OMG - Gave in to the Dummy - Am I a bad mum?!

[GregorysGirl]

Ok - so I really didnt want to give Austin a dummy - at all - purely cus I wanted to try and pacify him naturally and find out exactly what was bothering him when he was crying / upset.

However - sometimes in the evenings he crys n crys when he has been fed, cuddled, changed, slept and Ive ticked all the usual problem boxes.

So after 10 days and probobly half of them containing a overly grizzly patch where nothing will make him calm - we have caved in and given him a dummy - after initially rejecting it - he has taken to it and it immediatley calmed him - after sucking for 5 mins on my lap - ~I have put him down and he is snoozing away lil a good un'!!

So a few questions as thus far I have done no research...

A) Can he drop to sleep for 'the night' with it in his mouth - he wont choke on it will he? It wont bloke his nose - cus he's been quite sniffly.

B) Will I be able to just use it for the evening patches when he is grumpy n crying. He doesnt need it at all it the day.

C) How can I ensure I dnt miss the feeding cues? Will he still wake up and cry throughout the night when he is hungrey?

Any tips and experience would be fab ladies - xxxxxx

 

[Lulabell]

You are not bad. I was like you and said I wouldn't use a dummy. But it has been a god send! We use it mainly at night. Really helps him settle. I very rarely need it during the day. Only on the days he fights sleep cos he gets grizzly. Joshua usually either spits it out or it falls out once he is asleep. You LO won't choke on it so don't worry. Only use it when you need it. If he is calm without, then no need. But carry one with you just in case is my advice! Not even a dummy will stop your baby telling you he is hungry. Oh and there has been studies showing dummies can help reduce risk of Cot death. So it's not all bad.xx

 

[xxbeckyxx]

First off, better to have a happy baby with a dummy than a grizzly baby without!
How old is he? Lizzie has always gone to sleep with a dummy from about 6 weeks and even when she has a cold she manages to have her dummy in - she just kinda chews it instead!

And yes you can just use it as and when - Lizzie only has hers at night or if she's poorly. If she accidentally gets one (she's found out how to get it out of the changing bag lol) then I can take it out and she's not bothered.

You might find if he wakes in the night and you give him the dummy that he drops off to sleep without needing a feed, or you'll find that he cries again 5 minutes later in which case he really needs his feed. Either way, he'll still let you know what he needs!

Dummies are those things that during pregnancy we're told are 'evil', that they will damage our children and we'll never get them off having a dummy etc, but at the end of the day I think a dummy has saved my sanity more than once!

 

[GregorysGirl]

Hes 10 days...but the midwife said he seems a particularly 'chewy ' Baby n she sed we could try one but dnt think they r allowed t reccomend them...lol.

Also..... I perservered with breastfeedin n was hell but got there in the end....so im hopin I wnt go to hell for a dummy..ha!!! I need t stop puttin pressure on myself...grrr.

plus as ling as long as it wont damage him...I dnt think it will be written on my epitaph....'sge nevrr used a dummy'.

lovin.the advice...this is y I love pregnancy forum xxx

 

[lewisca]

All 3 of mine have had them and your certainly not a bad mum for gaining in !!! Like as has been said better a happy child. Rhea usually spits or it drops out at night and typically doesn't cry for it back till 6 ( she goes through)
They can't choke on them and will always spit it out once they realise nothing is coming out of it if they r hungry ! Mainly use them to sooth and certain not have them all the time xxx

 

[pringle88]

I wouldn't ever label somebody a bad mother for giving their child a dummy, Ella has had one from quite young she only needs it to get to sleep and spits it out when she is just about to fall to sleep.

 

[ChrissieCool]

All of mine has had a dummy apart from 1 and that's only because he wouldn't take it, I think they are wonderful and don't cause any harm and they won't take it when hungry as they learn fast that nothing is coming out lol they will just spit it out all the time and scream xxx

 

[Princess81]

Defo not a bad mum. I was the same and said I didnt want him to have one, however it turns out he loves a dummy and if that's what it takes to pacify him then thats what I'll do. You just need to remain open minded is one of the things I've discovered. Cam sleeps with his in, he normally spits it out before he gets into a deep sleep. They help with colic and aid digestion as well so I was always going to end up giving in lol

 

[l_maclean]

G's had a dummy from about a week old, a lot of people look down on them but they are actually used to lower the risk of SIDS. Xxx

 

[x_larlybelle_x]

Just reading through this has made me feel better. Gave in to the dummy today. Henry has been using me as a comforter and my poor nipples can't take any more he settles do easily with it. Think I've done well to last a week! Lol!

Bring on the dummy!!!!

 

[Olive]

If it makes them happy, it can't be that bad I think sometimes they just like sucking. It's soothing for them. My cousins HV recommended she used one for colic I think. I gave B one in hospital as the only thing that was settling him was sucking mine or OH's finger. I cried myself to sleep. Silly now when I think about it. xxx

 

[jojo_2012]

Yep we use them too. Wouldn't if baby can go without them that's great but we're finding it a big help at the moment actually.

 

[x_larlybelle_x]

Henry has been laid in bed with me having snuggles and fell asleep within 5 mins if having his dummy. If he hadn't have had it, I would still probably be birding him for comfort to get him off to sleep. So nice to have my boobs back for a bit! Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love breastfeeing him, but u reach a point when enough is enough when he wants it everytime he cries to soothe himself.

 

[LuciaLeek]

We gave one to Annie at 6 weeks. She had really bad reflux for about 3 weeks before that and my god, it was a relief for all of us when we popped that first dummy in.

We, however, took it off her when she got to around 17 weeks as she was waking in the night a lot. We couldn't tell if she was hungry or whether she just wanted the dummy to soothe her back to sleep. It was difficult taking it away at first but she forgot all about it and actually started refusing it within 2 days.

I think dummies for babies are absolutely fine. What I don't like seeing is 4 year olds with them hanging out of their mouths!

 

[ButterflyBoo_x]

My LO has had a dummy since a out 3/4 days old... And that was purely to make him quiet in the middle so he didn't wake Joshua. We have a tiny house...
Josh had a dummy also and he's 25 months now and we've only just took it off him on Friday cause Hv thinks it's stopping Him talking. I needed to take it off him anyway I just didn't want to take away his comfort


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk
Mummy to Joshua 23-01-10 &
Dylan 03-02-2012 xx

 

[x_larlybelle_x]

I've glways said I told prefer my baby to have dummies rather than suck thumbs cos u can't get rid of a thumb! The reality of "giving in" to the dummy is harder than I expected it to be but do worth it. Henry had his best nights sleep last night, all thanks to his dummy

 

[GregorysGirl]

really carly? how long? austin seems t spit his dummy aafter2mins.
im feedin every2hrs through night n on ocassion he goes3 n only once4.
p.s A had orange poo this mornin n thought of u...lol xxx

 

[l_maclean]

GG is he dropping it? Maybe try a different kind. G likes her dummy but was always losing it, we had TT ones which are quite a flat teet, but I bought some avent ones that are rounder and she gets on better with them. Xxx

 

[pinkyprincess]

really carly? how long? austin seems t spit his dummy aafter2mins.
im feedin every2hrs through night n on ocassion he goes3 n only once4.
p.s A had orange poo this mornin n thought of u...lol xxx

My LO will NOT take a dummy (or a bottle!) in fact he'll suck on anything BUT teats! Try your finger or knuckle if you are trying to calm him.

 

[x_larlybelle_x]

He went from 9-2:30 then 3:30-7:30. I feel amazing today! Lol!

I have to hold his dummy in his mouth until he gets the right sucking action going but he learnt to hold it in himself too!!