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Sleep

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Original poster

Taking the dummy away!

12 replies

heartlanddrive · 06/08/2019 11:45

My 5 month old uses his dummy to get himself to sleep. My partner doesn't like him having a dummy at all and so we've kept it to only sleeping since he's been born, he rarely has it for any other reason. I still think he's quite young and so I didn't have any plans to take the dummy away...However, he has now started waking up when the dummy isn't in his mouth, as soon as you put it back in he goes back to sleep. I'm exhausted waking up during the night not only to breastfeed but to also put his dummy back in when it's fallen out! How do we take the dummy away and teach him to go to sleep without it? Without lots of tears if possible!

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heartlanddrive · 06/08/2019 14:53

Anyone?

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Katia2511 · 07/08/2019 14:50

I don't have any advice for your situation as I have let mine have the dummy until he was 2.5. My second one has the dummy now at 6 months and I don't plan to take it off him any time soon. In about a month or two, he will learn to find it in his cot and I won't have to wake up and put the dummy in.
But I have heard that it is easier to take it from them before they reach 6 months. Just don't give it to him anymore and when he wakes up, try a diffrent way of settling him. You should probably be prepared to have a few rough nights.
If it doesn't work, you're exhausted and your partner still doesn't want him to have the dummy, maybe he can look after him at night... 🤷‍♀️

PixieLumos · 07/08/2019 15:45

DS did this too (waking up when the dummy wasn’t in his mouth), but if you can bear with him for now he will be able to find it and put it back in himself in a few months. Otherwise you’ll just have to be prepared for a long few nights. He will get used to it but I don’t think there is a tear free method at this age.

MidsomerBurgers · 07/08/2019 15:46

Just bin the dummy?

NoNeedToArgue · 07/08/2019 15:58

You need a Sleepytot! It cut out nighttime dummy runs for us completely.

NoNeedToArgue · 07/08/2019 16:01

Sorry - just realised you want to take the dummy away. FWIW I don't think there's anything wrong with a dummy for sleep but if you want to get rid, really you just need to take it away... but there will be tears.

I took my little girl's dummy away on her 3rd birthday, but there had been lots of talk about giving it up before then including a visit to the dentist who told her it had to go. She also only ever had it for sleeping and it was a godsend in those early months. I don't regret letting her have it at all.

Original poster

heartlanddrive · 07/08/2019 19:51

What age do they start being able to find the dummy and put it back in themselves? I have got the mam glow in the dark ones which helps me find it in the middle of night! I've tried using his daytime naps to try and get him to sleep without the dummy but he just won't go to sleep no matter how much I rock him etc then as soon as I give up and put the dummy in he is asleep within 5 seconds!!

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Original poster

heartlanddrive · 07/08/2019 19:56

I've tried to give him the dummy and let him play around with it instead of just putting it straight into his mouth and hope that will help him learn to put it back in himself quicker, sometimes he manages to do it. sometimes at night it's literally stuck to his cheek and he cries until i put it back in . I think if I could just wait until he's able to do it himself then I won't take it away as I don't actually mind him having a dummy it's just exhausting at the moment putting it back in every hour! X

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Original poster

heartlanddrive · 07/08/2019 19:59

@NoNeedToArgue the sleepytots look cute, I will try one although I don't he has the skills just yet to locate the dummy even if it was attached to one of those. But that looks like it could be handy in the future!
How long did it take your daughter to get used to sleeping without her dummy?

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NoNeedToArgue · 07/08/2019 20:28

I think we used a Sleepytot from about 6/7 months and my daughter was able to find her dummies easily with it.
We spent literally months prepping her to give up her dummy so she didn't grumble at all - but she was well over two and keen to be a 'big girl' so not comparable to your situation. I agree with the poster who said it would take a few nights if you do decide to go cold turkey at this stage and I would prepare for a lot of upset - which is why I don't really see a reason for doing it at this stage...

Original poster

heartlanddrive · 07/08/2019 21:22

@NoNeedToArgue ok I'm convinced going to hold out and wait for the day he can do it on his own! Thanks for your advice

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NoNeedToArgue · 07/08/2019 21:33

Good luck! Another reason to recommend the Sleepytot is that it became a comforter for my baby during the day when she started nursery, even with no dummies attached. She still looks for it occasionally now.

I hope there is an end in sight to your dummy runs; I remember how exhausting they were! Things change so quickly at this stage so fingers crossed.

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