Should I just give in?!

[MummyKP]

Our LO is 23 days old now and EBF. She likes to suckle, and if unsettled either bf or my finger settles her. I think she'd take really well to a dummy, but I really don't want to give her one. Should I stop being selfish and just give her one? It would make things easier, as atm I can spend ages trying to get her off to sleep in the day, and I think if she had a dummy she'd give into sleep a lot quicker, but I still have something inside me stopping me from giving her one. What would you do? Can you think of any suggestions? In general she's a very content baby but when she gets unsettled I think it would instantly settle her, instead of my boob or finger.

 

[Willow01]

I was dead against using a dummy with my first child and did the same as you to begin, letting him suckle my finger to settle but after a while it was pretty frustrating. I then didn't want other people having to settle him using the same method (spread of germs mostly!) so eventually let him have a dummy. It was like magic! My biggest worry was him becoming attached to it when get was older bug he didn't. Up until around 6/7 months I let him have it when he wanted it then introduced only letting him have it for naps and night time. After he was 1 we just stopped using it one night and he never missed it I had planned a lovely letter from spiderman saying it was time to stop using it but he never needed it! If you think it will help settle your little one use it, I believe it does help as a soother and doesn't be necessarily mean they will be one addicted to one as I thought

 

[AngelofTroy]

My son had one briefly at a bit a month old but rejected it once he could reach his thumb. However my friend had real trouble getting her son to give it up, went through a lot if night wakings when he couldn't find it in the dark and he still has it sometimes at 3... So there are upsides and downsides.

 

[_Meep_]

Why not help her find her thumb? At this age it's totally harmless and can't be dropped or lost. I think with thumbs it's only a worry after the permanent teeth start to come in aged around 6-7, by which point most children have given up due to peer pressure or general maturity.

Mine started off sucking two fingers but found her thumb quickly. She doesn't do it nearly as much as she used to - only when tired or after a fall or bump!

 

[Button#]

I was against dummies with my DS but ended up giving him one as he was colicky and wanted to suck but didn't like comfort sucking on the breast if he wasn't hungry. We kept it just for sleep and he ended up giving it up by himself. I found out later that it reduces the risk of SIDS and I was keen to give one to DD but she wouldn't have it at all and now she sucks her fingers. I would give in, I don't think they are harmful at all.

 

[jessmke]

I would actually prefer using a dummy (we call them soothers in Canada) over having my child suck his/her thumb. It's much easier to break the soother habit, you can't exactly take away a child's thumb! My niece still sucks her thumb at 8 years old and her adult teeth are coming in crooked.

 

[LittleLala]

I would give her a dummy.

I didn't use a dummy for the first 4 weeks, and then I had a midwife who actually recommended it. She said some babies are just "sucky" babies and need to soothe themselves a lot, and using a dummy has been great for us. He uses it to go to sleep but doesn't cry when it falls out, and doesn't rely on it. It's been a lifesaver for car rides because he hates the car.
He's also jusssst discovered his hands and is currently preferring sucking on his fists during the day (but cannot reach them during nighttime because he sleeps swaddled with his arms in).

 

[jodilee6]

Both by boys have had dummies from a young age

DS1 gave it up around 2, DS2 currently only uses it when he's overtired and will quite often fall alseep without it.

DS2 was a very sucky baby (turns out he has CMPI so had a sore tummy a lot of the time and sucking helped)

The only thing I would say is that you may need to try a few as DS2 refused several before finding one he liked

 

[d_b]

I'd definitely try a dummy. They are thought to reduce SIDS and most babies seem to self wean from them. My kids just spit them out

 

[Perplexed]

i'm a big believer of doing whatever works. if baby needs comforting and will do well with a dummy or thumb then by all means! my dd didn't take to a dummy or sucking her thumb and it was so difficult to settle her my poor dd. ds now sucks his thumb and it's much easier to settle him. of course it is down to personality but i do believe dummy or thumb help.

 

[k4th]

I'd just a give a dummy. If you're letting him suck your finger, he's getting used to settle that way anyway. And you don't want to be stuck with your finger in his mouth if he ever decided he wants to suck at 3am!!

 

[StranjeGirl]

I feel it is really important for babies to suck, so I always gave it from day 1- however both of mine didn't want it anymore at about 3 months old- so I wouldn't necessarily assume that it is going to be a hard habit to break!

 

[SarahBear]

Violet didn't take a pacifier as a newborn and I never offered one to Leo. He does however have a rubber lion that I put in his mouth like a pacifier a few times before he stopped using it. I think pacifiers are over used, but you can give it a try if you'd like or refrain. It's up to you and either decision in valid.

 

[MummyKP]

We've still not given in. Neither of us want her to have one so we are persevering with the fussy mornings & evenings as she's pretty content between her fussy times. Hoping to stick to this!

 

[pachamama92]

Going to repeat what perplexed says. Whatever works. I would give the dummy a shot