Dummy debate

Can you over use the dummy in the newborn stage? Me and my partner have been arguing about the use of the dummy. We have a 8 week old and I have been using the dummy to help her soothe. I first used the dummy in week 2 as she had been screaming for hours and it was the only thing that stopped her. I completely understand that there can be some cons of long term use of the dummy and I will look at weaning her of this further down the line. However, my partner believes we should be doing this now and constantly goes on that I have made her dependent. She has been struggling with reflux recently and I have found that the dummy has helped. What is everyone thought on the dummy? Should I be limiting this?

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No way! I wouldn't limit what so ever! Your partner is over exaggerating in my opinion. I've given all my 3 kids dummies since they were new born and was never a problem taking them off it. My current 2 month old also has a dummy and has had since new born. Dont know how I would survive the nights without it! If anything the dummy has helped me get through such hard times such as sick phases, when they were in pain, sleeping, the list goes on! There's nothing wrong with giving a baby a dummy to help calm them down x

We use a dummy but sparingly. Recently I’ve found they are sucking on their dummy (I have twins) and are about to doze off, dummy falls out, crying commences and the cycle starts again So I’ve stopped it for bedtime now as I find they suck their fingers instead I’ve also stopped it for naps for my girl twin as we were having the same issue, plus she always seems to wake 30 mins into a nap, and if she’d fallen asleep with a dummy and it had fallen out she wouldn’t go back to sleep, whereas without she quite often will I think it depends on how willing you are to be getting up to replace a dummy in the night down the line We now only really use them to tide them over while we are preparing bottles or something

I use the dummy whenever my little girl needs it! Dummy helps with reflux and also really helped my prem baby with her suckle reflex! I was never a big dummy fan but my partner was! She doesn’t have it all the time only when she wants it - she spits it out when she’s had enough and doesn’t sleep with it as she doesn’t like it once asleep - spits it straight out but don’t limit it if your baby wants it! Xx

We've used one since she was a week old, and would've been lost without it in certain situations. She also just spits it out if she doesn't want it and will use her hand instead, so personally don't think you can overuse a dummy x

no i wouldn’t say so. i gave my newborn a dummy quote a bit as he suckled for comfort, he’s now nearly 12 weeks has it for comfort n to go to sleep but as fees falling asleep he spits it out and sleeps 12 hours without searching for it in his sleep

My daughter is really reliant on her dummy as she was a NICU baby and we had no way of settling/comforting her as she couldn’t leave her incubator much, so all she had was her dummy. I do wish sometimes that she wasn’t so reliant on it, but it also doesn’t bother me because I’d rather her be settled with her dummy that distressed without it. She’ll grow out of it eventually. She spits it out once asleep already and doesn’t wake her up 🤷‍♀️ My son used one a lot as a newborn. We threw them all away one night and he never had it again and never asked for it or cried for it

If it’s helping and provides baby with comfort, just roll with it. You can worry about weaning them off much further down the line ❤️

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