Crying for dummy

Why if it helps him sleep and comforts him when he is alone in his cot would you want to take it away especially if this stops him sleeping at night? Babies were "designed" to sleep in our arms. Most children thoughout history have slept like this. In most parts of the world they still do. If we leave babies alone in their beds (and their rooms) some cope- others need a "Mum substitute" a bit of comfort. Sucking gives comfort. So why not? Its a down market habit and it does not look very nice but is this really important?

As long as the dummy is confined to his cot or his place of sleep what is the problem? I know that using one constantly may be bad for the teeth (but not as bad as thumb sucking) but the evidence of "oral damage" is not based on occasional use of a dummy- but heavy use.
Research suggests that children with comfort objects do better in strange situatiuons (like starting nursary, day care or school) than those who have never had comfort objects. Now you might want tyo introduce a teddy as a comfort object as well as the dummy- and slowly wean from the dummy ( but not if this makes him wakeful and upset).
As to setting habits- children can develop habits at any age. Habits depend on a larning procss calld conditioning- and this is possible even in the womb.
Dorothy Einon

Hi, I had the same trouble when my little boy was younger. i found something called the sleepytot comforter and have never looked back! Isaac can find his dummie by himself if he wakes in the night and wants it. its a cute little bunny that has velcro loops on each of its paws so you can attach dummies, blankets, or whatever your little one has become attached to. I think i used it during the day for 2 or 3 days just so he could learn how to use it and then just gave it at night. if your baby is a 'sucky' baby like Isaac was and you dont want to wean off the dummy just yet i would say its worth its weight in gold! have a look at the site www.sleepytot.com. i found a local shop that sold it for £9.99. good luck!

Hi. The sooner you wean your baby the dummy the better. The longer you leave it the more difficult it will be. I’m not against dummies, they do have a use in settling a crying baby, however it’s not good for a baby to become reliant on it for sleep. You can still allow your baby to have the dummy if he is up crying, but as soon as he is settled remove it. Try introducing a teddy that he can become attached to. Each time you feed him, settle him and put him to bed, give him the teddy. Gradually he will become attached to it and will use it to settle/comfort himself and will use it as aid to sleep. In the mean time when he cries in the night, go to him, settle him, and put him back in the cot awake, so he learns to go to sleep by himself. If he cries again, repeat this, keep repeating this until he falls asleep. If you want to, you can leave him crying for just a few minutes to see if he will settle himself, but as he is only 3 months old, it is for just a few minutes. For the first few nights it may take a while for him fall asleep, but keep persevering and he will learn to fall asleep. As your baby is 3 months old, he may still need a feed in the night, if you think he maybe hungry, it is important that you feed him, but just make sure that he is hungry and not just using the feed as a comforter. Also make sure he doesn’t fall asleep during the feed, if he does fall asleep, wake him slightly before putting him back in his cot. Hope this helps. Liz

its the perfect time to break the habit before it becomes a serious habit. He is nearing the age when habits are formed. you are right when you say its the easy option to put it back in. The easy option isnt always the right one, in my opinion. I know a lot of mums and dads swear by dummies, and i will prob get lynched for saying this but I think there is nothing worse than seeing a toddler with a dummy in their mouth. In my opinion (sorry), its just a bad habit that has not been dealt with cos it makes the parents life easier, but not necessarily right one for the child. Ear problems, teeth problems etc linked with long term usage. I have not used a dummy at all with my baby, he is 5 months old and what he never knew, he wont miss. And your little one will be the same if you break the habit now. The longer you leave it, the harder it will be. Hope all goes well xxxxxxxxx

if you want to take it off him and its bothering you, then nows the perfect time to stop it. if you dont have a problem with it and feel he needs the comfort then leave him be till he's at least one. its pure choice but if it bugs you then earlier rather than later as it'll be quicker for him to get over it xx

Hi, I had a battle with my little one and his dummy. We finally got rid of it by 18 months old. I think that with hindsight we should have taken it off him earlier but I think that at three months old, you don't need to worry about it too much just now. I think the general advice is to be rid of it by the time they are one year old. We weaned my son off it gradually by stopping him having it during the day. At night it was more difficult and eventually we just had to bear with the crying until he got used to not having.

My 3 Month old son cries for his dummy when he wakes in the night, obviously its easy just to quickly get up and put it back in. I just wondered if now i've given him a dummy is it to late to take it off him, i.e. has he got used to it?