To buy or not to buy a dummy?

tambo1976

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All my other children had a dummy and looking back through the photo albums it seems they always had that ugly piece of plastic stuck in there mouths so this time I made a conscious effort not to buy one for Scott. They also just got really dependent on them and when it fell out I was forever being woken up to put it back in.

However now he really seems to just want to suck, anything! His bib, his fist, my finger, my chin and he gets so upset. The only thing that calms him down is a cuddle and a bounce in my arms. He even sucks an invisible dummy in his sleep bless him! He won't suck his thumb though (which I'm glad about lol)

So shall I give in and buy him a dummy? Am I being cruel not giving him something to comfort him? I googled it and a couple of sites say apparently babies NEED to suck something, it's not a choice it is a need for them so now I'm really worried that I am just denying him the comfort he needs?

Just for the record, it isn't all the time he cries, only a couple of times a day. He really is a happy baby and even rocking/bouncing him in my arms sends him of to sleep in less than 5 minutes.

What do you think? To dummy or not to dummy? xxx


Tapatalking so can't see sigs or click thanks!
 
We use a dummy, I didn't want to but the night we bought James home from hospital he screamed for 7 hours solid. After 6.5 hours I gave in and cracked open the dummies.

James was a sucky baby and quickly got the hang of his dummy. He uses it a fair bit in the daytime to be honest. He seems to really like the comfort of it? He napes with it. At night-time he falls asleep with it but can go hours (sometimes even overnight) without it.

On a side note I bought a new Gro-bag recently and the blurb they send with the sleeping bag recommends a dummy!! First time I've seen actual proper advocation of a dummy!! The Gro company are now officially saying it helps against SIDS.

xxxxxxxx
 
Cam uses a dummy and if you are strict with it, it can be an amazing tool.

It works for us a bit like Pavlovs Dog. Cam uses it strictly for sleeping. Therefore, as soon as its in his mouth he is off. Literally even now at 2.5 his eyes roll back and he's off. We have been slowing weaning him off of it now but was amazing when he couldn't settle as a baby.

Lexi has one but isn't a massive fan Xx

Tapatalking :-D Can't see tickers...
 
We use a dummy, I didn't want to but the night we bought James home from hospital he screamed for 7 hours solid. After 6.5 hours I gave in and cracked open the dummies.

James was a sucky baby and quickly got the hang of his dummy. He uses it a fair bit in the daytime to be honest. He seems to really like the comfort of it? He napes with it. At night-time he falls asleep with it but can go hours (sometimes even overnight) without it.

On a side note I bought a new Gro-bag recently and the blurb they send with the sleeping bag recommends a dummy!! First time I've seen actual proper advocation of a dummy!! The Gro company are now officially saying it helps against SIDS.

xxxxxxxx

The info in my child health book recommends a dummy to settle baby. I was dead against them before and swore my child would never have one so that makes me feel lots better x

Tapatalking :-D Can't see tickers...
 
I was always very anti- dummies. Mainly cos I'm a snob and hate seeing all these kids with them at three years old!

But I've caved in and given DS one, cos I've found sometimes he does just want something to suck. To my relief, he doesn't always take it, and will spit it out, the proceed to suck on his fist! It's like he has moods for specific things?! He also does the sucking in his sleep (is doing it right now actually!).

I'm still a snob tho, cos I won't let anyone take pics of him with it, and I don't take one with us when we go out. Although he doesn't usually need it then. It's mostly if he's having trouble nodding off he'll take it.
 
We use a dummy, I didn't want to but the night we bought James home from hospital he screamed for 7 hours solid. After 6.5 hours I gave in and cracked open the dummies.

James was a sucky baby and quickly got the hang of his dummy. He uses it a fair bit in the daytime to be honest. He seems to really like the comfort of it? He napes with it. At night-time he falls asleep with it but can go hours (sometimes even overnight) without it.

On a side note I bought a new Gro-bag recently and the blurb they send with the sleeping bag recommends a dummy!! First time I've seen actual proper advocation of a dummy!! The Gro company are now officially saying it helps against SIDS.

xxxxxxxx

I've read a few things which say recent research suggests a dummy reduces the risk of SIDS, if a baby sleeps with one.
 
I gave in when my LO started using me as a dummy and haven't looked back! She sucks it when she's tired and it helps her nod off. In the early days it helped me work out what she wanted when she was unsettled too as she will only take it if she is tired. Once she's asleep she spits it out and that's that! I won't let her become dependant on it or use it at any other time, I don't like seeing kids smiling and playing with a dummy in!
 
Nice to see lots of dummy fans! It makes me feel better about giving him one reading your comments.

Does anyone know how or why a dummy can reduce the risk of sids?

Tapatalking so can't see sigs or click thanks!
 
We use a dummy, I didn't want to but the night we bought James home from hospital he screamed for 7 hours solid. After 6.5 hours I gave in and cracked open the dummies.

James was a sucky baby and quickly got the hang of his dummy. He uses it a fair bit in the daytime to be honest. He seems to really like the comfort of it? He napes with it. At night-time he falls asleep with it but can go hours (sometimes even overnight) without it.

On a side note I bought a new Gro-bag recently and the blurb they send with the sleeping bag recommends a dummy!! First time I've seen actual proper advocation of a dummy!! The Gro company are now officially saying it helps against SIDS.

xxxxxxxx

I've read a few things which say recent research suggests a dummy reduces the risk of SIDS, if a baby sleeps with one.

The info the Gro company sent says this

Settling your baby to sleep (day and night) with a dummy can reduce the risk of cot death, even if the dummy falls out whilst your baby is asleep

They do however also say breastfeeding in best and you must establish breastfeeding before using a dummy

xxxxxxxx
 
Nice to see lots of dummy fans! It makes me feel better about giving him one reading your comments.

Does anyone know how or why a dummy can reduce the risk of sids?

Tapatalking so can't see sigs or click thanks!

I don't think there's anything that explains how or why. It seems to be one of those things that in doing the research it's been noted there was a lower instance of SIDS in babies using dummies.
 
Nice to see lots of dummy fans! It makes me feel better about giving him one reading your comments.

Does anyone know how or why a dummy can reduce the risk of sids?

Tapatalking so can't see sigs or click thanks!

It still seems unclear why a dummy helps (I have just had a quick Google).

Some research suggests that babies with dummies sleep more lightly so therefor are more likely to awaken if they get into some kind of breathing difficulty

Other research has suggested using a dummy strenghtens nerves that control the upper airways

It's all a bit clock and dagger considering that there is clear evidence that having a dummy helps cut the risk of SIDS but they aren't telling us why??

xxxxxxxx
 
We use a dummy, I didn't want to but the night we bought James home from hospital he screamed for 7 hours solid. After 6.5 hours I gave in and cracked open the dummies.

James was a sucky baby and quickly got the hang of his dummy. He uses it a fair bit in the daytime to be honest. He seems to really like the comfort of it? He napes with it. At night-time he falls asleep with it but can go hours (sometimes even overnight) without it.

On a side note I bought a new Gro-bag recently and the blurb they send with the sleeping bag recommends a dummy!! First time I've seen actual proper advocation of a dummy!! The Gro company are now officially saying it helps against SIDS.

xxxxxxxx

I've read a few things which say recent research suggests a dummy reduces the risk of SIDS, if a baby sleeps with one.

The info the Gro company sent says this

Settling your baby to sleep (day and night) with a dummy can reduce the risk of cot death, even if the dummy falls out whilst your baby is asleep

They do however also say breastfeeding in best and you must establish breastfeeding before using a dummy

xxxxxxxx

Well atm I express all his milk and he takes it from a bottle so I guess technically he is bottle fed?

I'd like to know exactly how they did the research though, just because I'm curious. It could be that so many babies do actually have dummies and the risk of sids is low it affects the percentage iykwim?

Tapatalking so can't see sigs or click thanks!
 
I didn't really have an opinion on dummies but I wanted to see how things would pan out without one. We introduced on at around 2 weeks old and it was the best thing we did at that point. Helped with sleeping and in the car, we didn't give it to C other than during those times.

At six months we went cold turkey and stopped giving it to him which has also been absolutely fine.

C was a comfort sucker and couldn't use me as a dummy due to tongue tie at that point so it was the next best thing.

Do whatever works for you Hun xx


 
Yup, do whatever suits you. I don't give a dummy and never did, but that's just me and I have no problem with them being used. In fact, they sound pretty amazing - we had some tough times with T and I've often wondered if I should have given her a dummy in those early months, but I simply didn't in the end xxx
 
I wasent going to use one ,but in the end we did x
 
Jack has one, well 3 in bed but they stay in bed. Harry won't take one but is slowly beginning to find his thumb x
 
The advice given in the US re SIDS is to use a dummy from brith. Their not sure on the specifics of why - simply because they don't know what exactly causes SIDS.

From what I've read the two main theories behind it, is that baby doesn't fall into quite as deep a sleep (have you ever jump started your self awake?? - maybe like you we're falling - there is a theory that we should all have a reflex to do this is wee drift down too deep but for some reason it doesn't always work)

The other main theory is that the sucking mechanism can strengthen the muscles in the airways etc promoting good/regular breathing. Part of the same logic is used in the argument for keeping LO in same room as you till 6months. Xxx


On my iPhone - so cant see tickers :(
 
Ethan had a dummy pretty much from day 1 and mainly had it when he was sleeping. When he was 6 months old, he got a stinking cold and was finding it hard enough to breathe let alone sucking a dummy so refused to take it. I thought that was a good time to start to discourage him having a dummy and he hasn't had one since.
We've been round to friends houses where there's dummies lying around and he just picks them up and plays with him and not attempted to put them in his mouth

Xx
 

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