Introducing a dummy

Dummies can be a useful tool in helping smaller babies settle and sleep well. Current guidance suggests that the dummy should not be introduced until breastfeeding is well established; which is suggested is usually at around one month of age (Lullaby Trust Guidelines). It is recommended that a dummy “might” help reduce the risk of SIDS however experts do not specifically suggest using them to stop SIDS. This can be confusing! 

Whilst dummies remain controversial amongst parenting experts, I would like to offer some ideas of how best to use them, without it causing sleep interruption at a later date. 

Where a dummy can help:

Firstly, not all babies show signs of needing a dummy and some won’t even take one to start with. When we talked about sucking as one of the 5 S’s to settle a crying baby, the dummy was one option, and the other was baby sucking on their parent’s little finger. If this has been working and baby is now settling well and not needing to suck much, then there may be no need to introduce a dummy at all. My advice is to see how baby fares.

By a month to six weeks, if baby is seeming very unsettled and does not want to be put down, a dummy can be a useful tool in helping baby settle to sleep more easily. 

• Babies with reflux and tummy issues can be helped by a dummy when they struggle to settle to sleep.
• A dummy can also help a baby with a tongue-tie or high palate, to strengthen their suck. However, it is also babies who have a tongue-tie and high palate who won’t take them! 
• If a newborn is struggling to stay asleep for long, or doesn’t go long between feeds, a dummy can sometimes help elongate sleep, which can then encourage larger gaps between feeds.

How to use the dummy:

Here are a few tips to help parents use dummies through the first few months without becoming heavily reliant on it:

– Try to take the dummy out once baby is settled and starting to drift off to sleep. This way, when they come to transition through light sleep again, they are less likely to wake up and look for it. 

– Try not to use it for every sleep, that way, come 3-4 months baby is not only used to sucking on the dummy to go to sleep.

– Some clients like to use a dummy to push night feeds out (i.e. use a dummy to attempt to settle baby rather than immediately feeding), but this should only be done once baby is old enough to do so.

Note: the dummy can cause air intake for some babies, making wind worse – so keep an eye on this as otherwise, you may be using it to get rid of the discomfort caused by the very same thing! 

In summary, whether or not to use a dummy is a very personal decision. I think they can be a great tool for windy and sucky babies, if used in the correct way. However, I would also want to look at why baby had such a great need to suck, as this can point to an underlying issue with their gut or discomfort

When to stop using a dummy:

 4 months of age is a really good time to take the dummy away to avoid sleep disturbances. If you want to be very prepared, then removing the dummy before 4 months of age (at around 12 weeks) is usually my preference, as it means that it is unlikely then to cause any issues with sleep at around that time. However, if your client tells you that baby has reflux, it may be that you decide to keep the dummy for now, until the reflux is under control.