Why use a dummy?

Amanda - posted on 01/22/2010

i don't force my daughter. she enjoys her dummy still. she does suck on her hands and i don't stop it. my son gave up his dummy when he was about 4 months old and i was fine with it. however remember. that little hand can get very dirty when they start crawling and then they'll be sucking on it! also studys show pacifers reduce the risk of SIDS

Laura - posted on 01/21/2010

i have two friends (sisters) ones 20 and the other 23 (with a babe) and they both suck their thumbs STILL! not cool!!, not to mention in cold weather it can cause chapped hands and fingers which is also not cool!

Sarah - posted on 01/19/2010

it really depends on the age. I am thinking of offering it less as he is getting a little older now. (my boy is 4 months) I was hoping around 6 months he won't need it as much. and for sure by a year, not at all. ( this is what i am hoping for anyways, lol)

Niki - posted on 01/19/2010

we use a dummy, again because we can take it away at some point, but i don't freak out if he sucks/ chews on his hands.. he needs to learn to self sooth as well. we usually only give it to him when hes tired/ going to sleep

Cecelia - posted on 01/19/2010

My girl sucks her thumb as a soothing method, the same reason many babies take to a dummy.
I know lots of children who had been given a dummy and still need authedontic work and how many adults do you see sucking their thumb?
I am intirgued to know how a dummy can reduce cot death?
Thanks to all who have writen. It's nice to see a variety of answers and moitvations as to why you do or don't. It has helped me formulate a broader, non judgmental opinion on the subject. Cheers.

Kellie - posted on 01/18/2010

I don't mind a pacifier, he it totally soothes him more than his fingers/hand. I don't see anything wrong with it. I plan on taking it away shortly though. He's not completely dependent on it but I can tell when he needs just that extra comfort and for some reason the pacifier does it. I'd rather him have the pacifier which I can sterilize than his hands that are at the moment clean but give it a few months and they're all over the place. I hope he's never a thumb sucker!

Noreen - posted on 01/18/2010

We don't use a paci AT ALL! I'm not a big fan of them at all. I'd rather have Abby suck on her thumb or fist then a man made vice. Yeah, I can't take it away from her when she's older, but I have confidence that it won't be an issue. She only sucks on her fist and thumb when she doesn't feel good anyways. It's not even on a daily basis.

Amber - posted on 01/18/2010

I started using a dummy as my son started using me as one at just a day old! Unfortunatly i was unable to continue breastfeeding as he has a tounge tie and couldn't latch on properly. It isn't forcing them to do so..its just providing them with a safer option. And as the others have stated, later on its much easier to stop them using a dummy as it is their thumb or fists!

Donna - posted on 01/18/2010

i had no chose but to introduce the dummy, my daughter was on a feeding tube and the docs gave it to her when she was feed so she wouldnt forget how to suckle, they also said it was for comfort coz we couldnt hold her

Jodie - posted on 01/18/2010

alot of people believe that dummies reduce the chance of cot death plus its easier to get a child off a dummy because u can take it away where as with their tumbs and hands u cant and also (something i noticed with my younger brother and my daughter) when they suck their hands they can cause them selves to choke and make their hands really sore. My daughter both has a dummy and sucks her hands takes her dummy more when shes poorly which i like because its always there x

Karen - posted on 01/18/2010

my son gave up his sookie for his fist at 5 weeks, my dr recommended i try to keep the sookie instead. he absoluley refused so i didn't force him, bu she told me that not only is it better for when we want them to stop using it (can't take away the hand but you can the sookie) but it may also affect the teeth as they come in. it can make them crooked if a finger/hand is sucked on alot.