Why do you use a Dummy?

[Mum2Romone]

Im wondering why people use dummys?

With DS I was given a few but didnt find the need for them... DS was breastfed and wouldnt even take a bottle ever !

Why do you use one?
What are the benefits?

Just curious

[Taurean]

DD was a comfort sucker so her dummy saved my nipples It's been a great sleep cue and has always helped to settle her when she's tired, upset or sick. She's 20 months now and still loves her dummy to go to sleep but thankfully isn't really interested in it otherwise.

[crumpet]

DD has a dummy to go to bed, but generally spits it out and doesnt rely on it, as in doesnt wake up for it during sleeps...
its a bit of a comfort thing for her i think, she knows its bed time when u get given ur dummy and as soon as we give it to her she turns her head and closes her eyes.

she also gets it if we are out for dinner and she is unsettled, seems to keep her happy then as well!

[courts&munchkins]

Well Ds2 was bottlefed so he used a dummy to comfort suck. With dd she is breastfed but we still use the occasional dummy. She, even at 3 months finds my flow very, very fast and will often choke which makes her really upset. When this happens the dummy is the only thing that will calm her down as she still wants to suck but without the milk pouring down her throat.

She also really likes to have it when travelling in the car, not sure why, she just does.

Ds1 never had a dummy, he was a thumb sucker.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

[nothing2lose]

The only dummy I have had in my house for a long time is at work right now

But, DD used one very sparingly after it was introduced in the SPN just after she was born. She never really took to it though.

However, I truly believe, the humble dummy has saved the lives of more babies/toddlers than we will ever know.

[Aimee89]

I used one with my son in the first few months, as he was a comfort sucker and needed to suck something to get to sleep. He gave it up himself at 6 months old, just stopped wanting it and needing it. He now sucks his thumb instead, which I don't mind at all.

[Catastrophic]

Because both girls like to comfort suck, and that sucks for my boobs. So dummy's came very handy. Then when they were out of that age, it was a sleep cue - they would have it for bed, and put it in the sink when they woke up.
Dd1 doesn't have it anymore, she gave it too the fairies when she was just over two.
Dd2 still has one, she only uses it to go to sleep, so I'm not concerned or worried about her using it, she'll give it to the fairies soon too (around 2yrs I think)


Love MN ;-)

[Lenny]

DS1 was given a dummy in hospital as he was jaundice and was under lights. I couldn't comfort him and our feeds had to be quick so they could get him back in the crib. I had not even considered a dummy until then, but it was a big help.
Then when he was 6 weeks i had to spend some time in hosp. DH gave DS the dummy to him as I was not able to breasfeed him and he could not comfort suck. He really took to it and it helped settle and calm him in a time of real upheaval.

I took it off him at night time when he was 17months old. He never really cared. We were quite lucky.

[Danielle_NZ]

They started as comfort sucking devices but turned quickly for all three boys as something to help with their reflux.

[Sunny Love]

DD used hers as a comfort sucker and for her wind, and I surely appreciated it at night times (sanity saviour in my case ) As soon as she started teething she rejected them, and has NEVER wanted one since. She actually tries to feed them to her own 'babies' (3 dolls) in their pram or carrier

nb. She only ever took to one brand of dummy, hated all the other brands. Not sure if im allowed to mention it, so I wont

[krysalyss]

Purely for comfort really. DS used one until he was two and then was fine with giving them up. If I had another baby I would definitely give them the option of having one if it seemed to help comfort them. I found them so valuable in those moments when nothing else you do seems to help.

[eza]

DD has a dummy to go to bed, but generally spits it out and doesnt rely on it, as in doesnt wake up for it during sleeps...
its a bit of a comfort thing for her i think, she knows its bed time when u get given ur dummy and as soon as we give it to her she turns her head and closes her eyes.

she also gets it if we are out for dinner and she is unsettled, seems to keep her happy then as well!

we use for these same reasons

[black_rose]

Another one who has used it as a way of helping the reflux. Dd2 stopped using it at 4 months and would only use it if her reflux was bad. Ds still uses it, again for reflux during the day if needed and it's also a trigger as part of his bedtime routine as someone else said he turns his head and closes his eyes.

[Ree*Ree]

Well I decided to give DS a dummy because I din't want him to suck his thumbs.
I was a really bad, long-term thumb sucker So I figured if he had a dummy he wouldn't want his thumbs, and I can throw a dummy in the bin - there's no way to stop them from putting that thumb back in their mouth!
And it is also a very handy sleep cue, DS only gets a dummy at bed-times.

[AnyDream]

Plug up a whiney child. Indispensible on long car trips with overtired child.

[Junglemum]

Dd1 never had a dummy and never wanted one.

Dd2 was became hard to settle and sleep was terrible at about 15 months. I offered her a dummy and she has been a dream ever since. It's purely comfort, but i give her a kiss, pop her into bed with a dummy and her toy, and she drifts off to sleep without a peep. It has been a savior and I attribute her fantastic sleep to the comfort the dummy gives her. She only has it in bed but I need to find a replacement soon as she's getting a bit old and I don't want to damage her teeth.

[HotI]

My DD had colic and the dummy helped relieve this. She first took it when she was 6 weeks old and at 4 months decided she didn't want it anymore.

[KitFaerie]

DS was/is a total comfort sucker, we didn't use a dummy at first, DH used to give him his finger to suck on (the sentences you never think you'll say before you have kids ''Hun just give the baby the finger!") but at 4 weeks we gave him a dummy and it was wonderful! He uses it to wind down and at sleep time. He gives these massive grins when he see's the dummy now, loves it.