Dummies reduce risk of SIDS???

[SammyD]

Has anyone ever heard of this before? I just received this email from a US site that I subscribe to:

Pacifiers Reduce Risk of SIDS

Hi Sam,
Doctors now believe that babies should be given a pacifier at bedtime to reduce the risk of SIDS. Experts believe that the pacifier prevents the baby from sleeping too deeply - a problem with babies prone to SIDS. However, you should not reinsert your babys pacifier if it falls out during sleep, never coat the pacifier with any sweet substance, and dont force a pacifier on your baby if he or she refuses it.


I've never heard of that before. And neither of my girls have had a dummy (they never liked them, I don't either, really).

Any thoughts anyone?

Should add, too, that this tip came through as the week 23 tip - prolly a bit late to be any use! :rolleyes:

[bambino]

Yes I have heard this along the way somewhere.

Ds won't take a dummy unless it's bedtime, only enough to soothe him to sleep then he spits it though.

[lanna]

I have heard of it before although i cannot remember where. i think it does make sense and especially for families who have experienced problems with sids in the past, you would try anything for it not to happen.

[BlueGin]

I was reading about that on the SIDSandKIDS website the other day, though as with most things they don't actively recommend them, they do mention that research shows they may "have a protective effect", but then go on to say they may interfere with breastfeeding and cause ear infections... :o

[sueliz]

These studies have only been done in the UK and the US.
The theory I believe was that buy encouraging the baby to continue a sucking action even when sleeping reduced the risk of SIDS. That said, I believe the study was more aimed at that if you introduce a dummy and the baby takes to it, that you should actually then give them the dummy every sleep time and not suddenly take it away from them before a certain age or something if I remember the article correctly. So it was not so much about everyone should be giving their babies a dummy, but something more to do with not allowing them to have it every sleep time if you have chosen to introduce a dummy into their routine...
Something like that anyway!

[shed]

Yes, I did read that somewhere and thought it was interesting.

DS took a dummy from about...oh, I dunno, I can't remember now, LOL!! Not straight away anyway.

He liked to comfort suck but if I offered him the breast he would crack the sh!ts because he just wanted to suck he didn't want to drink.

He still likes it to help him nod off but he spits it after a few minutes.

I think this information is good to have. Anything to avoid SIDS is good since they don't really know what causes it.

I didn't know that about the ear infections though. Interesting and it makes sense. I presume thats if they dummy has germs on it, so just keep them sparkling clean and it would minimise this risk?

[SammyD]

I wonder if thumb sucking would have the same effect?

Shed I have to say, too, that your little man is just absolutely gorgeous! What a beautiful child!

[sam's mum]

I agree with Sueliz, I thought that what the study actually said was that if your baby is used to the dummy, then they need to have it while they are sleeping.

The media changed this a little into Dummies reducing SIDS for all babies.

I am too lazy to look the study up again though. :o