Using dummy and breastfeeding for comfort

[OmarsMum]

I never gave Omar a dummy during the day when he's awake even when he was a baby, there are always other ways to comfort him other than offering him a dummy. I dont have a problem to use a dummy or breast for comfort to settle at bedtime/naptime or when they'r sick/not feeling well regardless of their age. But I will never offer an older baby/toddler a dummy for comfort when s/he is fully awake & alert.

I'm pro-bfing & I support NIP & extended bfing, but I dont like to see a toddler taking out his/her mum's breast for a comfort suck then going back to playing. The same with using a feeding bottle & dummy for comfort sucks during the day.

 

[florabean1981]

i have no issue with babies having dummies & obviously as a BFer, I have no issues with BFing, lol. BUT, I do issues seeing kids walking down the street, laughing, chatting, skipping etc with a nice big dummy in their mouth for no apparent reason. It seems odd to me. i can understand why parents give a child a dummy if they're hurt, upset, comfort sucking (in younger babies), a way to settle them to sleep or for helping with reflux, but there seems to be a culture among *some* parents to let their child have it in their mouths either all the time, or give it to them to 'shut them up,' which is never a good thing. (obviously not everyone who uses a dummy thinks that way of course!!!) I have seen in my area, kids coming out of school in their uniforms giving their mum a big hug, getting in a push chair which looks far too small for them, then mum giving them a dummy without batting an eyelid!!! That just seems a bit 'wrong' to me.... Can you imagine the uproar if a school aged (let's say 5) kid ran out of school, hugged mummy, they went to a bench in full view of everyone & mum discreetly whipped a boob out to Bf her child there and then? People would go mental!
I personally think people look down on BFing past the 1 year mark, and then look down on dummy usage after about 3, just from my experiences though.

 

[AppleBlossom]

Grace still has a dummy for at night time and if she is upset/tired in the day. It's never hindered her speech. I don't think there is anything wrong with having a comforter whether it be a boob or a dummy but I do think that both should be stopped before they begin primary school (so about age 5) because that's when they need to start becoming independent. They can't take a boob or a dummy to school and I think there needs to be a point where they have to learn that they can't rely on these things.

 

[Rhi_Rhi1]

i think the dummy has a sort of "here suck this and shut up" attitude around it.. because we ALL know someone who uses it that way so it gets a stigma .... plus breastfeeding for comfort is TOTALLY different from sucking a dummy one is the close bond between a mother and child and the ova is .. well a dummy ahh x

 

[mummy3]

I cant stand dummys/pacifiers. I bf and I would let them suck for comfort anytime over giving the dummy. Bfing isnt linked to damaged teeth whereas there's a few things linked to using a dummy. As for pain relief, I'd say thats a legit reason to bf, my lot have had bad reflux and I would spend ages bfing mainly in the evening as there little tummies would hurt and I considered it my job to not only give the relief of the sucking but the comfort of cuddles

There really isnt a comparison, 1 is a natural need the other is an artificial device, weird that society made it taboo to comfort your child the way we're designed to do after your child is around a year when they are very much still needing it. Just my opinion of how I parent though

 

[Vickie]

I think soothers are looked down upon by some after a certain age group. Hannah (almost 3) still uses hers to sleep at night and for naps only and we still get comments from family She just isn't quite ready to give it up yet & honestly I'm pretty much okay with that.

ETA: We introduced the dummy because she was such a sucky baby and it was either that or her thumb! I figured at least I could throw the soothers out after a certain period of time, not so much with her thumb

Also for the sleep and speech issues I believe those only come if you let your child have the soother all day and talk around it etc. We are very strict (since 1 year of age) with Hannah only being able to use her soothers in her bed.