DD1 initiated giving hers up at just 3

We used a dummy with my first son and it was great but he did used to cry in the night when he woke up and didnt have it. It was ok when he was in his cot beside me - I'd just put it back in almost in my sleep - but when he moved into his own room it was never going to work! We just took it away and after a few days he was fine without it all -he did start sucking blankets later which was fine as he could do that himself. For us it worked out great - a dummy for comfort when he was a baby and needed it - and then stopping early meaning there was no hassle with how we would ever get him to stop. We would have done the same with our next 2 but no matter how we tried they didnt want a dummy!

I can see why your worrying about what may happen in the future with the dummy, but if you have a 10 week old who only wakes once in the night, that's brilliant!

Sometimes it is worth getting rid of the dummy early. But at other times it can be more trouble than it's worth. If your baby needs it to soothe himself, then you have something to help him relax into a sleep. Sometimes babies who cry themselves to sleep actually sleep worse becuse they're all tense.

Every baby and situation is different I guess. There is a comforter called Sleepytot (www.sleepytot.com) that you can attach dummies to. Maybe you could try this with your DS when he's a little older and teach him how to use it. Then he will have the dummy and a way of self soothing. And you will have some sleep!

My health visitor told me that if you start giving a dummy to get to sleep, it is thought that you shouldn't stop before 6 months.

The FSID statement on the subject is at www.fsid.org.uk/dummies-q&a.html
and I found the UNICEF statement at www.babyfriendly.org.uk/items/item_detail.asp?item=140
This has the key points:

"This may indicate that infants are at greater risk of SIDS if they routinely use a dummy but have not been given their dummy on a particular night."
"If dummy use is really protective against SIDS but only if used every night, parents must be informed of this. The possibility that missing a night will increase risk among routine dummy users creates confusion and concern. We must be secure that parents will never forget to give the dummy once they have started to use it. "

Bear in mind, research is always continuing and isn't always cut and dried.

Even if I give my 11 week old a dummy to go to sleep, he loses it in his sleep and can wake up and go back to sleep without crying for it...

Oh and I think I'm addicted to the dummy too