Dummy settles DS when it is sleep time but he doesn't have it at any other time and usually spits it out once he drops off to sleep. It's been a lifesaver the past three days as he's just cut his first two teeth and wants to comfort suck after his early morning bf. I can do a quick swap and he'll go straight back to sleep, spitting out the dummy a few minutes later. I can count on one hand the number of time's he's cried in the night for his dummy so I wouldn't worry too much about it coming back to bite you on the you-know-what! I'd die of embarrassment if DS was one of 'those' toddlers, lol!