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I went with the cheapest ugliest looking ones there are and thank goodness! No running around buying $7 dummies from obscure shops if one gets lost. If you stick with the cheap cherry shaped ones from chemists you can get them everywhere. And they won't be too big if your baby likes to suck.
There's no advantage to using the pricier ones if you're not overusing the dummy. Just make sure it isn't stuck against baby's face and leaves plenty of air circulating around it.
I read somewhere that using a dummy can lower the chances of SIDS. Has anyone heard of this?
Don't feel guilty about using a dummy. I was told when I was pregnant with DS that you can throw away a dummy, but you can't chop off fingers. My Mum sucked her thumb till she was 12 and has very crooked front teeth. My DS does loves his dummy for comfort, but he only has it when he's upset or going to bed.
Don't forget, sucking is a baby's natural way of comforting themselves. :hug:
Yes, I've read that too. Can't remember where though.:
Oh don't tell me that Jennifer, lol.
The whole reason I use Happy Baby dummies is because they are cheap. The hundreds of dummies that get lost... it's not even funny. I lost 2 in one day the other day in town! One had a dummy clip on it lmao!
I know, my Mum hated them too! ;) But the Happy Baby ones are the cheapest and easiest to find, missymoo is right.:
Don't feel bad Ali :hug:
We used to use a dummy as a bit of a last resort with Cameron to settle him, usually just to sleep. But after he'd fall asleep he'd spit it out and not need it. After about 2months, he decided he just wasn't interested in it anymore and thankfully for us we too didn't need to rely on it either.
So I'm just wondering if maybe you just keep it as a just in case - not an all the time thing, after a while she may end up not needing it afterall. But if it helps her settle and therefore helps you, don't feel bad about it - at that point I think you just go with whatever works for you's.
:hug: Ali you didn't just give in and give it to her, as you said you tried everything and as a last resort it worked. You followed your mummy instincts that is a good thing.
I am not a fan of dummies either and more then once in desperation I tried DS on them but he just wouldn't take it, sometimes I think it would have been easier as there were times when he was attached to me all the time.
You doing what's right for you and your DD, keep that in mind.
I had every intention of never using a dummy for my babies..ha ha!!
Both my girls were very sucky bubs and I caved and used a dummy. DD2 got the dummy at 24 hours old:(
I have that dummies reduce SIDS too!!! And I agree you can chuck out a dummy but you can't cut off a finger.
By introducing a dummy I was fully aware that one day we would have to take it away. DD1 was weaned off by 18 months and we had one month of hell but after that she never wanted one again. DD2 is 16 months and only has hers at night time and we'll wean her soon, I am just waiting for the teething to finish.
Hugs sweets there are heaps of pooh pooh things that us mums do and feel guilty about but in the end you need to do what is right for you and your baby
I love using dummies :)
DD had one that she only used for naps and sleeping ... she NEVER when into town with me sucking on her dummy. She knew that the dummy were only for naps. She weaned herself off it after she had a sore in her mouth .. told me the dummy hurt her and after the sore was healed, everytime she asked me for it (I think it was about 5 times) I just told her that the dummy hurts.
Now ds has a dummy that he is not really fond about. He will use it get to sleep, but spit it out as soon as he has drifted off. Even DD is not interested in his dummy.
So :hug: hun, you did what you had too and even though it's something that you think were wrong, it does not make you a bad mommy.
ali ihave to admit i feel 'wrong' about giving DD a dummy, she loves to suck, has sucked her hands from the moment she was born, but i dont want another thumb sucker due to dental issues that caused DD1, though i loved the convenice of the thumb, i find that DD2 needs the dummy for sleeps now as she fights been wrapped and wont settle, yet shes not ready not to be wrapped, so dummy it is. :(
Sorry to invade your thread (I dont have a baby... yet)
When I was a baby I never had a dummy because I always spat it out. Instead I prefered to suck my thumb which led to an addiction of sorts and I did it until I was almost 15. It was embarrasing and friends, peers (only did it at primary school, as I got older I limited it to at home) and family members were always teasing me about it trying to get me to stop. I did want to stop but I found myself doing it without even realising.
I definately think that a dummy, as long as it's not overused, would be better.
Obviously I dont know your reasons for not wanting to use it but trust your instincts. You know what is best for your baby and lots of children use them. They cant be that bad.
I personally think that if they are called for, dummies are a good thing!
I had one as a child, my sister didnt. My sister is now 22 ans STILL sucks her thumb! she hates it, and makes a huge effort not to, but she will do it unconsciously in her sleep.
My daughter had a dummy, cos she had a lot of trouble going to sleep. She only ever used it for sleeping, and she was very attached to it. she is now 3, and only recently did i manage to get it away from her. She loves posting letters, so i told her that the new babies at the hospital needed dummies, so we could post her dummy to the new babies and share, cos that would be nice of her. She did it, and very little whinging resulted in it.
the moral of the story is that a dummy can be ridded of, fingers cant. I know plenty of people that still suck some part of their hands, but i dont know anyone that has grown up sucking a dummy.
The biggest risks with dummies are that they can cause ear infections if babies suck on them too often, but the same thing happens with thumbs and fingers.....and if they need to suck, they will find something to suck on. the other issue is the rotting of teeth, epsecially if you put a sweet substance on it. I think you wouyld have to be pretty desperate to do that nowadays tho, given that its so widely know to be a bad idea.
So please dont feel bad.
I know its more the "i swore id never do it, and here i am breaking promises to myself", but i think everyone does that at some point. Hell, i licked a tissue the other day and started scrubbing at my DD's face with it. i thought "what the hell am i dooing? the thought of this used to horrify me". You do what you can to get through.
Ali, having said I would never use a dummy I have also given in to itwhen DD2 won't settle - I need to give my nipples a break as she will comfort suck for hours some nights! She won't keep it in by herself but I have sat here holding it in her mouth with my finger so she won't spit it out..... but it has been a godsend the few times I have really needed it.
There is some research to support that a dummy may reduce the risk of SIDS but the official position of SIDS and Kids is no recommedation either way until further research is undertaken.:
Here is a link if you are interested: http://www.sidsandkids.org/documents...nStatement.pdf
I used dummies with both of my babies. I think it is a personal choice, you have to do whatever you feel comfortable with. It won't harm your baby, there may be some other implications though I never found it impacted feeding and I haven't had big issues with dummy reliance and attachment.
I was trying not to use the dummy at the start because I had bf issues but when you have a baby with colic you try anything. You could actually see her little body relax. Now she can't fall asleep without it but I figure at this age I don't care as long as she is happy and healthy :)