Comforter or "Lovey" recommendations...

[Melody7]

Hi Willow, I have been contemplating a dummy (not a big dummy fan I must say), however you seem to think a comforter would be a better solution?

[*Belle*]

Julia never had a dummy but has a soft toy lamb she has to sleep with every night and cuddles when shes feeling upset or just wants to cuddle called "lamiee"

[Willow]

Melody - I just think that in certain cases, a dummy can create a whole new set of sleep issues. And we didn't have an easy time weaning DD off hers either (it wasn't too bad but I'd prefer not to have to repeat the experience either!), so it's kind of put me off. But then I wonder would she have been such a great sleeper without it?? It's a hard one. DS isn't overly keen on it anyway so I figure it's just better to get rid of it if we can.

Reading your other thread though about DS comfort sucking, you might actually find it useful if you want him to learn how to sleep without being on the breast - they definitely have their place.

[summers_mum]

Hi Melody7

Summer was around 4 or 5 months when I first introduced her blankie (I think at 6 months you should still be able to introduce something with just as much ease). She never took a dummy, and was starting to wake every 3 hours or so during the night. I took the idea from the "no cry sleep solution" book by elizabeth pantley (she has lots of great little ideas that you can use either separately or as part of a greater plan).

The book suggests that when you introduce it, you can keep it between you and bub during breastfeeds - Summer now strokes it while she feeds. An hour or so before bedtime, I'd put the blankie down my shirt to absorb some 'mummy smells' (I only did this for the first week or so). During her bedtime routine, blankie sits between her and daddy whilst he reads her a bedtime story.

When the lights go out and I leave the room, I leave blankie (which is a soft fleecy fabric with satin trim) on her shoulder with the satin bit touching her face. She's then got something to hold with a familiar smell if she wakes. In the mornings we play with 'duckie blankie' and say "thank you for sleeping with me". She took to her duckie blankie almost right away and has grown quite attached to it.

Here's an NZ link that was posted on this site once before which I also found useful: Comfort Blankies solve baby sleep problems - The Sleep Store, New Zealand