Have you ever questioned...

[Josephine_Beth]

Hannah has never shown interest in a dummy, so i dont use one.
My older sister sucked her thumb her whole life (even today, when ever she falls asleep... shes 37) and she has perfect teeth.

I read some where that some children suck their thumbs put pull their thumb forward, wilst sucking, which puts pressure on the top teeth. I think this is what can cause buck teeth, eventually. But I dunno

 

[keli]

I sucked my thumb till i was about 18 and my teeth are perfect, never had to have brace or anything and always get comments on them. Personally i think it all genetics . xx

 

[Kimbo]

weve got a few for leah
sometimes it will help her fall asleep but other times shes not interested in it at all

 

[poppy160]

I decided I was going to use dummies for Ella before she was born, but she just isn't interested, unless we force her by holding it in her mouth which I don't like doing. What she will do for comfort though is suck on our little fingers..and occasionally chew on the sleeve of whatever she's wearing if she's hungry.

 

[mrs_tommo22]

Imogen honestly couldnt live without one! she really does suck for comfort! Night time its a god send and as long as shes happy then thats fine and not sucking her thumb.

I used to say i wouldnt give a baby a dummy but when there a day old and screamin their heads off youl try anything to help them sleep and relax.

Both my kids have had them, never say you wont use one cos you just dont know

 

[daddychris]

We haven't given Charlotte a dummy as she sucked her thumb to get to sleep, when she was asleep she moved her hand away. There is loads on the internet about dummies. There is no evidence to say that having a dummy or sucking a thumb will always cause bucked teeth etc but if it is over used it can be (ie always in and never out) SIDS web site actively encourages use of dummies at sleep time to reduce the incidence of cot death between the ages of 3 months and 9-12 months. There is no reason but statistics say so. Over use of dummies after 12months may cause difficulties with production of speech sounds if the child has to speak around the dummy, so it is advised to tell the child to take out the dummy if speaking. But some parents can use the dummy too much when they are learning to talk, and this gives the child the idea that noone wants to listen to me so I won't talk.
I am not anti dummy (even if it does seem so above) and if I had a child that was really fretful I would consider it, but after the expereince with Charlotte I would hold off next time.

 

[nickilubs]

My mum and Dad would never let any of us have a dummy but all 5 of us made up for it with something else. I used to suck all 4 of my fingers and then started nail biting, my 2 brothers and sister all sucked their thumbs and my little brother sucked his little finger. None of us had any teeth problems although my sisters and my own thumbs are oddly shaped!!!

I will give my babe a dummy think theres a point in every kids life when they turn around and decide they are "too grown up for that now" sometimes it happens at 2 sometimes at 5 but everyones diffrent