should I give my baby a dummy?

Answer 1

It is a personal choice. However, new research has shown that there are risks involved...

A recent study showed that babies who regularly get a pacifier (dummy) are at increased risk for SIDS on a night when they don't have one. Many people have interpreted the results as "be sure to give every baby a pacifier", but it really makes more sense to realize that there *will* be a night sometime when the last pacifier in the house breaks just before bed time. The likelihood is that your baby *won't* die of SIDS that night, but I'd be willing to bet *you* don't get any sleep that night!!

If you do use a pacifier, wait until baby is at least 2 months old *and* has been nursing well for at least a month. Giving any artificial nipples (bottles or pacifiers) before that time is more likely to lead to baby's preferring the artificial nipple over breastfeeding.

Answer 2

It depends on how old your baby is and if you are breast feeding. My baby (he is 11 months old now) didn't take the pacifier until he was 6 months. He just didn't know what to do with it (I'm breast feeding)! if you are breast feeding and the baby is under 3 months,..well, sucking on a dummy and at your breast involves very different techniques and sometimes very young babies get confused; because nursing is more strenuous than sucking on a dummy (or bottle for that matter), the baby forgets how to nurse properly and then it is very difficult to teach him the right way again. There is a vicious circle: he doesn't nurse properly, the milk production decreases, you get sore niples, he doesn't get enough milk, he is hungry, he cries and so on, and so on...
If the baby is old enough, the nursing is well established and the milk quantity is good (usually by 6 months, when the baby gets solids and nurses every day less) then a dummy might help him satisfy his need for sucking. But remember: not to often and not to long!
And anyway a dummy cannot replace a mother's breast!
Lots of luck with your baby from coros77
If you give the bottle, then I am at a loss, I have no idea how it works.

Answer 3

If they don't have a dummy or a soother then there is a chance of them sucking their thumb, fingers or a comfort cloth. You can easily get rid of a dummy, but you can't chop of their hand!!! Dummies are not a bad thing & even though my midwife said there is a chance of my baby not latching onto my breast properly to feed I'm having no problems. I read somewhere that a dummy should be taking away between 6 weeks & 6 months.

Answer 4

I can understand why people use them having had a fretful baby myself. However, it's really not a good idea to use them because they affect children's developing teeth. Even more important, they affect a child's speech and language as the dummy/pacifier gets in the way of the development of normal speech sounds, which children need tp practise in order to learn properly. (Try holding a pencil in your mouth and talking at the same time!) Children can then develop unclear speech and are discouraged from communicating when people can't understand them.
Sucking the thumb can have similar effects. (I speak as a speech and language therapist.) Oh, and by the way, I managed to resist giving my son a dummy. Like all babies he did stop crying eventually!

Some people suspect a link between increased likelhood of suden infant death syndrome with dummy use.

On a trivial level babies and young children look pretty awful with a dummy stuck in their mouths!

Answer 5

No. That's my opinion because I think they look horrible and they aren't good for teeth, etc. I often see babies asleep with a dummy in or a 3 year old trying to talk but can't because they won't get rid of their dummy. If you really feel the need for one, eg, if the baby cries a lot or doesn't get to sleep easily then give him one. But only for the times when he really needs it. Don't just shove a dummy in to shut him up or if he doesn't need it. Try not having one and see how it goes.

Answer 6

many parent use a dummyto help soothe their baby, this is understandable, as most babies have a strong sucking reflex and there is no doubt that the dummy can, in many cases, settle the child. however speech therapists have found that some children who have speech problems are sucking dummies continuosly beyond the time when the child should need it, continuose dummy sucking can lead to incorrect positioning of the front teeth, if it is necessary to use one only use it for a few minutes to settle the child.

Answer 7

its not like the old days.. they used to say if you give a baby a dummy it will give them buck teeth..
however these days dummies have come along way and not have different sizes for each stage your baby is at.. ie newborn 3to 6 months, so its a lot better.
they also have those dummies with special shapes to them which great too..
i think there called ortheadontic (sorry about the spelling)

Answer 8

If your baby is fussy or colicky then I found a dummy (soother) helped him enormously and comforted him.

If your baby is quite happy and content, then no need. It can take a bit of effort weaning a baby off a dummy, so better without if you can.

Answer 9

God yes! It is by far the easiest way to keep them happy. As the baby gets older just allow it for bed. Don't worry - they are the best invention ever.

I did not want my baby to have one but he was in hospital and was trying to chew his drip, the nurses begged me to let him have one so I reluctantly gave in. I am so glad I did. God only knows how I would have shut him up and kept him happy otherwise. You can always try without, and have one in reserve just in case. Please make sure it is a very small one, the nurses gave my son a dummy that was far too big for his face.

Answer 10

i gave my baby a dummy because my aunty's son never had a dummy and he still sucks his thumb at school and stuff you can always get children to give up there dummys by saying things like "santa will bring you lots of pressents if you swap him your dummy". But they will always suck their thumb when ur not looking. it also makes them feel safer.