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Just wondering when i should introduce a dummy
DS is a week old and my milk is in. He has a really strong suck with a slight tongue tie which is causing a bit of pain when feeding. The pain isn't too bad except when he comfort sucks.
So when would you introduce a dummy? It will only be to settle and sleep, not all the time. Thanks.
I think DD was about two months old when I realised she was using me to comfort suck to sleep, so we tried the dummy. She only liked one style but it worked. I let her fall asleep with it and then took it out of her mouth. She used it until she was about 9-10 months and then refused to have it after that. HTH.
I gave one to ds.when he was about 2.months old as he was using me as a dummy when going to sleep but then getting upset when he'd get an explosion of milk. I kept it just for sleep time, and times when he was super grizzly due to teething. It was a serious life saver during teething!
He is 11.5 months old.now and.he gave it up at 9.5 months. Which is great, but means I am the dummy again at night when he is teething, which is the only time I wish he'd still take it lol
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I've given dd a dummy from day dot. But I only use it when I can't physically get myself to her (eg in the car, or trying to make everyone dinner) and only when she's not long been fed.
They used to say not to introduce a dummy until 6 weeks for fear of causing nipple confusion, but newest evidence says this is a fallacy and the dummy will not cause any issues with breastfeeding, so you are safe to introduce one any time you like. Personally I would suggest offering it after a feed when he is trying to go to sleep if this is the time that is causing you discomfort, but remember that by comfort sucking he is also putting in tomorrow's milk order so try not to stop him doing it altogether.
Have you spoken to someone about getting his tongue tie snipped? It can make a huge difference to nipple pain to get it done.
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Was going to say this and also to take it off him once he is actually asleep so he doesn't get into the habit of searching for itin the middle of the night.
I personally think getting the tongue tie snipped will make a huge difference, a little comfort sucking is a nice thing to do for your baby too, BF is more than just about a meal;)
Nae x
I'm not sure as when to introduce a dummy but an LC told me to go for one of those dummies with a very round ball, cherry shaped end.
Really Trav? Where'd that info come from?
Are you getting the tongue tie sorted out?
I asked in hospital to have it snipped but is is very small and they said to see if it goes by itself. But if I keeps causing probs ill get it done sooner rather than later.
I'll try the dummy as you suggested after a feed and when I can't get to him. I really don't want to stuff up the bf'ing. Thanks trav - ill see if I can get a cherry shaped one.
Funny you post this thread today as I was going to ask something along the lines of what's wrong with a dummy! ds had a play date earlier this week and the little girl picked up his dummy and her mum snatched it out of her mouth as if it was poison :confused: We gave ds a dummy within the first 24 hours I think. He's always been a fantastic feeder, 10 minutes and he's done. He never had any confusion either. I think whoever made that up must not give babies much credit for their intelligence. I mean yummy mummy milk comes out of the boobies and a dummy is rubber! ds loves the dummy to go to sleep and it gives him stacks of comfort during the day when teething.
My advice is to get both the cherry style and the flat side style if you can. Both my DD and my niece refused the cherry style but took to the flat one. I figured it was better to have both on hand in case DD chucked a wobbly because she didn't like the dummy (my niece is older than DD so my SIL worked out the dummy problem and told me).
I gave DS2 a dummy on day 3 lol :) it hasn't interfered at all with BF (he's a machine ;) ) that said, he's only really "liked" it the last week or so. He only uses it to wind down to sleep or I use it in the car etc.
Agree with Traveller. I have seen a lot of babies have a dummy very early and have never seen it cause problems feeding.
Thanks everyone. DD1 had one early and we had heaps of problems feeding, DD2 had one later and we had no issues so I wasn't sure when to introduce earlier. I'll get him one and see how it goes :)
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DD got hers on day 3. We have had no issues feeding because of it.
this is a hard one
as for the nipples... try lansinoh ... it's great for sore nipples and mine were bleeding !!
all my firt 3 had dummy from the earliest time possible.. and they just became reliant on it.. waking if they didn't have it etc etc
so with DS 4 i am not giving him one.. we have one and i have used it a couple of times when i have been out and i need him to wait a little bit for a feed but apart from that he doesn't have one.
i dont know how long it will continue but i really dont wanna create the problems i had with the others when it falls out in the middle of the night and they wont sleep without it.
it's a personal decision
but the breast feeding specialist said you really shouldn't use one til baby is feeding really well with no probs at all as it may confuse them and make it harder to feed. she said 6 weeks ...
hope this helps
good luck
I personally wouldn't like some other kid sucking on my DDs dummy, and visa versa. She might have nothing against them, just be hygiene conscious :):
Just FWIW I know several ladies who introduced a dummy very early on (within days of bub being born) who ended up needing to FF their babies after only 6-8 weeks due to lack of supply and babies not being able to suck properly. Could just be a coincidence :dunno:
I personally do not like them or use them and would also snatch a dummy away from my kids for 2 reasons. first being I would worry about hygiene (just like you wouldn't suck on your babies dummy if it fell ont he floor (transferring your mouths bacteria to your baby)). and secondly, they don't need a dummy and I wouldn't want to encourage something that I personally consider a bad habit (in older kids and remember JUST my opinion).
:D Nae x