Dummy Help.............

sarah28uk · May 31, 2008 4:16PM

Hi,
We stupidly introduced a dummy 6 weeks ago to help our 13 week old son go to sleep but now he is dependant on it. If he wakes in the middle of the night he can't go back to sleep without the dummy. Which means that I am up and down all night. Does anyone have any tips on how to wean him off the dummy?

SammyJayden · May 31, 2008 1:16PM

It will just be one of those things that u persivere with whilst weaning him off it. The only thing you can really do is whenever he cries for it is go in and calm him down, maybe stroke him head or place your hand on his chest and just shh him. It wil be very hard but it will pay off and because hes still very young he should catch on to it quicker and shouldnt take so long as for say a 12 month old whos been dependant on it for a long time... good luck!

anatoriac · May 31, 2008 1:34PM

Hiya I've just weaned my LO off his dummy. He's 6 months old and has had it since about 3 weeks so he had quite an attachment to it!
I only used to use it at night to get him off to sleep but, like your LO, whenever it fell out he'd wake up and need it to be re-plugged (usually 5-6 times a night! :x )

Anyway, a few nights ago I'd finally had enough, so I tried controlled crying - without his dummy

I fed him and put him down, as soon as i walked out the room he started crying but i stuck at it and he fell asleep by himself after about 20 minutes. Then the next next he slept through! 7-6:30! And he hadn't slept through at all before that! He also slept the next night 7-6. So its definitely worth persevering with it.

Good luck!! $:\$ )

sarah28uk · May 31, 2008 3:31PM

Sorry....probably a very silly question but what is controlled crying??

I have left him to cry for 3mins and I have tried putting my hand on him but he doesn't calm unless I pick him up. If I pick him up he is normally calm within 3 minutes but the moment I put him on his back he starts crying again.

ollier2001 · May 31, 2008 3:48PM

hi sarah
firstly controlled crying is where you leave him a bit longer every time before going back to him, soothing him etc - if you have to clock watch 3 mins, then 5, the 8 etc
secondly, does he use his dummy during the day? if he falls asleep without it,( if you haven't already,) when home put him in the cot during the day - it's much easier to do controlled crying during the day when you are not as desperate to sleep yourself the same. he will hopefully get used to the idea of cot, sleep, etc.
he sounds like a carbon copy of my first, and he was eventually 9 months old when i got him off it - i thought i was doing myself a favour letting him have a dummy in the night, but like you, up and down 6, 7, 8+ times!! i didnt know about controlled crying then!!
try to avoid picking him up to soothe him - your warm, snuggly and mummy!! as sammy & jayden said stroke his head etc, or if poss send your oh in to do it - but watch them, cos often blokes are softer than mum's at this point!!

tigger66 · May 31, 2008 3:49PM

Controlled crying is when you leave them to cry for 5 mins then go back in and just either lay your hand on their tummy or say ssh but do not make eye contact and do not pick them up then walk out again then go back after 10 minsand keep repeating this until the hope is they will eventually go off to sleep on their own, its takes some doing but is worth it when it works, we have just done it with our lo and its better than having sleepless nights. Sorry have no advice about dummies though none of my children have ever had dummies although my youngest sucks his thumb Good Luck x

ollier2001 · May 31, 2008 3:51PM

oh yeah! my health visitor told me to tie his dummy on a ribbon & fasten to his clothes! i thought she was raving mad! surely that is dangerous!!! i know you can get dummy holders that clamp to clothes, but i still thought leaving the babe with it when i was asleep too was crazy!!

anatoriac · May 31, 2008 3:59PM

OMG ! I can't believe HV suggested that! They're pretty useless, aren't they?! LO could just roll over and get caught up in it.
The other day my oh gave his work badge to max to play with, which is fair enough - except its attached to a ribbon thing that goes round his neck !
Sorry - hijacked your post a bit xx

Star11 · May 31, 2008 4:16PM

I' having the same prob - got thread going on december 2007 babies... hv told me to ditch dummy which is easier said than done but i can sometimes be up about 5 times a night resettleing! i alreasy do sort of controlled crying i put him down awake for both sleep and naps then wait a while then go in and replug dummy and he goes off... i don't speak, never pick up, never give eye contact(he sleeps on belly)
xxx

Dummy Help.............

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