Going cold turkey with dummies....need help!!!

[mads1]

Panic is setting in! Please help!!!
After a lot of thought we have decided to go cold turkey with the dummies for dd2 who has just turned 6 months.
Started today and so far not too bad. This mornings nap took 15 mins to settle, after lunch nap in car and pm nap went within 2-3 mins.

Each nap however were only half hour long. So poor thing has not had much rest today.

This evening it probably took about 40 mins on total but not all of this was crying - so overall not too bad.

HOWEVER!!! She keeps waking now every 10-15 mins and I need to go in to put my hand on her to reassure her. Now what do I do in the middle of the night when she's not exhausted enough to go back to sleep? Controlled crying? This worries me because dd1 might wake.

Can anyone who has done this please tell me what you did.

Why is everyone so anxious to take dummies off babies? My DD is 7, yes 7, and still takes it to sleep. She has tried to stop it herself but hasn't managed so far.
She wasn't allowed to walk around with it in her mouth, and when she was about 3 it had to stay upstairs.

But it's a comfort, why take it away?

Not a very helpful reply was it?

Sorry

DS2 is 15mths and still v. addicted to his dummy, we have manged to keep it for sleep only but I am well aware he has had it far longer than ds1. However, he is far more attached than ds1 ever was, and tho' i hate dummies, he only has it for sleep and it really comforts him, so i have decided to tackle it when he is 2(ish!) , mainly because i am a coward, but also because i dont think its doing any harm. Good luck with your battle, you have my admiration!!

Appreciate you taking the time to read my post and typing your answers but really not helping my situation with your opinions.

I mean this in the most politesed(sp?) way- I have already made the decision and have started this. I need advice or just support now on what to do next.

Don't need to hear if it's the right or wrong decision because that's my call.

Missmapp - sorry my last post was not at you. Was typing mine as you posted. Good luck!

Sorry, you are quite right, you asked for advice and got none. Cant really help except to say that controlled crying may work, and if your dd1 is a pretty heavy sleeper she probably wont wake, they seem to tune out siblings noise, my ds2 has had some howling nights and even tho' ds1 is in adjoining room he never seems to wake
good luck

crosspost mads 1- keep up the good work!

we did this with our DD at a similar age. we did it because she woke every hour to be "replugged". she was permanently tired and grumpy, as were we.

TBH she only woke once in the night the first night we went cold turkey. but she was very angry, and took about an hour to go back to sleep without the dummy.

the next night she did not wake in the night, and only took 20mins or so to go to sleep.

By day 3 she had forgotten about it.

NB - I have nothing against children using dummies for comfort at any age. but in our case it became more trouble than it was worth.

Someone else had a recent thread on this - I'll see if I can find it.

i think at 6mths old you don,t have to panic just yet but i would have a limit to how old i think they should have it for.they start to look abit too big to have it so you know its time to go.i,ve learned that alot of the habits with my 4 year old were only a problem because we allowed them to be dummies,cups,nappies with all of them one day i just said thats it and threw them out so i was,nt tempted to give in my daughter had her dummy till 2.i know the sucking on dummies,bottles etc is a comfort thing but they do in time have to learn to settle themselves.it feels harsh i thought it would be a nightmare but she was really good i always went to her if she was upset and cuddled her to reassure her.i don,t think personally even tho i,m not a fan of dummies really that you need to worry about it yet

recent thread here

We took DD's dummy away when she was 6 months or so (I think) because she would wail every time it fell off her mouth, which was 4-5 times an hour.

First night was hard. Second night much easier. She was over it in a few nights.

We gave it back when she started teething around 9 months because she just constantly needed to chew something.

From about 2 years, dummies were only for the bed and she threw them in her cot when we picked her up in the morning.

Quit dummies altogether when she was 2.8 or so, on instructions of a children's dentist. It went much easier than I would have thought - cut the tips one by one. She said they were "broken" and threw them in the bin. Then never asked for them again

Paddingtonbore- this is exactly why I'm doing too. I have been sleeping on the floor in dd's room for the last few weeks just because she was waking so frequently in the night.

This is just as much for her as I feel that she will sleep better for it (hopefully!!!!!!).

Paddingtonbore - many thanks for link. Will read in abit.

Herbietea- I think you're missing my point. I have asked for advice from others who have also taken the dummies away. I would like to hear about their experiences and some reassurance. Therefore anyone who has been there.
I am always open to others opinions but in this case my question is specific. I am not asking whether this is the right of wrong thing to do.