Babies without comforter/dummy

[SS1987]

So around 2 weeks away I decided to take away my DD dummy, I was having to put it back in at least 15 times a night as she sleeps with hands on her face so would constantly knock it out. Sometimes 3/4 times in one minute! Her sleep was being massively affected and I was getting 2/3 hours broken sleep. Anyway her sleeping has improved slightly and we put her down awake and ssshhh her. It’s working a lot better but we need to do this when she wakes in the night. So basically my question is will she need us to help her back to sleep for the foreseeable future as she doesn’t have a dummy or comforter to help her? Has anyone got a baby who doesn’t have a dummy or comforter but still sleeps well? She is 5 and a half months by the way. Thanks

If you are willing to do some gentle sleep training at some point she will learn to self settle completely independently.

One method is to gradually move further away from the cot. So start by being right next to the cot but not stroking/patting, then the next night sit slightly further from the cot. Basically each night move further away until a week or so later you're no longer in the room.

To answer your question though, DD has never had a dummy or comforter and apart from a few rocky patches she has always self settled happily.

My son is 8 months and sleeps without anything at night. Bedtime routine is solid though, we're not 100% fixed on time as we move it wither way depending on how tired he seems, if we're late having dinner etc but the activities always happen in the same order. He self settles and most nights sleeps through. He did have a dummy and gave it up on his own about 5.5 months but I had always tried to get him to fall asleep without it & only used it if he wouldn't settle. He has a comforter for naps but now our nap routine is good I'm not sure he needs it, I just still use it because I know it means he will nod off quickly.

My DS never had a comforter, but I was very, very strict from day 1 ( GF routine), maybe I was lucky because he followed it really well and always slept from 7pm - 7am with one very quick night feed until 8 months when he slept through, this also included time in hospital for major surgery.

But I think the key was following the routine from the day we got home after birth, and yes, I appreciate this wouldn’t suit everyone.