I dislike dummies. I dislike the way SiL used to stuff a dummy in her daugher's mouth every time it opened - she had a dummy constantly until about 18m. She didn't speak until just recently, she was too used to just grunting with a dummy in place. I also think they look awful, just awful! I know some people think thumb-suckers look bad, but to me, dummies look worse. They are used to "dumb" a child, to stop the child talking or communicating verbally. Crying is communicating, we should try to solve the problem not shut the child up. I know most people here use dummies when baby just wants to suck, but many out in the world just use it to shut a baby up.

DS had reflux and has had a dummy maybe 15-20 times in his life (he won't take one, he plays with it). He doesn't really like it. He sucks his toes (always has to be different, bless him) rather than his thumb. When I'm really upset I bite on my thumb, I'm sure it's because I was a thumb-sucker as a young child. How nice to still have an acceptable comfort object I can carry around even now!