How do your dummy-free babies & toddlers soothe to sleep?

[Dozeyland]

Whether your child has had a dummy at some point or not, if they are dummy-less now how do you soothe them, or how do they soothe themselves? and how old?

I got rid of dd's dummy at six weeks and she found her thumb straight away. She is now 19mo. She doesn't have a blanket or toy or anything though.

I was so smug about DS (now 4months) not having a dummy until he found his thumb too!! DD had a dummy until she was 2.9 and now she has Disney songs on and a new teddy that she loves but she was never bothered about before and an old silky nightie of mine that she holds sometimes.

I am hoping DS grows out of thumbsucking but I didn't until I was 12!

Neither DS1 or 2 had dummies, they both suck their thumbs and DS1 has a comfy which is cut up t-shirt, DS2 drags a muzzy around with him.
DS1 is 4 so we're going to start the 'comfy at bedtime only' route next week and DS2 is 2 so he's got a while until I start chopping his muzzies up til they're less conspicuous!

a cuddle or stroke his head

DS found thumb at about 8 weeks and he also has a silky teddy that he snuggles, so cute. Literally put him in his cot and he grabs his teddy and sticks his thumb in. If he wakes in the night I can see him on the monitor and he searches for teddy and just snuggles it until he's back to sleep.

I've never offered a dummy. DD (4) used to bf to sleep when very little and then responded to her head being stroked.

DS likes to hold your hand and has done from very, very young. He's reach out his hand to you and smile endearingly until you hold it and then he drifts off. Neither one has formed attachements to toys or blankies or similar.

He'll*

I was smug because DD didn't have a dummy but she still sucks her thumb at the age of 5.

DD never had a dummy, and I waited and waited for her to find her thumb instead of my boob but she never did.

Eventually, prob 15mo, we could put her in bed without feeding to sleep, we just did exactly the same routine every night for a few weeks to bed it in.

So pjs, brush teeth, tape on toes (there is a good reason, promise) in our bedroom, then through to her room for a couple of stories then into bed. She also has a little Jellycat puppy and raggy tag blanket that she absolutely must have to go to sleep.

It did take weeks of the same routine though for her to settle herself well, before that we used to rub her back while she lay in the cot.

Ds, now 13 months, is surgically attached to a fleecy, manky comforter thing.
I thought it was wonderful until I realised I can't find another one. And now he SCREAMS the house down without it. I have to make sure we don't leave it anywhere, and cleaning of it needs to be carefully planned not to coincide with naps.
I ruefully wonder whether a dummy would've been better....

My dd has her dummy for nap/bedtime. sometimes she'll drop off without it as she also loves her blankets/and my dressing gown. She has always been very sucky, but never sucked thumb. She's 15months, so no hurry. just wondered what other routes. She also like it when i sing to her when she's sleepy and she'll nod off.

Thumb!

Dd has her thumb and her comforter blanket thingy. I tried to move her to a dummy but she didn't fall for tgat and used both.

Ds is 22 weeks and will not take a dummy for anything and seems to have found his thumb a little, u do wonder if it's more seeing his sister though.

DS is only 9.5 months, so a bit younger than yours, but he has a rabbit that he gets for naps and bedtime. He plays with the rabbits ears and sucks its hands. It's a jellycat one suitable from birth. He sucked his thumb about 4 times ever but obviously didn't like it much.

DS sucks his left thumb and plays with his right ear. I'm happy as he's unlikely to leave either behind at motorway service station.