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Sleep

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Original poster

How to get rid of dummy

17 replies

SassyPants87 · 15/02/2023 16:48

Baby is 4 months old and I thought for an easy life I’d introduce dummy, he’s had it for 2 weeks and is now totally dependant on it! To the point where he is waking every HOUR because his dummy isn’t in his mouth! I know I’ve created another sleep dependency! (As well as rocking patting and shushing)

I really regret giving it to him! How can I take it away? Just go cold Turkey and deal with the fall out for a few days?

any tips would be really helpful!

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Dumbo18 · 15/02/2023 20:43

I went cold Turkey when my son was 4 and a half months for the same reason, It took a couple of days and some crying but I always comforted him. Best thing I ever done! I now have a 14 month old daughter who still has a dummy because it was never a problem for her

Original poster

SassyPants87 · 15/02/2023 20:55

@Dumbo18 I’ve been shushing and patting for 2 hours!! He still won’t go to sleep argh!

OP posts:

Dumbo18 · 15/02/2023 21:14

Is he crying of just awake? If he’s now crying I’d be tempted to leave him

Original poster

SassyPants87 · 15/02/2023 21:27

@Dumbo18 he’s crying ALOT even when I’m trying to soothe him. I’ve given up and given him dummy. Think I need to start again tomorrow now that I’m better prepared for what’s to come!

OP posts:

BabyOnBoard90 · 16/02/2023 00:12

Throw it in the bin and don't look back. Will definitely be a few days of pain but as someone who got rid of the dummy at 4 months in hindsight it was best decision

Original poster

SassyPants87 · 16/02/2023 00:35

@BabyOnBoard90 how did you get baby to sleep!? I’m already losing the will to live and it hasn’t even been a full evening yet!

OP posts:

Dumbo18 · 16/02/2023 11:36

I done pick up put down, so picked up when he cried and back down after he calmed. Took a while but definitely worth it

Original poster

SassyPants87 · 16/02/2023 11:45

@Dumbo18 did you combine it with Ferber method so wait a few mins before picking back up again? Thing is even when I pick him up he doesn’t calm down!

OP posts:

BabyOnBoard90 · 16/02/2023 12:20

SassyPants87 · 16/02/2023 00:35

@BabyOnBoard90 how did you get baby to sleep!? I’m already losing the will to live and it hasn’t even been a full evening yet!

I don't think baby slept much first few days if I'm honest, looked like a crack addict suffering withdrawals.

Well we set baby down they were very clearly tired. We did sleep training for day naps. So essentially putting down to sleep, coming after 5mins to pat bum (baby slept on front) for a min or two, and then leave for ten mins, and repeat slowly widening the time away. We also put baby in their own room /cot.

I'll be honest, this was probably one of the hardest periods but baby went from taking 45mins to sleep to sleeping within a few mins. DC learned how to self-soothe and we encouraged it where possible - so things like putting their first towards their mouth etc.

Very hard but totally worth it, now at 9months (today) DC is sleeping through night and naps well. 4 month sleep regression is hard, but then you find out theres a 6, 7 and 8 month regressions. But my experience with those weren't as bad as what other people seem to have found it.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 16/02/2023 12:21

At 4 months I’d just cold Turkey it but cuddle and ssh to sleep- I didn’t and wouldn’t do controlled crying until after 6 months.

SalviaOfficinalis · 16/02/2023 12:23

We did Ferber method and took the dummy away at 6 months. Worked like magic.

I think 4 months is too young for Ferber though. I’d say to take the dummy away and do whatever you have to do to get through the next couple of months. Then Ferber at 6 months.

Original poster

SassyPants87 · 16/02/2023 15:12

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I’m definitely going to take dummy away and persevere even if it kills me!! The problem I have is I think baby is too young for Ferber but what I’ll end up doing is making them dependant on another method of sleep! But I guess I can cross that bridge once I’ve successfully gotten rid of dummy!

out of sheer desperation I have paid for a baby sleep coach and we start in two weeks so keen to be rid of dummy by then so that’s one less battle to deal with!

OP posts:

Spiderpiglet · 04/12/2023 11:21

Hi OP! Just interested to know how things went after you took the dummy away? My daughter is 4.5 months and I want to take the dummy away as she needs it to connect sleep cycles from 1am onwards and getting tired of having to get up every 45-1hr to put it back in but conscious she’s still very young. Keen to hear your experience!

Original poster

SassyPants87 · 04/12/2023 15:06

We went cold turkey at 6 months but combined it with some gentle sleep training too. It was a horrific few days but I’m so glad we did it! He’s 13 months now and has slept amazingly well from 6 months

OP posts:

Spiderpiglet · 04/12/2023 16:18

Amazing to hear he’s slept well since! What was the gentle sleep training you did out of interest?

Original poster

SassyPants87 · 04/12/2023 16:31

@Spiderpiglet so we used a sleep consultant that put a plan together for us. We started off the first 3 nights with chair next to the cot and hand on chest shushing and patting until he starts to settle and immediately removing the patting once he quietens as we don’t want him to fall asleep whilst being patted. If they start crying wait two mins before doing shush and pat again. This took bloody ages the first couple of nights! Next 3 nights move chair in the middle of the room and same as above but wait 5 minutes before soothing again.
The next three nights after that you leave the room and wait 10 minutes before going in to soothe.
But to be honest he pretty much cracked it after the first 3/4 nights so he didn’t really cry when we left the room on those last three nights

OP posts:

Spiderpiglet · 04/12/2023 21:35

Thank you for this! I’ll wait until she’s 6 months and hope to start implementing something similar…unless she’s learnt to miraculously sleep through by herself by then (one can hope) :P

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