Gumdrop dummies

[jellybean88]

Are they any better than other dummies for bf babies?

[Taurean]

I don't know that particular type but I've had two BF babies (DD1 weaned at 11.5 months and DD2 turned one this week and is still BF once a day) and both have used dummies from day dot. DD1 used the orthodontic dummies and DD2 the cherry ones. Neither refused the breast and both loved / loves their dummies but the cherry dummies are a lot cheaper and our Paed told us the orthodontic ones are just a gimmick really.

HTH.

[jellybean88]

Cool , ds has always had dummy but he is bottle fed he has all types of dummies not fussy at all but I'm hoping to bf the next one and don't want anything in the way... Of course I plan all this but baby might not like dummy anyway

[HotI]

i googled them. their blurb doesn't even make sense "is recommended for breast fed babies to help avoid nipple confusion." followed by "a familiar nipple shape that babies love." -the action of sucking on a dummy can be different, and the outcome is different to feeding from the breast, so why is a familiar nipple shape going to reduce confusion? And if the mother's nipples are not the same shape as the dummy, then it won't have the familiar shape and so will these babies be confused?

If you want to breastfeed, avoid dummies if you can for at least the first 6 weeks. Almost all products that are advertised as 'close to ' breastfeeding are just advertising gimmicks with no benefit to breastfeeding.

[onthefly]

I don't think there's any real difference, no. It mostly comes down to baby's preference, I think. And how swayed you are by marketing

The recommendation is generally to delay while establishing breastfeeding. The main danger to your breastfeeding relationship is where parents may use dummies to space feeds - reducing sucking time at the breast and milk taken. If your baby empties your breasts frequently and is allowed time for comfort sucking as well (which is also important for development and different to sucking on a dummy), then it may be fine to use a dummy as well.

[Frangipani Lou]

Our Lactation Consultant mentioned that if we wanted to use a dummy to get the cherry shaped ones. I'm not sure why though.

[HotI]

I think the cherry shaped ones are prefered because they are big. You want baby to take more of breast in while breastfeeding (breastfeeding - not nipple feeding), and the cherry ones take up more room in baby's mouth than some of the others.

Both my kids ended up using dummies when they were little, as they both had colic/reflux issues but both of them also rejected them as their guts matured, dd at 4 months and ds at 6 months. I don't really like them, but they did help my bubs in the early days. I know i waited til 6 weeks with dd and close to that with ds.