Character Dummy Debate?! :\

[hawalkden]

Just wondering what you ladies think of 'charactered' or 'design' dummies?

I hope I don't hurt anyones feelings or thoughts about dummies. I'm not ruling them out this early and believe some babies/children need dummies for sleeps or to relax them etc.

I'm currently 29 weeks and thinking I don't want to use a dummy all the time. I got a few freebie ones from Tommee Tippee so they are clear/seethrough which I think I'd cope with!

I have this huge hate for coloured, characters, animals etc on the front of the dummy. Also I saw the other day a newborn coming out the hospital. I was going to the midwife they were going home and they had a 'Billie-Bob' dummy in????? (Photo attached). I just thought!!! WTF????? it's horrid. Halloween baby at a push possibility? But not coming out of the hospital :\...

Also how long do you think is long enough for LOs to have a dummy till?

Another thing that bugs me is when I see 'children' in my eyes 3/4 pre-school age with a dummy and they are walking/talking with the dummy in.. I just think there is no need for it and it's more of a bad habit then a 'need'. Plus lazyness of the parents for getting rid of them.

Hope again I've not offended anyone with how I feel?

 

[3011busyyear]

I don't like dummy's at all and am so glad LO doesn't need one to comfort herself. Maybe just wait and see if your baby needs one first. I would try everything else first before trying a dummy. I certainly. Wouldn't buy any before LO is born.

 

[binxyboo]

Daniel has a dummy.
I really didn't want him to have one, but he was a reflux baby and it was one thing that really helped to soothe him.
He still has a dummy now at 15 months, but his dummy never leaves the cot and he knows that (he even takes it out and throws it back in the cot when I get him up in the mornings now!!)
I hate to see toddlers walking around with a dummy in their mouth. I have yet to see a picture of my friends 2 year old without a dummy!!

I don't mind dummies with pictures on (Daniel has some with jungle animals), I really don't like the ones you pictured above.
I also HATE 'bling' dummies - the ones where people have just glued some sparklies on a cheap dummy and sell them for ridiculous prices on facebook and ebay. I think they are a choking hazard when (not if) the stones fall off!!

 

[Laurenmomma]

I agree! Dd has a dummy for sleep but just normal mam ones I did buy her a Billy bob one but it was a joke, she can't even suck it properly cos of the shape! I hate the bling ones!

I really don't like seein kids who are 2+ using one it just doesn't look or seem right! x

 

[SackBoy]

You arent offending me personally but I don't agree with your views at all. It's comfort and we all NEED our comfort. My little man hates dummies he'd rather have me or a muslin or his comforter. I only introduced the comforter for OH's sake otherwise he jus would not settle. If my LO needs his muslin/comforter until he's 4 so be it, when he goes to school I will encourage him to only use it at night but then that's because I don't want him to lose it/them.

 

[AP]

I dont like them personally, I like the small MAM ones.

I used them with Alex to help with reflux. She also had a tiny preemie one to help her learn to swallow (she was given it while she was tube fed, to try an associate sucking with a full tummy

I used them with Tori in reference to SIDS.

When I was pregnant I did not understand the full uses a dummy has, its not just a comforter, it can help medically too. I think I was quite a snob about them before

 

[charlotte-xo]

dummies are advised as they are proven to help lower the risk of SIDS, although you may not like them personally its a fact. Alfies had a dummy from day to encourage him to drink milk as he was in NICU and couldnt suckle his bottle due to problems when he was born and now he has it as a soother along with his muslin. I do agree that 4 years old is to old to still have a dummy as they can have an awful effect on their teeth but to call a parent lazy for not getting rid of it is abit harsh they can get so attached to them and its been a major source of comfort for them for years its almost like a habit and alot of parents have no clue how to take the dummy away.
We have the MAM dummies with cute designs on animals, slogans etc and i personally love those but i dont like the billy bob ones they look abit freaky lol

 

[T8ty]

My DD Hates dummys although i bought some just incase..

She has plain avent ones and 2 avent ones with bee's on... but to be fair she hates them and gives me evils whenever i try and put it in her mouth..

I personally hate it .. ( i used to work in a nursery) when you spend all day trying to wean children ..i,e 4 year olds off dummys at parents requests.. then to find that as soon as a parent picks that child up.. they stuff the dummy straight into the childs mouth,. without the child even requesting it!

 

[MrsPoodle]

Callie has a dummy sometimes when she's tired, it comforts her to sleep. I was against dummies when I was pregnant, but they have come in sooo useful! I don't mind ones with pictures on, the one you posted was a bit freaky though. I agree I don't like seeing older children with a dummy.

 

[Sarah&Ady]

Hummm not my thing. On the subject of actually using dummies Jamie decided at 6 weeks old that he prefered his thumb. Never had a dummy since. So I kinda let him make the choice but to be honest I am pleased. At least he cant lose his thumb in the middle of the night

 

[hawalkden]

Thanks ladies

Again hope I haven't disrespect any of you ladies with my opinion and agree with the use of dummies it's just the design and think plain ones should be sold with the odd MAM design on them.

I've got two newborn Tommee Tippee ones and I'll use them if needed

 

[xxEMZxx]

I just used any cherry teat dummies I could find as they were the only ones Liam would take to. He has just come off the dummy in the last week though.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Ruby has a dummy for sleep only, I get the plain coloured ones rather than see through because she finds them more easily at night. I can't stand 'bling' dummies either, ugh!

 

[Eternal]

My son still has a dummy, he is 21 months, was going to take it away but thinking ill wait until after the twins are born.

Anyway, mine are just plain ones, but the only reason i used it as its reduces the risk of SIDS, he only uses it to sleep or nap, never in the day at all, so i see no problem. I would rather have used a dummy and have more peace of mind that i was following the guidlines for SIDS than not.

Plus my son had pyloric stenosis and reflex and this helped, esp when he was having surgery.

 

[Sarah&Ady]

Ruby has a dummy for sleep only, I get the plain coloured ones rather than see through because she finds them more easily at night. I can't stand 'bling' dummies either, ugh!

 

[nicole_]

i didnt like them but i think your opinion will change when LO gets here like many other ladies.
theyre were a lifesaver in the early days and now during the night when he needs resettling, i never ever wanted to use one but glad we do now
ive got the MAM ones too and theyre just simple designs, and two that saw i mummy/daddy. personally i love them

 

[justlove]

Lol I like the Billie-Bob dummies I think they are funny, I've bought random various dummies but the only one my LO will have is mothercare's orthodontic

Another thing that bugs me is when I see 'children' in my eyes 3/4 pre-school age with a dummy and they are walking/talking with the dummy in.. I just think there is no need for it and it's more of a bad habit then a 'need'. Plus lazyness of the parents for getting rid of them.

Arh that would of been me then, the lazy parent as with my daughter she had her dummies still at that age. She would have atleast one in her gob and one in her hand she'd rub on her face. This was her comforter as she didn't have a blankie or teddy she took to. It was a slow process to wean her off her dummies as I didn't want her sucking her tumb instead which would of been far worse IMO. Also when she was a toddler and she fell over really badly and the dentist had said had been for her dummy her teeth would of pushed completly into the gums and also would of effected her now adult teeth also. It hasn't effected her speech she got rid of the dummy at age of 4 or 5 she posted it to Santa after tooth fairy missed one


My LO now has a dummy it drives me mad during the night as its wake and find the dummy game! and for this reason only I wish he didn't have a dummy. I have no idea how or when I will get him to stop having it as its something he wants along with his blankie.

 

[louandivy]

meh, don't have an opinion on dummies at all.I tried to get Ivy to use one in the early days because it would have been a lifesaver but unfortunately only my nipples would do for her Never given much thought to novelty ones, a dummy's a dummy, who cares?!

 

[aliss]

Before I had my son, I probably would have said the same.

Now, I could care less. I know what it's like to use a comfort tool on an extended basis (swaddling, mine never took a dummy) and how much it HURT that people made comments on it despite my son really enjoying it and TBH, it never bothered them or hurt anyone so who cares?

IMO lazy parenting is when you can't be bothered to get up and deal with them in the morning, or to ignore them all day. "Lazy" is not taking away a dummy/comfort item because they still enjoy it. It's just not your style, that's all.

And who knows, you might find yourself in that position too. It' very very very easy to judge someone's parenting from afar but I can't think of a single parent who has done exactly what they decided was the "ideal" before a baby actually came.

 

[Mooshie]

I was very anti-dummies when I was pregnant. In fact, I was anti a lot of things!

You'll probably find, along with a lot of other women (me included) that all your rosy ideas of not doing this and not doing that change in an instant when you have your baby. You do anything to get you through and whatever works for you and especially your LO and if that means giving them a dummy for comfort, believe me, you'll do it when he's been screaming at 3am for hours!

My son was in ICU after he was born and a dummy was the only thing that would comfort him.

We dont use them, but I don't really see the problem with "character" dummies as you call them, what harm are they doing? They're just a bit of fun.