We havent admitted to be addicted to dummies. Still in the denial phase and not accepting that we need help.
On a helpful note to others, DD has a soft cuddle toy that I tell her to go and get and give a cuddle to whch she does and it calms her down quite quickly.
If it helps anyone at all - DS was ridiculously addicted to his and gave it up just before he turned 3. A couple of days asking for it, and then being explained to that the dummy fairy took it - and heres a present for being such a good boy - he gave it up quite easily.
So even if the mountain seems to big to climb guys - it may not be as bad as you are expecting. Just buy lots of little presents around from the "dummy fairies" for them being so big and brave at giving up their dummies
Ds is 21 months and he only has his for sleeps. During the night he tends to spit it out and then doesn't use it again. Because he's still young I wasn't bothered about rushing to get rid of it but after reading all the posts, maybe I should get rid of it now so we don't have dramas later??!!
A friend of mine did the fairy thing but wasn't thorough enough in finding them all, so for weeks after they'd tackled the problem her DD kept appearing with them in her mouth after she'd found them in random places around the house.
Dan - Maybe get rid of both at once hun?? DD is such a clever poppet - you know she will swipe DS' don't you?!! that way you don't have to go through it all over again when he needs to get rid of his??
I know someone else who actually took photos and created a special book about giving the dummies to the babies - including photos of her DD, a bit too much effort as far as I'm concerned (read: lazy mama ) but whatever works!!!
BellaBambina - mine has a soft toy too!! It changes every few weeks but she won't sleep without it! Same with J who also has his teddy that he is very attached too but no dummy for him thanks goodness!
JM - DD's dummy falls out of her mouth all the time while she is sleeping and that is why we are up a million times a night. Drives me nuts because J sleeps through from 7-7 but she will lose the dummy in the night and wake us up to help her find it. 4 weeks - it's GOING!!!!
We're trying to introduce a toy for Sam to cuddle in order to replace the dummy - not really working just yet. But I'm also quite happy to say that he's still really little and I won't really be trying too hard until he's older.
Tanstar - Our DD's were born in the same month I realised looking at your sig (May 2007). Mine just uses her dummy to fall asleep but usually it falls out and if she wakes up in the night she puts it back in herself, but I think most of the time once it falls out, she doesn't use it again until morning when she wakes up and has a suck I think I would go postal if I had to get up and find her dummy all night long.
DD still has a dummy. Ive weaned her down to only sleeps now and next step will be only sleeps at home, not out. I did the same with DS and once he turned 3, it may sound cruel but it worked.. we told him once you turn 3 if you have a dummy your teeth will fall out. It worked though. He asked for it the first night i took it away and i reminded him theyre gone, and that was it. He was fine since. So, if nothing changes with DD, ill prob try the same trick.
Thank you all for the support! Nice to know I'm not alone with a toddler with a crack-like addiction to the dummy. We haven't made a big deal out of it, just stopped giving it to her, trying to give her lots of cuddles and support instead .... get kicked a lot these days though
She has suddenly developed a thing for a little pink blankie she has had since she was born and will cuddle up on the couch with a blankie now. Helps in the evening but it's not the same. She does seem to be sleeping a fair bit better without it, so hopefully it has been worth it.
For those with long term dummyholics, my younger brother had a dummy till he was 8
DS went cold turkey when he was just over 3! DH cut the tops off them all and DS said they were broken. It didn't stop him trying to buy new ones every time we went to a chemist though LOL He tried for about a month but now is over them.
DD1 was an addict until 4 when the dentist told her to give up so she gave the dummies - she had 4 - to the ducklings. We had them attached to little bears to try to get her to cuddle them but it didn't work. She gave them up when she was ready, and we said that school girls don't have dummies.
DD2 looks like she'll be doing the same. Since she is only 14 months, I'm not too worried yet.
I am joining the club, DD was giving up hers about 6 months back, didn't need it to go to sleep then she got sick, didn't eat or drink for 5 days and it was the only thing that would comfort/settle her.
We are very strict with it, she only gets it when she gets into bed at night and she isn't allowed to leave the bed until she has handed it back. But when someone else gets her out of bed she manages to keep it in her mouth until we notice, to which she smiles and hands it to us.
We should just ditch it but atm just leaving it, we had a sucessful transtion to the bed and chaning rooms so will takle the dummy ina few months unless she decides to give it up herself
DS is 20 months and can't sleep without his dummy & puppy. He's usually fine if it falls out during the night, but when he's sick or over tired he wakes up needing it to be put back in.
I figure I'll just let him decide when to give it up, he gets told often enough by his aunt (almost 5) and uncle (almost 4) that dummies are only for babies so he shold give it up easily when he can understand what that means.
DS2 is 3 in less than a month and he still has them. We had them all over the house. I rounded up all the ones that had gone flat/started to wear out and when I counted them we had 17!! Plus the 4 new ones. They are the only way he will settle at night quickly so Im not keen to give them up just yet But Christmas will definitely be the end of it. That said though we have a 6yo that still sucks her thumb...
Another member of the dummyholic club here ... DS1 (2 1/2) only uses his for sleep BUT not only must he have a "nummy" in his mouth, oh no ... he has to HOLD another nummy in his hand!! And he's sucks them so hard they go flat within several hours. I check the teats to be sure he doesn't pull them off the handle, but goodness me I wish I could kick him of the habit. I like the idea of the dummy/nummy fairy taking them and leaving a little gift in return ...
AndiE - my girlfriend set it up with her little girl with a little bag on a tree outside, her DD actually put the dummies in there (after talking it up for ages!) so there was that feeling of her "giving" them away rather than them being taken from her IYKWIM. Then when they got inside her DH rushed out and got rid of the bag with all the dummies in it (Trillian might need a large bag ) and they had left a few little gifts on the bed for her including a "sleeping dolly" When they went back to the lounge she was all excited because the bag was gone and the fairies had taken them to the babies. My DD used to have one in her hand too and my niece used to have one in EACH hand. Ahh poppets.
Registered User
It worked though. He asked for it the first night i took it away and i reminded him theyre gone, and that was it. He was fine since. So, if nothing changes with DD, ill prob try the same trick.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks