My 14mo DS has his dummy normally just for sleeps, but has had it occasionally recently due to being really ill following PCV and MMR vacines. Since he was about 5months he's been very easy to put down for naps and bed (after a hellish first 5 months) thanks to the dummy (we've never really had issues having to get up in the night to find it for him either). The last few days though at bedtime only he's been solidly refusing his dummy. We're all exhausted due to this fever/illness this week, so not sure if it's all connected. Trouble is although he's refusing his dummy, he's now screaming at bedtime and if he wakes in the middle of the night, it took 3+hours to re settle him last night (he eventually took his dummy).
I'm obviously more than happy for him to drop it, so long as he can learn to get to sleep on his own. Should I just ride it out and keep periodically offering his dummy, or take it away or altogether?
I so desperately need some sleep and not to have to spend hours comforting my poor baby every evening and often in the middle of the night! Feels worse than the newborn colic stage