Give in to a Dummy???
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Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
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Topic: Give in to a Dummy???
Posted By: Bombshell
Subject: Give in to a Dummy???
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 9:43am
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Ok so most of you are aware of Gabriellas sleeping patterns (or lack of)....
soooo instead of constant feeding her do i give into a dummy??? will it help or hinder??? will she fall asleep with it instead of demand feeding for three to four hours??? voices of experience kick in here please cause i am usually anti dummies so am really tossing up on this one.... 
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Replies:
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 9:51am
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Hannah suckled her fingers, Briona was on a dummy from 3mos, Krystiana neither so far lol... This is my personal opinion on it. Fingers are better than dummies cause you don't have to pick them up off the floor, go find it in the middle of the night when they cry cause they lost it, and you don't have to wean them off it later. But if a baby won't take to her fingers either, then I think it's best to do nought unless she's particularly grizzly or refluxy.
I personally wouldn't get a dummy before 6 weeks, most of the early weeks are growth spurts and getting the milk up, and even though it's so constant and draining (literally lol) and exhausting, it does pass in the first couple of months and your milk does it's job and settles down. The feeds get further apart too. But most of the early week suckling is to boost your milk so using a dummy would hinder that. That's just my personal opinion, on a personal note I would just say that didn't you have some difficulties early on with getting your milk in? And with Gabriella putting on weight? So that would make me inclined to delay the dummy thing all the more. I guess you really need to know for sure, is she suckling just for the sake of it (comfort) or is she trying to fill up? -------------  |
Posted By: EllenMumof2
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 10:08am
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Gabriella sounds so much like Madison at her age all maddy wanted to do was drink and i felt like a milking cow lol but it was my midwife who saw how tired i was who sugested a dummy and we had one given to us in a gift hamper so i gave it to her and she slept 5 hours that night so i was hooked lol madison still has it but just when its sleep time never when playing etc and she fine been sleeping throw since 7 weeks. http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/">
 http://lilypie.com">
  http://lilypie.com">   |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 10:17am
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I put Ella on a dummy as i rathered a dummy than a thumb.
Best thing i could have done and shes weaning herself off it now aswell she has it mainly at night now  She sleeps soooo well with one
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Posted By: mum2emj
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 10:21am
i agree with jess- i gave all my girls dummy's (i was soo ashamed they were so frowned upon  ) but for all my little suckers it was great. especially with kayla who started to seem like a snack feeder during night when she had plenty- i would pop in her dummy and she would settle real happily. they arent as bad as what people make out- studies show them to be good i have always used the nuk orthondontic ones. go on!! give it a try!  
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Posted By: caraMel
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 10:43am
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I'm a dummy fan too, MW and plunket suggested it to me and we haven't looked back. ------------- Mel, Mummy to E: 6, B: 4 and: 
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 11:01am
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Josh has one and only has it for bed time, the pram and carseat. He usually pushes it out of his mouth when he's had enough of sucking and goes off to sleep. I got it for the sucking things as well. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 11:04am
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PS for information to Paeds swear by them as godsends as they help prevent reflux, coz when babies suck they produce more salvia which goes into the gut and helps nuetralise the acid in the tum.
So if anyone says anything just say your paed highly recommends them! |
Posted By: CuriousG
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 11:33am
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I listened to my midwife and didnt offer Charlotte one till she was 6 weeks. Man, those 6 weeks were so hard with constant feeding and lack of sleep - I really wish I had done it sooner and will be offering number 2 one from day dot.
You do have to be prepared to get up to find it when it falls out of their mouths etc but for a bit of peace, I think they are well worth it. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 12:17pm
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Jess - yep everyone I know who has had a reflux baby swears by them! ------------- |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 12:26pm
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We tried to give Tyrell one, he would refuse it. He has since found his thumb which is only used now when he is teething. So I can say he has already grown out of it. I used to be against them but have listened to a lot of people of who swear by them....I have since changed my opinion. |
Posted By: Jay_R
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 12:29pm
| We tried to get Joshua to take one, but he didn't want a bar of it - he then started sucking his thumb at about 6 weeks old, and now only sucks his thumb when very tired (like this week, getting used to the end of daylight saving). I don't see a problem with them at all, and you can always take it off her before she turns 3 months, which is apparently when habits start to form. |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 12:59pm
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I have to say after Josh has been having his I have noticed a drop in the reflux from Josh, so I can say this is so true and so helpful. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Jezsika wrote:Posted By: Bombshell
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 1:07pm
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thankyou def given me options...luckily she doesnt have reflux and is not a spiller at all....so dont need it for that reason...
but even mum who is anti dummies told me last night she is buying a dummy for her!!! LMAO.... oh well an excuse to go to botany tonight me thinks...and she is fooling me today by pretending to sleep pretty damn well too!!! little blighter... |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 1:11pm
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I was a bit anti dummies when I was pregnant with Andrew, how things change once you have one thou. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: thunderwolves
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 1:23pm
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I was so anti dummy, but gave in to it on about the second week, my boy was just a sucky baby and he loved it, still does, but only at sleep time, i did find it helped when he was tiny as he didnt really want to feed he just wanted to suck ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com"> 
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 1:27pm
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I was anti dummies too, Maya never had one, but in the early days with the gremlins I would have done ANYTHING for a bit of sleep so I gave in and tried them. They didn't work for us, I didn't have enough patience to get up every few minutes and put them back in, and a few weeks later Sienna started sucking the back of her wrist instead.
But having been anti them and then had two shocking sleepers I am now of the opinion that if it works, don't knock it! ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: Two Blondinis
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 1:41pm
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we were anti-dummies until Caitlin was *FINALLY* diagnosed with colic. My MW said that the sucking helps to strengthen the oesophegous (sp?) and helps them to bring up wind better.
Caitlin was a big feeder in the beginning too (when I was BFing her) and also loved to comfort suckle and would fall asleep at the breast. I'm not sure what you are doing but if you are BFing I would be very careful of nipple confusion, she might forget which nipple has the food in. This is just something I was told a while ago and so I stuck with Avent for everything, but you can't do that when BFing. Caitlin had a stage of thumb sucking, which I personally didn't like as you can't take that away from them and I know someone who still sucks his thumb and he's 25! 
It's not often I have to go to her at night to put her dummy in as she usually finds it herself. Like with most things it's personal choice and if it gives you a couple of hours of much needed sleep than can it really be a bad thing? ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
 
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Posted By: Leish
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 1:45pm
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I'm wiht Emma and Toni - whatever works. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 1:56pm
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i was so anti dummies, but i think the important thing to remember is.. people say they interfere with breastfeeding - but that is ONLY if they are used INSTEAD of feeding baby, because your milk supply isn't stimulated and maintained. If you KNOW that baby has had a huge huge great feed, and they are just unsettled and sucking for comfort.. then go for it, use them, everyone needs some sanity and sleep!, better to have a baby that goes off to sleep and sleeps well - they are gonna wake up so much nicer later on and feed well again cos they aren't ratty and overtired.
I thought Paris's one interfered with her feeding - really, we had problems with feeding from the start, it was nothing to do with the dummy, but being stubborn, i didn't use one with Ayja, and sometimes i wish i had, by that time she was 10 months old and it was just silly to even think of it. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja 
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Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 1:59pm
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he he, although if she is fine during the day, and only feeding heaps at night - see what your midwife says cos it is normal for them to cluster feed at night time.. although 3 -4 hrs is taking it a bit far. Ayja did that to me for the first 6 days straight (whoever said babies sleep for the first 24 - 48 hours is a liar!) granted, she slowed down a little after my sheer exhaustion ended with a hospital visit.. but she was putting on a pound a week for the first few weeks.. so i figured it was her way of catching up.
Why must i always contradict myself? ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
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Posted By: .Mel
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 3:33pm
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If you need the sleep and so does she, maybe try her with it... I gave my daughter one for 3 weeks until she sorted herself out and didn't use it again... It helped us all to get some sleep; I go agree though it's a bummer when you have to get up and stick it back in their mouth....
------------- Mr Mellow (16) Miss Attitude (8) Destructa Kid (3) 
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Posted By: Roksana
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 4:01pm
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I was anti dummy but I have one at home...but the problem is that Zaara never took one....she would throw a fit when I was using a nipple shield ...man I had to bite the bullet and just feed her!! It was hard and still is hard because she is not a good sleeper But I am use to it now.
Later Zaara used the dummy to ease her teething...he he ha ha. But what ever works, she might not even take one!! or she might take one and sleep like a baby....hmmm ...you know what I mean!! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 5:28pm
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okay - i havent read all the replies (well i read none of them really..) but heres my opinion.
i would say just wait a bit... she is after all only 2 weeks old and it can take up to four weeks to get the hang of it all. the cluster feeding at night is normal and will eventually stop and then there will be new and different problems to contend with. i never gave a dummy to gabriel when he was very little only later and he wasnt interested in it, but i did with toby to help with his sucking problems and they worked a treat to help him latch on and suck continuously... so if you really are anti dummy i would say dont give her one, she may not take it anyway, and just carry on and it will improve... maybe instead you could look at improving your milk for those evening feeds cause it will be lower at the end of the day... ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 8:03pm
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I think we gave Isla a dummy too young, before breastfeeding was properly establised. I mean she would feed, and I thought she wouldnt get confused beween the two, and didnt at first, then got to the stage when she would scream til she had the dummy, and when I would take it out and try feed her, she would scream again and go nuts cos she thought I was taking away her food. Very hard.
I would say dont give it 2 her yet, but then its mega hard when they cry all the time and u dont know how to help. Good luck. |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 8:50pm
I wouldn't just yet. Please don't take offence here, remember, most of us have been through this, but she is only 2 weeks old, and you are both just finding your feet with each other. Most babies don't get a regular sleep pattern for a month or so. Please don't put so much pressure on yourself, you are doing a great job, and I know how tired you are (oh, god, yes I do!)It will sort itself out soon.  ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: Kels
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 9:16pm
I LOVE DUMMIES!!!! Tried to get Alize onto one to help with his reflux but like Mercedes her refused it and now sucks his thumb, finger or fist. I used one with Lesieli and it worked a treat for her reflux and her sleeping. I still remember how much of a god sent it was to me  ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
Busy mum to Miss 15yrs, Miss 10yrs and Master 4yrs |
Posted By: james
Date Posted: 22 March 2007 at 10:12pm
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i,m with kels i love dummies i got one for james when he was 5 weeks old and it relly did help with his sleeping although hes not shuch a good sleeper but is getting better remember you are doing a great job and that bubs is still young big hugs hun ------------- <a href="http://lilypie.com"><img src="http://b4.lilypie.com/nLJ5p13.png" alt="Lilypie 4th Birthday Ticker" border="0" /></a> |
Posted By: Bombshell
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 8:59am
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ok well threat of a dummy worked all day - heres how it went...but then when given to her (yes we gave in)..
she did sooo well yest...slept til 4 fed, slept til 8, fed, slept til 11pm....AND THEN...little monster was UP TIL 1AM AGAIN!!! but wait it gets worse...then she fed and slept finally but only til 3 30am, then til 4 20am, then til 5am...which is when mummy stuck the brand new dummy in her gob and covered her head....til Grannie found us at 6am and told me to feed her once more...little bugger fed and mum put her down (i KOed the minute she unlatched) and is still asleep now...I got woken by rubbish trucks at 8am!!! Dummy didnt do anything - i finally gave in and gave it to her at 5am!!!!...she sucks, spat and cried, about three times like this...all it did was allow me to go to sleep and then get woken horribly a short time later.... apparently i will be cluster demand feeding for hours at a time for a while yet.... |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 9:28am
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------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: Andie
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 3:24pm
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You have all my sympathies, Bombshell! Sounds really tough going. Good on you for trying the dummy out, though. I was anti-dummies too, 'till along came Miss Ella! Sounds like she and Gabriella have similar feeding issues in the beginning - she just fed and fed and hardly slept, and afternoon/evening consisted of a 5-hour-long feed before she'd finally sleep!! It was crazy and I was left soooo exhausted. Eventually my midwife pointed out that Ella is a 'sucky baby' (no insult intended!) - she suckled for comfort and I couldn't keep being her human pacifier. Some babies just like to suckle - this one sucked on her hand from long before she was born, even. She did it at her scan, her hand could be felt up by her mouth at my midwife appointments, and she was born with a blister on her hand from sucking it so much!I think she was 4 or 5 weeks old when I gave her one, and it helped settle her for a couple of months (she now refuses it). I think - if it's easier for you to give her a dummy, give her one. And if it doesn't work first time, try it again later on. It's not a cop-out... you've just got to go with what works for you and her. ------------- Andie |
Posted By: Myamy
Date Posted: 23 March 2007 at 11:28pm
| Mya was a serious cluster feeder in the evenings too, and refused dummies so i just stuk with the feeding and after about 3 months (cant rememeber exactly) she stopped it and would just have a normal feed b4 bein put to bed. |