We ended up introducing the dummy during Sam's first week so he could have something to suck on during tube feeds - we wanted him to associate his belly getting full with him sucking... Completely different reasons, I know! But at first that's all it was... Then within a couple of weeks we found we couldn't get him to settle to sleep without the dummy. As much as we didn't want our child depending on a dummy, sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do in order to get some peace and quiet!

These days... Sam sometimes prefers to suck on his fingers. I've actually taken to removing his hand from his mouth and putting the dummy in (if it's bed time, usually we put a bottle in his mouth instead - it's often a sign that he's hungry!). I figure that it's going to be easier in the end to wean him off a dummy than off his fingers. You can always take a dummy away - it's a bit harder to take a hand away.

If you want to limit her time with the dummy - only use it for sleep time. If she spits it out, don't put it back in. Try to settle her without it, and only use it as a last resort.

I know it's hard when you find yourself doing things you swore you'd never do, but it's not the end of the world.

BW