My step-daughter Paige who's three used dummies until she was about 2, her mother just took it away one day and said the puppy ate it. Paige apparently handled it really well. Cried for a little while but ultimatley accepted that the puppy had eaten the dummy and that it wasn't coming back.
I would be fine with using it as long as Bub is able to accept it when it's time to stop using the dummies.
It's definitely better than thumb sucking IMO. My little sister Lulu sucked her thumb constantly from birth until about the age of nine or so, and she's had to have massive dental work to fix the damage from that. Like getting two teeth pulled and braces for the last few years. She's 17 now and it completely screwed up her teeth development.
I don't like the idea of a dummy screwing up Bub's teeth. I guess all the horror stories got to me.
We've bought a couple for a just in case sort of thing.
i agree with just keeping one on hand. thats the advice i got and it's come in handy a few times late at night when i'm exhausted. just curious though why are people so against them.? my sis was taking her 15mth old for a walk in the pram one day and a lady walking by yelled out to my sis, "i can't believe you still let him have a dummy". ha ha how rude.
DD came out of the wonb wanting to suck everything in her sight, including the humidi-crib she was put into for the first 30 minutes of her life! LOL My DH was sooooo anti-dummy, it wasn't even funny. We were both thumb suckers but in the end, one night, she just would not settle and DH wasn't home so I stuck a dummy in her mouth and ***HAAAAALLEILUIYA** she settled in 5 seconds! So I said to DH, look if YOU want to spend the next 3 hours settling her all the time, be my guest but I am using it. At 3 months, Sammy stopped taking it and is now an avid finger/thumb sucker.
I say, have one on hand, but let your bubba guide whether he wants one or not. You may not have a choice! ;-) As for the horror stories re dental work, I am pretty sure you haven't got to worry about that until the 2nd set of teeth comes through. One bonus of finger sucking over dummy...you never have to look for it or forget it, drop it, etc...this is also a downfall as you cannot take it away either I say keep your mind open and go with the flow
I used dummies with DD & DS1...DS2 wouldn't take one but I sure hope this bub does.
Like Maz & Leasha's bubs, DS2 preferred me as the dummy...I don't want to do that again!
DD got one very early on because she was a thumb sucker, and I figured easier to get rid of a dummy than a thumb.
Interesting that both DD & DS1 had other 'security' items as well that they absolutely refused to sleep without and were much more attached to than the dummy...they went at about the same time. In DS2's case he was happy as long as he had a nipple nearby...
Both DD & DS1 gave them up with a bit of gentle encouragement at about two and a half - I know this will horrify some people but they were ready, it wasn't a drama, no tears or tantrums and 6 months later, it's such a non-issue, let alone years down the track!
I would like to see it gone earlier... we will see what happens this time.
And FWIW I understand that people think it's ugly or whatever, I tend to agree, but really it's such a little thing compared to all the other issues that parenting raises...just do what works for you
I found with DD (and other parents have told me) bubs don't like the orthodontic ones. I have no idea why but I keep hearing from other parents that their bubs, like mine, would only go for the cherry shaped. Personally I wouldn't bother paying lots of money for dummies, believe me they will get lost! We like to joke that they run off together and breed because we'll struggle to find any for weeks and all of a sudden we look under the bed and there's 10 of them LOL!
DS doesn't like dummies at all. I have tried putting something sweet on the end of it (I used maple syrup) and he sucked it off and spat the dummy out. He doesn't like bottles either. I've tried all the shapes etc, and he just doesn't like it.
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I say keep your mind open and go with the flow
but they were ready, it wasn't a drama, no tears or tantrums and 6 months later, it's such a non-issue, let alone years down the track!
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