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Who's going to use a dummy?

Just wondered who is going to use a dummy? I didn't want to but read the research about using a dummy to prevent cot death when settling your baby. My sister had a dummy and I remember the trouble it caused my mum and dad if we couldn't find it and then trying to stop her using it. Also last year I had a boy in my class who still had a dummy (he was 7). I'm not sure I want to use one but then if it means baby will be 'safer' then I'm happy to do it, hubby feels differently tho! What are you all planning to do?

xxx
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Replies

  • im not sure reali! i think i might, depends if the baby wants it i suppose, but i know about kids clinging onto it, lol and damaging teeth etc. xx

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  • i used a dummy with my son and will be using one this time aswell. once my son got to 1 i only let him have it at bedtime then used to take it out once he'd gone to sleep then eventually just before he was 2 he give it up for good. i found it really useful and realy didnt want him to start sucking on his thumb because thats one thing you cant stop like a dummy lol

    emma xx
  • I feel exactly the same as you- it's not something that I would really choose but I also read that it's safer in terms of cot death. I won't use one in the first month as you're supposed to establish breastfeeding first, but after that I will probably use one but only when settling the baby to sleep. At least, that is the aim, not sure if it will really work out like that! The other thing to remember is that breaking a thumb-sucking habit is probably just as hard as a dummy habit- at least you can take the dummy away!
  • It will totally depend on ur baby as some babies just wont entertain dummies. Personally im going have some in just incase, because with my first son Rhys sometimes he just needed to suckle and it wud really settle him. He is now 19months old and does still have his dummy but only at bedtime. I never had a dummy as a child but sucked my thumb instead for comfort and ended up still doing this at 12yrs and having horrible teeth. I ended up needing a brace so i wud personally prefer for my baby to have a dummy than suck its thumb. However its each to their own and wat suits one child and parent might not suit another. Its all about trial and error wen ur baby arrives. Kerry xxx
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  • I think I am going to buy one and I think I will use one to settle baby to sleep but try and avoid it at other times. I think I would rather have one than not have one and need it if you all see what I mean. It's interesting hearing what everyone else is doing/going to do.
    xxxx
  • Might be worth waiting to see what baby things lol. I never wanted to use one with Millie but we did end up trying a few times when she was very unsettled and she just wouldn't have it at all. She spat it out and if you held it in she just didn't suck it. She used to suck my little finger sometimes but that was it, she never bothered with her thumb either. xx
  • Like most others I'm going to have one in and see if it takes to it. My other 2 had one till about 2-3 but I sucked my thumb untill I was 21!!!!

    An easy (ish) way to get rid of it was to get them to wrap it up for Santa to take to a new baby, in return he leaves a special present. This way they get a 'reward' for giving it up!!
    Lydia xx
  • I think initially yes, especially with the research on cotdeaths.... I also think they're good for the first few weeks when you have a screaming baby who won't settle and everything else has failed.

    I don't agree with their use when you see a small toddler with one stuffed in it's face like it's to stop them talking or something :evil: Overuse can also cause speech & developmental problems.

    I want to use a muslin as well to try and settle baby, would rather he/she was still clutching onto one of them at nursery then sucking their thumb or dummy :roll:
  • ive decided on a using a dummy i dont agree with them as they can hinder speech ect but you can take a dummy away, you cant take a thumb away and that way i can control how much he/she has it (thats the plan anyway)

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  • dont think i'm gonna use 1 this time but will see when lo is here!not gonna buy any so i dnt have the temptation in the house!my daughter had 1 and got really attached to it.I took it off her when she was just over 2(not that she wanted 2 give it up,mean mummy!)i was just sick of the constant slobbering,having to find it in the night etc!so gonna try not 2 give this 1 a dummy,also as i intend to breastfeed its not really reccommended they use 1 but we will c when shes here! xx
  • I'm quite hapy to use one following FSID's safe sleep advice. I shall try to limit it to sleep and bedtimes like EmmA1981+bump said she did. That's what my sister's done too and has worked out well. I don't think there is any need to feel bad about using dummies provided the child doesn't become permenantly dependant on one.
  • hi my lo is 6wks now but was 6wks early and was in the neonatal unit for 2wks so i did not mind him having one as i was not will him all the time.he still has it now and to be honest i love seeing him with it he looks so happy. But when we were in the unit i remember a womens baby was so upset and crying all the time and the women would not allow him to to have a dummie. it was so sad the women did not even bother coming to see him much.
    tori XxX
  • I used a soother with DS1 - DS2 sucked his thumb instead- would like to not have to use one with this bubs but the jury's still out.... it is a pain when they lose them = finally got rid of DS but read about the dummy preventing cot death again too recently - I'll wait and see when the time comes and buy some and put in the back of cupboard in case.
  • We've used them with each of ours, each to a varying degree! My girls were weaned at 2yrs and 14 months respectively, my son gave his up for his 2nd b'day and my youngest is 1 and really only has it at nitetime. They have all had a blankie or teddy as well, which has helped once the dummies were gone as they still had a comforter of sorts! I will be using (or trying one anyway as not all babes like em) with no5 also.
  • Dummies are a life saveras far as im concerned!!! iwas inhospital for 3 days after lo born and assoonas icame home i told oh to find the free dummy that came with avent steamer as i didnt thinkto buy any. as daisy had cried for 2 days. she stopped immdiatelyand i havnt looked back since. its like an on off button sometimes with the crying!!! But there are downsides too whenshe is just dropping offdummy falls out and wakes her so some nights i hang out of bed holding dummy in till she has gone to sleep but then daisy is a particuarlly hard baby to get to sleep. In the baby whisperer book she says that babys dont get addicted i know thats not the right word under3 months i dont beleive that though my lo is only 8 weeks old andshespitsit out as a game already and laughs when i go over and put it back in, she spits it out again.!! isucked my thumb till iwas 11 and must of looked a right dick at school!!!!
  • I'm definitely going to use a dummy & have bought some newborn ones.

    I really don't see why a lot of people are so funny about them. They don't look nice when a 3-year-old is walking round with a dummy just cos its parents want to shut it up. But for babies, then I think they're great, and even if toddlers have them I don't see the harm if its at night just for comfort. Is a dummy any worse than other comfort items? My stepbrother had an old towel that he used to suck and chew on right up until he was about 7. He cried when it got lost.

    Thumb-sucking on the other hand is an AWFUL habit, and I don't understand parents who think it's cute (my stepmum is 48 - and I have seen her doing it on occasion!) I was a nail-biter from very young and I still am, so I think a dummy is a much better alternative as you can take it away. xxx

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  • I too am going to play it by ear! Both my other boys had dunmies as babies and as little ones were pretty keen to leave them out for Santa in return for prezzies when they became "big boys!" Therefore, if Tommy needs a dummy when the time comes - he will have a dummy!
  • When you have a baby that wont sleep and you are deprived of sleep you eventually try anything. I was very anti dummies but I tried various types on my daughter. She however was not having any of it so I didnt use them. This time round I am very open minded if the baby wont settle and I am sleep deprived I will try introducing one but it will be dependant on whether the baby wants it as to whether I will be able to use one.

    Jo

    15+6
  • meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee most defiantely. if not you could end up with a thumb sucker which is all good and cute as a baby but not when they get to the walking talking stage, you can take a dummy away!
  • Yeah I have bought them... talked with OH about it... some babies have a realy strong sucking reflex and it gives them a bit of comfort... if they need it to settle then they need it to settle... I had a dummy when I was little but we had it in a kitchean draw i wasn't allowed to take it out and about with me only half hour before bed in quite time and then i could take it to bed with me when i got up in the morning it had to go back into the draw... I didnt have millions as you see some kids with, and when i got to about two and started nursey at 2 i used to have a quick 'snig' before id go and put it back in the draw... when it broke which they do... i was told well its gone now... i didnt have millions others so i just accpeted it and that was the end of that!
    I know they are not ideal but i don't have a problem with them... i was never alloud to talk with it in my mouth and i knew better than too...
    the other thing is and i am trying to be honest here... if my baby is really distressed and crying and screaming and its 3am and I haven't slepted for the last few nights and all he wants is a little comfort I can't really see the reason not to give him one... it's not forever, and it's not about shutting him up - but when i seen my scan he was sucking his thumb - so he is doing that even before he is born... like others have said you can take the dummy away... that is if he even takes to it to begine with! x
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