Dummy? Please help
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
Forum Description: Want help? Need support? Want tips? Men and women share advice and tips in this supportive community
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=24860
Printed Date: 10 September 2025 at 5:07pm
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Topic: Dummy? Please help
Posted By: Ella1
Subject: Dummy? Please help
Date Posted: 27 February 2009 at 2:05pm
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Hi,
I never considered using a dummy, just didn't cross my mind. But I read somewhere it's ok to use one early on as babies have the need for lots of suckling, and obviously they can't be on the breast ALL the time. Mika is 2 weeks old now, and the last few days it's been mayhem. She's been up way too much, both during the day and at night (I'm talking hours on end). She often acts like she's hungry, but then I put her on and she falls asleep on the breast within a few minutes, but when I put her down she wakes up. Obviously this can't go on. I'm wondering if a dummy would help. Anybody have any advise? And if so, what kind of dummy do you recommend? Getting quite desperate here. |
Replies:
Posted By: LenaJudson
Date Posted: 27 February 2009 at 2:10pm
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I used a dummy with DD until she was about 6 weeks old got to the point when I was giving it to her she would spat it back to me!!
I found it helped soothe her if she was just being a grizzle bum... Can't remember what sort she had but i would recommend getting one type (say the rounded one) and if she doesn't like it then try the flat one, and i think there are different types in between as well (i am trying to think back 4.5 years so apologise for the vagueness!) Hope this helps  ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: xLUCKYx
Date Posted: 27 February 2009 at 2:13pm
| Sounds like she wants to suck - definitly definitly try one. You will be able to put some decent space between feeds and have a much more happy settled baby. Good luck! |
Posted By: oscarboo
Date Posted: 27 February 2009 at 3:06pm
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Gracie was the same, wanting to suck on anything so we gave her a dummy as well. She has a round one at the moment and that seems to be working (it is slightly smaller than the flat ones). Looking forward to her not wanting it anymore though as now when it falls out, unless she is in a deep sleep she wakes up. It is great for settling her when she is very unsettled though ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">  
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Posted By: BeLoved
Date Posted: 27 February 2009 at 3:09pm
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A dummy has been a lifesaver for me as I have a baby who likes to suck and has reflux. I have found the NUK ones the best and it seems a lot of others on here have too. They seem to stay in better or maybe babies like the shape of them I dont know. My advice is to get a couple (normally in packs of 2 anyway) so you always have a clean one if it drops on the floor. Also she may take awhile to take to it put persevere and she should catch on, I always would jiggle it around or tap on it a little as the vibration/movement seems to make them suck on it??? Good Luck ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com"> 
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Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 27 February 2009 at 3:28pm
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We have used a dummy since Caden was 1 week old, it was a life saver to honest.
I dont see the problem with dummies, the Dr told me that they are especially good when they have a cold! Interesting! Anyways, Caden was a real *sucker* he would comfort suck on me when I breastfed he would suck his hands all the time, so when gave him a dummy he would happily suck away on that. Now, he has it when he is over tired and upset, in the car and at bedtime. Sometimes he finds it himself whilst playing on the floor and I'll find him chomping away on it lol. I plan on weaning him off it at a year old. ------------- |
Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 27 February 2009 at 5:19pm
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That is exactly what Cooper was doing, I was against dummy's but am loving that he has one! It was either me or the dummy....
I got a Nuk one as well. Apparently you wean them before they are 2 or around about then if you can't get it off them before by hanging it on the Xmas tree for the Elves to take & turn into toys ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com"> 
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: FionaO
Date Posted: 27 February 2009 at 5:23pm
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I sooo remember that at our ante natal classes the instructor said all those using dummies on one side and those against on the other, the whole class went against.
babies are now here and we are all using them. Finley is a super sucky baby and a dummy has been a life saver. We now don't use in the day and just use when going to sleep and he spits it out when he is calm and sleepy. I agree with the others everyone seems to get to a point when either the baby doesn't want it, or the dummy fairy comes and swaps it for something better. we use avent ones and they have always been fine for us. ------------- 
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Posted By: busyissy
Date Posted: 27 February 2009 at 6:30pm
| Dummies have been a life saver for us. Isobelle is a sucky baby, she'll suck on anything that comes close, especially noses! We use the dummy especially for bedtimes, I've found the NUK ones work best for us. |
Posted By: Ella1
Date Posted: 27 February 2009 at 6:31pm
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Thanks for the quick replies.
I made it to the pharmacy just before closing. Unfortunately they only had the Tommee Tippee ones, but I'd figured I'd give it a try, and she seems to take to them. As a matter of fact she's just falling asleep as we speak. (fingers crossed that it's really working). As I have no experience with dummies, how do I keep them clean? It says to sterilize in electric sterilizer, but don't have that as I only have a microwave sterilizer, and it says not to use microwave. So I boiled them in water, but they keep kind of floating on the surface, with the teat out of the water. Any tips? |
Posted By: kakapo
Date Posted: 27 February 2009 at 7:14pm
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Hi Ella To sterilize a dummy give it a wash with a little bit of dishwashing liquid and warm water, rinse to clean. Boil some water in a kettle and pour the boiled water into the "cap" that covers the dummy when not in use (make sure that's clean first too) then sit the dummy in it for 5 minutes. Just keep an eye on the dummies you have boiled as the instructions I've read say not to do that as it could damage them (ie the pieces may come apart?). Doubt that would happen straight away ...depending on how long you left them in there We initially used dummies with a latex teat, but I found fluff etc would stick to them more than the ones silicone teats, so we switched to them. Hope your wee girl continues to settle well with the dummy, all the best |
.Posted By: Chickaboo
Date Posted: 27 February 2009 at 7:29pm
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I have never had a problem with my kids having dummies - they have been life savers - first 2 had given them up before 2 yrs and Rhyley has just given it up (day 3 for us)
I know its personal choice though.... As for what type - I don;t think anyone matters really just what one your baby likes. If it makes you feel better about it then tests show that they can help prevent cot death and have no bearing on teeth. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: whitewave
Date Posted: 27 February 2009 at 10:24pm
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I thought using dummies were a no-no in the early weeks when the baby was learning to breastfeed properly... am I wrong?
My little boy has been comfort sucking on the breast at the end of most feeds lately, and I have to pry him off sometimes  . He also settles sometimes when he's being grizzly by sucking on the side of my finger, so am guessing a dummy may really help when I can't otherwise settle him.
So may now get one if its okay to do so... |
Posted By: kakapo
Date Posted: 28 February 2009 at 8:16am
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Have a read of this OHbaby! article about using dummies - http://www.ohbaby.co.nz/article.aspx?ContentID=1365 - linky . |
Posted By: cat007
Date Posted: 28 February 2009 at 4:44pm
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I used dummys for all of my boys from about 3 days onwards (twins, it was a week onwards) so that they could comfort suck without damaging me. As they got older I strictly use it for bedtimes only and then carry it with me when I go out just incase we have a meltdown ie in the supermarket. All of my boys weaned themselves off the dummys at around 6 months old. I havent used one for the twins for a good month now - I should go chuck them out.
They were lifesavers in the first few months but after that they dont seem to need them. It never caused any interference with sucking for my eldest who was breastfed and the twins with their bottles. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  [/url http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: hannibal
Date Posted: 28 February 2009 at 4:57pm
| Hi, I use the avent bottles for feeding (wasn't lucky enough to BF) so I use the same dummy brand so not to confuse bubs. Have a look at thesleepstore.co.nz - this will give you some ideas on helping bubs sleep as our bubs would fall asleep while feeding too so a feed was taking 1.5 - 2hrs per time! (and like you bubs would wake as soon as I put in the cot) Then bubs would sleep the 1st sleep cycle only and not the next I found the sleepstore got me on the right track with sleeping which has them helped with an alert baby while feeding. |
Posted By: busyissy
Date Posted: 01 March 2009 at 12:57pm
| As long as they have no latching issues its fine to use a dummy, we got one in the first week for Isobelle and she was a great bfeeder until the reflux ended it all. |
Posted By: Ella1
Date Posted: 01 March 2009 at 6:22pm
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Ok, now I've got some dummies (both the nuk and tommee tippee ones), but she won't take them.
She's used them twice, but now she refuses them. I tried teasing her a bit to take it, but nothing seems to work. Do I just keep trying? |
Posted By: BeLoved
Date Posted: 01 March 2009 at 6:45pm
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I would keep trying, it took us a couple of weeks until Heidi really got the hang of it. But its entirely up to you of course, if it does not upset her I would keep trying.
One thing I did was hold her (with my shirt on) almost like I was BF her and have the dummy in so it kind of held it there and she seemed to suck it then, and even now sometimes I have to give it a little jiggle or gentle tap to get her to suck on it. ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com">
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Posted By: whitewave
Date Posted: 01 March 2009 at 8:14pm
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Well, I got a Nuk dummy for Campbell, and he took to it really quickly, calmed him really quick when nothing else was working. Yay!
Will try to use it only when we need to though, don't want dependence issues later on. |