Dummyholics Anonymous

[thepixie]

Hi my name is thepixie and my DD is a dummyholic. It's been two weeks since her last dummy. She still asks for it several times a day (her favourite one, the 'onage' one), usually accompanied by tears. When she is tired or angry or hurts herself she asks for it. We have explained that she is a big girl now and doesn't need it anymore, but she is struggling with it. We stopped BFing at the same time and that doesn't seem to have caused anywhere near as much of an issue for her. I struggle sometimes to hold my resolve, sometimes because it can be a struggle to deal with a day of tantrums when I know if I gave her a dummy she would be a quiet little lamb, and sometimes because I feel for her finding it so hard to give up.
Anyone else going through withdrawal who wants to be my sponsor when I'm ready to cave?

[Persephone1]

We're not quite at the point of addiction here, but my friend's daughter was such a dummyholic that when my friend denied her addiction she STOLE dummies off the babies at her crèche, straight out of their mouths!

She also nicked one out of the rubbish bin when her Mum had thrown it away

[thepixie]

Last night we were at friends' house and their nearly three year old offered her one when she was very tired/ past bedtime/ on couch with a blankie not the 3 year old's fault though, she didn't know....

[Beach Mama]

Ok DD is nearly 3.5 and STILL has one OVER it - she only has it at nap time and bedtime but we are well and truly ready for it to go. Ours is going to the "Dummy Fairy" who is going to leave something behind to say thanks to DD for giving her dummies to the baby fairies who need them I am aiming for the school holidays because I am worried about how she will go so I will definitely hold your hand! How has your DD been today after last night Pixie?

[MrsFabuloso]

Ok DD is nearly 3.5 and STILL has one OVER it - she only has it at nap time and bedtime but we are well and truly ready for it to go. Ours is going to the "Dummy Fairy" who is going to leave something behind to say thanks to DD for giving her dummies to the baby fairies who need them I am aiming for the school holidays because I am worried about how she will go so I will definitely hold your hand!

I could have written that Tan. Though DS has one too. We have just gone away for a few days and I have told DD that the dummy fairy will be coming soon. I am soooo not looking forward to taking it off them, DD in particular. I dread bed time without them... She's so addicted, plus it's pushing her teeth forwards too, so it's GOTTA go! I have to find a nice little gift to give them both and we are going to tie the 'nummies' to the tree with some pretty ribbon and make a lovely ritual out of it, lol! The fairy will leave a little pressie and card for them both....ahhh the joys!

[MrsFabuloso]

I've just read the thread properly....oh man it feels good to know I am not the only one with a preschooler with a serious dummy addiction!!! DD still wakes a few times a night too, wailing for her nummy....DS wakes a couple of times as well and will only settle with a dummy. We own about 8 or so of them....

I want to get rid of the dummies before baby comes and I'm hoping to avoid giving this bub one to avoid all of the dramas they present later on!

[Just Me]

My 3yo still has a dummy - only at bedtime. She leaves her dummy on her pillow when she gets out of bed and doesn't touch it until nap time or bedtime at night. I don't know how to break the habbit - my 2 yo also has a dummy as does my 11 month old. We have dummies all over the house and I am not sure it is going to be an easy habbit to break. No-one really knows she still has a dummy because it is only a bed time thing and we don't discuss it with our other friends who were anti-dummy to start with. My brother had a bottle until he was 6. My mum threw his bottle away, but because we had a younger brother, he would steal my other brother's bottle until Mum gave up trying to stop him. He eventually stopped using a bottle by himself. I am a bit worried that there would be some dummy stealing going on if I was to stop dummy use. I am kind of hoping she will give it up on her own sometime ... is that being too wishful?

ETA: We posted at the same time. So glad to know I am not alone in the 3 yo with a dummy!

[Party-of-five]

I have a DD with a nearly 24hour a day habbit i am scared at the thought of rehab I think we need to start weening her off so we can quit the habbit soon

[Bun]

Yep, you can add my DD to the list. She is just over 2 1/2 and it took sooooo much effort, frustration and tears to reduce the dummy usage to bed and nap time only, but she STILL asks for it during the day or sneaks it out of her room when she thinks I am not watching. And yep, every time she is tired or hurts herself, she starts wailing for it. I have found it so hard to stick to my guns at times and I shudder to think of how I am going to get it off her for good....

[Persephone1]

FYI, I didn't have a dummy BUT I sucked my thumb until I was 8y/o. My Mum encouraged me to stop, but didn't want to pressure me. I put a lot of pressure on myself though, because at 8 y/O I was too afraid to go on sleepovers in case my friends discovered that I was a thumb-sucker. I don't know how, but at some point I just stopped sucking and settled myself to sleep without it. At least the dummies can be removed...thumbs can't!

[butterfly_warrior]

And here's me feeling awful about my 20 month old still having a dummy!

He's a total addict. It doesn't help that he's teething... We try to keep it only for sleep times, but now that it appears he's developing asthma he's just so unhappy and we usually give in for the sake of peace. I can't take it off him when he wakes up - I just have to wait for him to give it up for some reason and hope that I'm quick enough to grab it and hide it before he gets it back in his mouth again!

He doesn't have a word for dummy yet... but he walks around with his hand smooshed into his face when he's desperate for one...

I actually have the horrible feeling that the dummy will be like his wrap - needed for day sleeps up until he stops having day sleeps is my prediction!

BW

[maz]

*maz steps up to the plate*

HI My name is maz (waves hello)
Its been 12 nights since our last dummy...were I bribed once almost 4yo with a doll that had to stay in the box for a week and only then after not asking for the thing in question was she permitted to open it.

We have been given the understand that dummies are for babies, not almost 4 yo's..even when tired, sick or being a little turd (were I have missed shutting her up I mean giving it to her) have also signed a silent deal that if she ask's for the offender that the dolly get's taken away

We have travelled interstate, had a major melt down with friends BUT have not asked for the item in question.

We cleaned her room up on the weekend and what did I find...a dummy which she grabbed and put in the bin herself. As much as i hated the darn thinig, I sort of miss the significance of it..eg the visual reminded that she is my baby girl.

Thank you all
*maz steps down*

[thepixie]

Maz!

We have been given the understand that dummies are for babies, not almost 4 yo's..even when tired, sick or being a little turd (were I have missed shutting her up I mean giving it to her)

:yeahthat: completely!

As much as i hated the darn thinig, I sort of miss the significance of it..eg the visual reminded that she is my baby girl.

and that too..... *sob* our babies are growing up