I've always lived with the "you can always take a dummy away, you can't take a thumb" my mum said we didn't take to dummys as kids and my younger sister used to suck her thumb and did until she was about 14.
All of mine never took to dummies and i offered with each of them.
At about 6 months DS1 become a thumb sucker. Personally i loved it because he could settle himself with that and his 'blankie'. We are now at the stage where we are trying to discourage it though, he only does it of a night falling asleep. It's a 'work in prgress' as we speak. He understands and he's trying really hard.
DS2 never took to the thumb but he sucks on his 'blankie'. He was wrapped until just over 12-13 months i think so not having access to the hands may have played in this. I often thought to myself maybe he would have benefited from a dummy as he clearly likes to such but i did offer. He woke for feeds up until about 14-15 months also, probably more out of comfort but i was happy to do it because it was easy... feed then straight back to bed...
DD I WISH may have taken a dummy or sucked her thumb or found something that soothed herself because she was a screamer. Due to reflux. She fed every couple of hours for the first few months. No dummy for her and no really comfort in a 'blankie' as yet either. She is in one of those stretchy sleeping bags each sleep. She can get her hand out though and does not suck.
So i've had a few different experiences, as to which is best i don't know, there are pro and cons for each. I always said i'm not a fan of a dummy because i don't want to get up at night just to put it back in. But if it clearly made my baby happy i would have done it. With the thumb you have the teeth issue and he's been to the dentist recently hence the encouragement to stop the thumb sucking. There is no real damage as yet but if it continues there may be some issues. Honestly i don't think there is a right or wrong. We do what works at the time. If you can work out ways to limit them it could be great. DS1 only sucks his thrumb when he has his 'blankie' and never walked around the house doing it.
I hate the look of dummies.. and would never promote thumb sucking as it moves the gum/teeth out of alignment and having braces for 5 years myself I want to save my kids from that....
DD2 would never take a dummy!
pro of dummy- cn be thrown away when theyre old enough to be without one.
cons- always going in to stick a dummy in when they loose it!!
pro's of thumb- they never loose it, u never have to remember to take it with you!
cons- u cant throw them away when theyre old enough to be withiout it
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i did offer. He woke for feeds up until about 14-15 months also, probably more out of comfort but i was happy to do it because it was easy... feed then straight back to bed...
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