apparently dummies/soothers/pacifiers help protect babies from cot death ....

[o0Squeaks0o]

i remember back in 2005 reading articles on this. again its recently been in the news.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/...-babies-cot-death-regulating-heart-beats.html

does it sway your choice in using a soother ?

xx

 

[Sarah125]

Oh thanks for posting. I didn't know this.

I wasn't going to be using a dummy as I want to breastfeed and want to make sure baby latches properly etc. But anything that reduces the risk of SIDS is worth looking into. I also thought dummies could affect the way babies teeth grow in or something?

Argh so much research to do about things when I come off on maternity leave

 

[Jess137]

They do recommend it in the US (after breastfeeding is established).
https://www.aafp.org/afp/2009/0415/p681.html

So basically (if breastfeeding) it's recommended from one month old to six months old.

 

[Tami]

Yeah I remember reading this not long ago.
It says on the nhs website
"It's possible that using a dummy at the start of any sleep period reduces the risk of cot death. However, the evidence is not strong and not all experts agree that dummies should be promoted. Don't give your baby a dummy until breastfeeding is well established, usually when they're around one month old. Stop giving them the dummy when they're between 6 and 12 months old."

 

[Expecting1]

Yes! I was adamant about using dummies as I do not want to affect the breast feeding.
I sucked my finger (not my thumb oddly lol) until I was well into primary school, I assume it was because I never had a dummy, so I found a substitute as an infant. The lady's comment about baby sucking his thumb also helped with my choice.
We will only be using one for sleeping if and when He's established a good breast feeding routine.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[o0Squeaks0o]

i think most dummies are now designed to help reduce the risk to babies teeth. i remember reading the articles on this years ago. i have to admit it did make my decision change and i gave DD a soother. x

 

[Jess137]

There's a possibility too that I may use one for her when driving to and from work, because the ride to the babysitter (and home) is at least 45 minutes. It all depends on her personality.

 

[smokey]

I beleive there is certainly somthing in it.
When lo was born he spent time in hospital because he would stop breathing or have fits in his sleep.
Turned out he was going into such a deep sleep that the part of the brain for insticts was shutting down and he essentialy was forgetting to breath and would somtimes have mild seizers.
It would take up to a hour to wake him and one time took nearly 2 hours od me striping him off and running cool water over him to bring him round.
A nurse suggested trying a dummy because it triggers the nursing and sucking reflex enough to keep that part of the brain active so they sleep deep enough for rem but not so deep to cause a problem.
It worked, we never had a problem with it after giving him one and he eventually outgrew both the problem and the dummy.

 

[Dragonfly]

I dont need to as I breastfeed and bed share anyway. Just not for us dummies but seem to benefit others.

 

[Erinsmummy]

I gave one to my daughter when she was about 4 months, found it easy to take it away when she turned 3, I just told her I lost it and she was fine lol. I will be giving this baby a dummie straight away this time, I'll b bottle feeding so I won't wait.

 

[JenzyKY]

Mine will have a pacifier. I don't believe that babies are that simple minded to not know the difference between that and my boob. It has been recommended for quite a while to use a pacifier when sleeping for SIDS.

 

[sue_88]

MAM dummies are the best, and are the ones endorsed by the research.
ONLY for sleep time (including naps)
Never given before breastfeeding established and completely removed at 6 months.


I've got some MAM and 'may' introduce them at some point. I certainly don't plan to definitely give Millie one though.

 

[special_kala]

Breastfeeding to sleep has the same effect so I guess a dummy is just replicating that.

I won't be offering a dummy as ill be breastfeeding and co sleeping, although that doesn't mean baby won't demand one.

 

[rowleypolie]

We used one with dd2 pretty early as she was well established in bf early, a few weeks old. My pediatrician told me she could have it until she had a bunch of teeth. We took it away during the day at 12 months and let her have it to sleep until 18 months. She has perfect teeth and didn't replace it with thumb or finger sucking.

I never thought we would have a "binki baby" but dd2 was colicky and cried so much, she never slept well without the dummy and would wake if it fell out while sleeping.

 

[SamsMum]

When I was PG with our first, we were very much of the "MY baby will not have a dummy" attitude.

4 weeks post-birth and a colicky baby saw said ridiculed dummy become our best friend at sleeptimes. Then, on his third birthday when he became a big boy and could understand, the night-time dummy fairy took all the dummies away - he was absolutely fine I feel if you are going to use one, you have to do away with by the time they are I guess, 6-8 months old or prepare to possibly keep it until they are 2.5-3yrs-ish. After 6 months or so, I feel they are old enough to know something is missing and react to it, but too young to understand logic of dummy fairies lol!

No problems with BF, speech or teeth. Always used Mam dummies.

xxx

 

[rowleypolie]

When I was PG with our first, we were very much of the "MY baby will not have a dummy" attitude.

4 weeks post-birth and a colicky baby saw said ridiculed dummy become our best friend at sleeptimes. xxx

Exactly the same as us its easy to say we will never do something but when it comes down to it my favorite parenting advice to people is don't judge others and be flexible. If your child will not sleep swaddled laying flat on her back as all the research demands, you become flexible. I had to lay dd2 at an angle on her side with a dummy or she would scream all night long.

 

[summer rain]

Two of mine had a dummy two did not, two just wouldn't take one and those were the two that ended up being successfully BF for longer, though there were also other factors involved in that. BF exclusively dramatically decreases SIDS risks xx

 

[counting]

I wondered if nursing to sleep would have this benefit, or letting baby comfort nurse to sleep? As it appears to me it's just the sucking at the beginning of sleep that is making a difference. I'm only wondering because I do plan of BF, and we don't plan on using a soother. I know things could change when he gets here, but right now that is our "plan".

 

[Dragonfly]

I was other way around I bought dummies and William didnt take to them so ditched them.

 

[Feronia]

I do believe co-sleeping (especially bedsharing) reduces the risk even more than pacifiers do for a similar reason. Your breathing helps regulate the baby's breathing, and comfort nursing in the night would also have a similar effect. That being said, we did have pacifiers, but DD preferred to use me as a pacifier infinity more and would always spit out the pacifier. I was totally fine with it though! I wouldn't force a pacifier on an unwilling baby due to the reduced SIDS risk, as I think bedsharing is much more beneficial. Some babies love pacifiers, others can't stand them anyway.