weaning dummy with CCing

**diryharrysmum** · 07-06-2008 01:11

My son is 18mths old and keeps busting his dummies. This week alone we have gone through $25 worth of dummies not to mention countless times getting up in the middlle of the night to replace them for him. Tonight is the first night we have gone without the dummy and it has not been too successful as DH rocked him off to sleep when it was his turn to go in (this is just replacing one dependency with another if you ask me) does anyone have any suggestion because right at this point in time I feel like the worst mother ever - HELP Please

**AliCat** · 07-06-2008 07:26

Hello, I was in a slightly different situation, but got rid of the dummy and did CC at the same time.

When my little one was 4 months we went into the Ellen Baron Centre becuase he would wake every 2 hours overnight, and would not go to sleep without the dummy. But the dummy kept falling out of his mouth and I was going in up to 20 times a night to pop it back in...not good for your mental health!!!

On the first day the dummy was gone. It was a hard couple of days, but I didn't let him cry for very long. I only felt comfitable doing it for about 2 minutes, however by the end of the week I was leaving him for longer as his cry had started to change. He would cry for a minute then stop, listen, suck his fingers, then cry again. When he was doing this I just waited and only went in when his crying was consistant.

It worked. It did take about 2 weeks, but now he doesn't remember the dummy at all, he sucks his two middle fingers instead (so cute

) and doesn't cry at bedtime unless something else is up.

It was worth it. But it was hard, I needed the support of my DF, my mum, and the staff at the centre.

Is there a sleep school near you? your CCH should be able to tell you.

**pixiemum2** · 07-06-2008 14:18

diryharrysmum - DS is 22 months and we have exactly the same problem. We have tried to restrict the dummies or say there are no dummies but he won't have a bar of it. We have decided to wait until he is 2-2.5, and he can understand that the dummies have to go, before we will attempt it again.

Alicat - I have a 5 month old DD and we have been trying to wean her dummy for over 1 week now (exact same problems - kept falling out). Lots of crying and she won't let me settle her. I still swaddle her and wonder if she would like to suck on her hands? I just didn't want to take the dummy and swaddle off her at the same time.

**AliCat** · 10-06-2008 01:17

Pixiemum - I was still swaddling DS too, but decided to go to a sleeping bag instead. He could get of the wrap really easy (the little houdini) and seemed to need access to his hand for comfort.

I have heard of other mums leaving one arm out when swaddling so their bubs can suck their fingers if they want to. Maybe this would work?

**Ange&Seth** · 10-06-2008 08:38

Originally Posted by AliCat

I have heard of other mums leaving one arm out when swaddling so their bubs can suck their fingers if they want to. Maybe this would work?

I didn't have a choice with my bub

I could wrap him with his arms covered and within a minute he'd have his left fist out and in his mouth! We never had issues with the dummy though because he refused one after the first 3 weeks. We're still trying to get him out of sucking his thumb though.

Could you try giving him something else for comfort in place of the dummy? A new toy or something? I've heard of people getting their kids to 'pay' for a new toy by handing over their dummy and then this way they think they've got a fair trade.

**guerin** · 23-06-2008 11:16

[quote=Ange&Seth;2741616]I didn't have a choice with my bub

I could wrap him with his arms covered and within a minute he'd have his left fist out and in his mouth! We never had issues with the dummy though because he refused one after the first 3 weeks. We're still trying to get him out of sucking his thumb though.

Don't worry about his arms, my daughter from about 3 weeks would struggle to get her arms out. It was funny you would put her to bed and then in a few minutes hear Mmmm MMm hhh go back in both arms out and the wrapping unwrapped. Not good, baby cold and not comfy. so I thought well that is what she wants and from that point on I just wrap her with both arms out.

As to the dummy I think by going in and rocking him to sleep you are right you are replacing one dependency with another and I think that you should go back to the dummy so it can help him just knock the edge of the crying and when he goes to sleep just walk in and take a slight tug on the dummy if it slips out easily pull it out. If he then wakes up and cries let him cry for 5 minutes unless of course it is becoming hysterical if longer then 5 minutes walk in put the dummy in his mouth say nothing don't pick him up or talk and only put the dummy in as pointed out to stop it getting hysterical leave it for 7 minutes. If he seems asleep pull on the dummy if it easily comes out let it.

That's what seems to work with my daughter. I also don't use her cot for anything but her big sleep. If you are using his cot for small sleeps you maybe confusing him and I would recommend putting him somewhere else to take his naps. I put my daughter on her rug wrapped in her daytime blanket. This I have found to work wonders and when my husband took care of her during the day for a few days and would put her in her cot for a nap I did notice the difference and soon told him to stop it. Had a small bought of her going to sleep a waking up about the time her normal naps are and I honestly believe it was because he was starting to condition her to believe her cot was only for small sleeps. By not putting her in her cot for naps I believe I have conditioned her to know her cot means long sleep. No getting up, no toys, no being rocked it means long sleep.