Thoughts on Dummies? [Archive] - Bub Hub Pregnancy & Parenting Forum

blissfullybonkers

30-03-2008, 01:48

i dont think there is anything wrong with using them, but if you can go without even better!!!

we use them cos dd was a very 'sucky' baby, and she needed it when she wasnt being BF to sleep. we had no probs BF. we have always used the orthodontic 'nuk' brand.
our only down side is that she is very attached to them, i guess i let her have it too often, but hoping by the time she turns 2 we can get rid of it:D. one good thing is she has nothing else she is really attatched to so far- no sleeping aids like a teddy or blankie.

i'd just recomend try only using it for when bub is going for a sleep and maybe when getting cranky at the shops, not any other time.with dd we let her have it alot... when i look at photos, half of them are with that thing hanging out of her mouth!:laughing::o

LivinOnAPrayer

30-03-2008, 08:26

Hi. I didnt want to use a dummy either, my bub was going to be breast fed, cloth nappy, no dummy! Well how that changed!!

DD was born with alot of medical issues and was tube fed for the start of her life. She hadnt developed the sucking reflex so the nurse suggested we try a dummy. Thankfully, eventually it worked and DD is now an almost 2y/o! She still has her dummy and im not worried about it (differant story at 2am if the dummys over the side of the cot and shes screaming though!!), I figure she'll give it up when she's ready.

We also use the nuk orthodontic ones.She wont take the cherry shaped dummies.

Seekrit

30-03-2008, 08:28

I was against. Then I had a child... I think, now, that it's the child that decides these things, not the mothers.. Cobey was a very sucky baby but hated to comfort feed on the boob, I'd have to put my finger in his mouth to soothe him... 4 weeks of this and I bought him a dummy.... he only ever had it for sleeping and I tossed it out when he was 14/15 months and never looked back

Lastcenturymum

30-03-2008, 08:30

I think you do what works for you at the time. I was anti them, had two colicky bubs, tried them, they didn't want them, so never had dummies out of 3 kids. One sucked her fingers, didn't bother me, once sucked his thumb for a bit, no big deal. Personally glad I can say we were dummy free, but that is just me! I personally don't like seeing a 3 or 4 year old walking around with a dummy in their mouth, but they aren't my child!!

Try without and see how you go - some babies are very sucky and if you aren't prepared to offer the breast whenever, then it may suit you and your bub.

Scout

30-03-2008, 08:40

I wasn't fussed whether I used one or not - I think someone said earlier that the baby will more or less "decide" for you.

We used one and thankfully DS decided around 6 months that he wasn't going to have it anymore. I didn't really want to go through the tussle that my friends are currently going through with their almost 2 year olds.

Terrible2+1cutie

30-03-2008, 09:43

My kids would never take dummies, but both my kids took to sucking some part of the hand whether it was a thumb or there whole fist.

punkbaby

30-03-2008, 09:45

I dont use one with this bubs and i didnt use it with my first, I have to say though if i didnt use them with my middle two i would be slightly insane now :)

They are lifesavers for some and this was the only thing that actually helped my kids settle (ds and dd3) Whatever works for you i say

UmmInayah

30-03-2008, 09:48

I totally agree with Seekrit. It's the baby who determines if a dummy is needed or not, not the mum. I was against dummies and I was lucky that my DD was fine to comfort feed to sleep and never needed to use one.

I think it also depends on the baby if it impacts on breastfeeding. Some babies are more prone to nipple confusion than others.

tootiredtosleep

30-03-2008, 10:49

Love them! DD still has hers for sleeps. It can be annoying when she loses it in the night, but DH gets up now!
We tried DD on about 5 different ones - she loves Mam ones and will use nuk too.
I am taking them with me to the hospy this time.. the middies last time told me not to use one with DD until breastfeeding was going well. DD2 will have one straight away - i'm not sure what i will do if she wont take it.

veve

30-03-2008, 12:59

both of my boys have been windy babies .. and neither have wanted to comfort suck on the boob (I used to offer it to JAck .. and he would frown .. and then scream at me .. )- both of my boys have gnawed heavily on dummies when their wind gave them pain ..

dummies are a godsend - at least in this house .. it means that daddy has a better chance of settling the baby if I am not around (or am desperate for some catch up sleep) .. and I'm not a fan of thumb sucking (which is something that alex seems keen to do).. so I replace the thumb with the dummy - I think they do less damage to teeth .. and are easier to physically remove later .. than a finger is ..

JMO though..

xx
Jen

MummaBear03

30-03-2008, 13:33

I don't like them so never used them but that's just me. I was told not to use a dummy in the first 6 weeks or it could interfere with breastfeeding since it's a different type of sucking technique. The only issues I have with them is seeing kids in school uniforms (4, 5, 6 years old) with a dummy in their mouth for shopping trips. I've seen it quite a bit and wouldn't say anything but it doesn't look good. I was also told that if I was to use a dummy, start weaning at 6 months so it's completely gone by 12 months, same as bottles if bottlefeeding, start using sippy cups for some feeds from 6 months and only use cups not bottles by 12 months and never use a bottle for sleep times, but dummies are ok for sleep times or a bottle with just water in it. There's a lot of information and it's all so confusing so we skipped them completely, thought life would be easier that way :p

I would say wait until you have the baby and see what you think then rather than making up your mind now.

jdsmummy

30-03-2008, 14:21

I too was against them but after having my son it was a life saver at times. having said this if you do use one then only use when bub needs it to settle and not just to make him/her quiet. i also found my son liked it when he was teething.
My son is now 16 months and only has it for his nap and the odd time he wakes in the night.
Health vistors have also told me it can help prevent cot death (was told this in the uk as that is where my son was born)
As the others have said its usally the baby that decides! :yes:

sockstealingpoltergeist

30-03-2008, 14:31

Health vistors have also told me it can help prevent cot death (was told this in the uk as that is where my son was born)
As the others have said its usally the baby that decides! :yes:

I was going to post this about cot death as well, as the sucking reflex helps keep the mind active and has been proven to reduce cot death numbers.
Also dentists now recomend dummies as they are easier (as someone allready said) to remove then a thumb.
Also I have read many articles that have said nipple confusion has been disproven and that babies know when they are sucking for comfort and that it's a dummy and when they are getting fed by a boob. If I gave mine a dummy when they wanted to be fed they sure let me know about it and promptly spat the dummy literaly.

~Bec~

30-03-2008, 14:35

We like dummies in this house :D They help to keep us sane when it comes to settling and now that he's mobile they are great for helping him to calm if he's just had a big bump (or "boo boo" as they are known in this house).

Dummy now and lots of sleep to pay for possible orthodontic bills.
No dummy and pay for psychiatric help now.

sockstealingpoltergeist

30-03-2008, 14:54

jaydasmummy

30-03-2008, 15:01

It's great hearing everyones stories. I suppose I'll just have to wait and see what the little one decides! Hopefully if she does need one I can manage it just for sleeps :) I agree, 2-3y/o with dummies does not look good!

Mummy2Noah

30-03-2008, 15:03

Well I was unsure weather I was going to use a dummy or not but as soon as my DS was born he was automatically given one by the Midwife as he had premature lungs and it helped him settle!! Havnt looked back he loves his dummy!!:yelclap::yes::D

CharlisMummy

30-03-2008, 17:05

My DD started on a dummy at 3 weeks. She still has one now for sleeping but she spits it out after about 10 minutes. She's fine without one during the day, unless she see's it then she wants it :laughing:

I'm still BF at 15 months so I wouldn't say it has interfered with that :)

forbetoel

30-03-2008, 17:06

There is nothing wrong with a dummy. Make your decision once your baby is born. SOme babies really look for that sucking comfort.

OneNowOneLater

02-04-2008, 00:08

My DD decided to give up hers when she was about 6 months old. She took them back for a couple of weeks when she was teething at 8 months. She wont have a bar of it... if i even try giving it to her at bedtime if i cant get her to settle, she'll just hold it and go to sleep... wont put it anywhere near her mouth.

Some kids give them up by themselves, others need to be weened.... Its all up to the child!

MummaBear03

02-04-2008, 00:23

Dummies for sleep/settling in toddlers are probably not a problem, dummies for babies who are not yet moving are probable not a problem, but this is what happened today with a little girl when we were at the park:

She would have been about 3/3.5 years old, walking along sort of half-running to keep up with the adults who weren't holding her hand which wasn't exactly unsafe since it was at a park and not near a road or anything. Anyway she tripped over a tree root and landed face-down in the grass. She looked up and there was blood running down her chin. I walked over and asked if I could help, my daughter asked if she was ok too.

Her teeth had gone through the dummy and the dummy was stuck on her teeth. When her dad (I think it was her dad lol hard to tell these days though) pulled the dummy off her teeth, blood everywhere, the mum was hysterical, the child screaming, an older lady, perhaps a grandmother, was calming the mother saying her child will react to her reaction.

When the dad pulled the dummy off her teeth, her teeth had been pushed out and were hanging loose and her gums cut up.

I don't think I'd let a child walk around with one, as I've seen similar occur in my childcare career with a little one transitioning from nursery to toddlers only she had to have her 2 front teeth pulled out and some teeth on the side were crooked, she may need braces when she is older for that :(

SassyMummy

02-04-2008, 02:13

DD had a dummy, and we got rid of hte blasted thing just after she turned 2.

At first it was good... and then she just became addicted.

It was seriously like baby-crack for her. lol. It's like she constantly needed her fix of it.

Queen

02-04-2008, 04:19

I think they are great, but in saying that, I now wish DD never got one because now I have to get rid of it.
Wait and see how you go, you might need it or your bubs might not like it, every bub is different.

Good luck

NewBeginnings

02-04-2008, 11:08

My DS was a very sucky baby too.... and the middies at the hospital talked me into giving him a dummy... as I was extremely anti dummy :laughing: (and to be honest still am!)

My ex used to put it in DS mouth just to "shut him up" :banghead: I despised the thing so I got rid of it - one week before he turned one.

If I get to ever have another bubs I am adamant again to not use one! It's just a personal thing for me... I just really don't like them! :laughing:

WorkingClassMum

02-04-2008, 11:19

Dummies are easier to get rid of than a thumb;)

Mostly it is bubs who decideds

DS had a dummy - until 2.5. Our ENT encouraged him to keep it until the to encourage his tubes to clear. DS only had a dummy to go to sleep - then I'd take it out. He NEVER had it to run around when playing

DD wouldn't take one - colic/reflux projectile vomit - and I can't keep her blasted thumb out of her mouth

Nanay

02-04-2008, 11:36

When DS was born i said no dummies...then MIL went and bought one "just in case" she was babysitting him one day and she said he was very sucky so she gave him the dummy...i was sooo ****ed off at her that week!! coz then DS wanted the dummy all the time...
I gotta admit it helped him settle at night ... and that's all we ever gave it to him for is night times/ bed times ... weaned him off at 13 months at least then he doesnt know what it is yet...it was only the hardest on the second sleep...but after that he was fine..
and if you are bf'ing give bubs a cherry soother apparently that's the best type to give when bf'ing..

mummysangels

02-04-2008, 11:43

I don't think there is anything wrong with having a dummy, but I also said that about sucking a thumb, they both have there pros and cons.

My DD1 had a dummy and was bottled fed, then when i fell preg with DD2 I wanted to do everything different i wanted to breast feed and have no dummy and i did just that, (but she didn't take to a dummy even when we offered it anyway). Now she is 6 and sucks her thumb :rolleyes:, which is very difficult to get her to stop.

Now with DD3 she was 3 weeks early and was tube fed to start with as her little mouth couldn't attached to my breast and at the time wasn't gr8 at sucking.
I didn't give her a dummy til she was about 10 days old and the only reason i did was because i was told it would be good for her as she had became a bub that liked to suck alot, she has a dummy and is very attached to it especially when tired or grumpy.

Its really how you feel, if your bub can go without a dummy thats gr8 but if not there no reason to feel bad as most bubs out there have a dummy or suck their thumb.

DD1 dummy til age 2 and suck thumb til age 4.
DD2 no dummy but sucks thumb and shes 6.
DD3 has a dummy.

Goodluck with it all :)

Mummaholic

02-04-2008, 11:43

LOVE and ADORE the humble dummy. My son has loved his since we got home from the hospital. Wonderful.

We're giving it 'away' soon.

neostudded

02-04-2008, 11:47

Hey, my son use's a dummy, he is breastfed and used the happy baby cherry soother, newborn sized ones you get from the chemist.Now he has the 6 month plus ones.

I found it was the only way to stop him from crying, that and the vacuum cleaner.

He is 8 months and he still has them when he goes to bed, but he takes them less and less and now he bites them & I think ill get rid of them all really soon.

do whatever you feel comfortable with.

If I was a baby id rather comfort suck of the breast not a dummy, but Iam so glad I had it to give my nipples a rest.:)