Using dummies: what happens at feed time?

[covycrump]

I may be using a dummy with DS for the first time tonight, as I am exhausted from having him suck on the breast all night for comfort. I really don't understand how dummies work when it comes to feeding - will he spit it out and cry to wake me for his feeds, or how else will I know that it's feed time?

Hi covycrump. First a warning, you may find that DS wants nothing to do with a dummy. DD was rubbish at keeping it in for the first 3 weeks or so of trying, so would give it a couple of sucks and then it would pop out. We just persevered, and eventually it 'clicked'.

Secondly, what I found with DD was that she'd suck on it as she went to sleep, and then it would drop out as she slept. When she woke, she would cry and I would feed her. Then I'd put the dummy back in again when she'd finished feeding, and put her down to go back to sleep.

(6 months later I then had problems with the dummy causing sleep problems, but that's a whole other story!)

Good luck!

It wasn't a great success...
DS spat the dummy out after a couple of sucks each time we tried it. DP persevered for 20 minutes or so, but then gave up, so I ended up with DS sucking himself to sleep on me again. We won't give up though, because as sweet as it is to look down at my sleeping baby attached to me most of the night, lying on my side every night is hurting my pelvis. I just hope it won't be for another three weeks!