I've always gone with whatever the baby wants. So when Matilda had a really strong sucking reflex, I gave her the dummy & she loved it. She stopped using it around 13 months and she only used it at night & sleeps.

I was scared of having a thumbsucker actually because my brother was one & sucked his thumb until he was 10. At 12 he had to have major reconstructive surgery to his jaw and jawline & teeth which the surgeon blamed on thumb sucking...so our family always believed that. I don't know now that it was all attributed to that... but I guess thats why I am a bit biased.