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Parenting

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Original poster

Weaning off dummy - heard of a strange method.....

21 replies

Sal1105 · 28/02/2009 19:27

Evening. Someone told me that dummies stimulate a point on the roof of the mouth, right at the back, and this stimulation sends comforting signals to the brain. I was also told that a good way to wean a baby/child off a dummy is to cut a small bit off the tip, leave it for a while - I dunno how long (week?) - then cut a little bit more off, leave it for a week, etc., etc. The child gradually finds less and less comfort in the dummy and eventually has no use for it. Sounds too easy to me. Has anyone heard/tried this method? I've been taking my DS (5 months) to see a Chiropractor (he looks like someone sat on his head - poor lamb) and she confirmed the existence of the area on the roof of the mouth. What do we all think, then?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

BitOfFun · 28/02/2009 19:29

I think cutting rubber or latex creates a choking hazard, sorry!

notnowbernard · 28/02/2009 19:30

A bit of a faff

If you want rid, ditching it COMPLETELY is the only way... cold turkey, if you like

But I wouldn't ditch a dummy at 5m, I don't think

Tommy · 28/02/2009 19:32

at 5m he needs his dummy still I think!!

also cutting off a bit would make it prone to germs surely?

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Original poster

Sal1105 · 28/02/2009 19:34

THanks - it's not for the 5m, it's for the 2yr old. BitOfFun - I don't understand how it could create a choking hazard - you just cut a bit off the top - the dummy then has a hole in the tip and the rest of the dummy is intact. Can you explain what you mean?

OP posts:

Original poster

Sal1105 · 28/02/2009 19:35

It's for a 2 year old - sorry - should have made that clear. The bit about the 5m was just incidental.... bla bla bla.

OP posts:

pooka · 28/02/2009 19:36

I heard it was best, with regards to SIDS, to keep the dummy until 1 year.

pooka · 28/02/2009 19:37

Major x-post!

notnowbernard · 28/02/2009 19:37

Ditched DD1's at just 3. She had it at night only from about a year or so

At 2 she wouldn't have understood why we were ditching it... so would have seemed harsh

At 3 she got the concept of Father Christmas taking it for another baby (she actually did it a few weeks before Christmas in the end though)

ABetaDad · 28/02/2009 19:42

notnowbernard - my Dad did that to my youngest sister. She had bad croup and the dummy made it worse so one night he took it out of her mouth and threw the dummy out of the window.

Croup and dummy gone for ever.

bodiddly · 28/02/2009 19:44

surely if you cut the end off the dummy the child is more likely to chew on it and there is then a possibility of it biting off a section?!

BitOfFun · 28/02/2009 19:48

That's what I thought!

TheInvisibleManDidIt · 28/02/2009 19:53

We did the 'giving it to santa' with both our boys. Santa left them a lovely letter saying thanks in the christmas tree.

brightonlad · 28/02/2009 19:55

Just go cold turkey, I was amazed how easy it turned out to be. We built up to a bit and explained what was happening (a friend was going to have them for her dc) and then one day we dropped them all round and all was good. I don't think our friend could get the bag of yellowed halitosis reeking dummies in the bin fast enough but she played along nicely and it all went well.

thepuddingchef · 28/02/2009 22:23

Seriously, go cold turkey. My ds was dummy obsessed, I didn't think I would ever get it off him, but he started chewing them, and eventually they split, So I told him he couldn't have them as they are dangerous, we put them in bin.....so far.....day 4 ......hasn't even asked, even when going to bed ! result!
Much easier than I was expecting

BigTeuchLittleTeuch · 28/02/2009 22:32

dummy fairies came to this house! took all of the dummies and left a fantastic Fridge Phonics game, the generous little things that they are

Neer looked back - that was at about 2.5.

Blondeshavemorefun · 01/03/2009 17:19

agree cold turkey

fwiw its easier to get rid of the dummy by 6mths rather than 2+

good luck

supergluebum · 01/03/2009 17:23

My twopence worth. We didn't do fairies. DS was a bit more than 2 , I was sick of looking for the blardy thing to be honest!
So before bed one night got him to put it in the bin himself. Told him once in the bin it's gone forever, the binman will come and take it.
He did, went to bed and never asked for it again.
So might have been fluke, dunno but my SIL told me to do it this way as she had equal success with her daughter.
Needless to say we carefully fished said pacifier out of the bin and popped in the cupboard just in case. I found it 6 months later and then really chucked it in the bin
HTH

heninthemidden · 01/03/2009 18:05

At 5 months, if they are happy with dummy, leave it, no problem.

My 3 year old wrapped up all his dummies (many!!) for Santa to take to the babies on Christmas Eve. Absolutley no problem, never looked back.

yummybunnymummy · 02/03/2009 12:28

the dummy fairy visited our house, no tears, tantrums, very easy..phew..

Fizzylemonade · 02/03/2009 13:50

Dummy fairy visited here also. Ds2 was 2 1/4 weaned him down to just needing it for sleeps. Counted him down "this is last daytime sleep with the dummy" etc

Dummy fairy left him book, note and chocolate asked for it about 3 times since but I just reminded him that they had gone. He was fine.

SarahPudseyBear · 06/06/2013 08:53

My little boy is 16 months and has gone from wanting his dummy just at sleep time, to all morning Is the dummy fairy for when they are older? Starting to notice at toddlers he is the only one walking about with one as this is 9am-11am although that said he is one of the happiest. So hard to know what to do for the best.......any advice warmly welcomed, to add to my pressure to get rid my husband hates it and whips it out of his mouth at any given opportunity thus sending little guy into a frenzy of crying......which I of course dislike alot! Help!

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