Dummies!

I don't use dummies. Personally it's my choice,I have seen first hand how they effect teeth and have sadly seen how they are used for a prolonged period,I always assumed they effected speech too.

However a friend is a speech therapist and had assured me that's not the case in every situation.

Yes they are good as a comfort for little ones,and I would NEVER criticise any parent that does use them,each to their own I say,do what works for yourself as a parent. My second son was a very difficult baby-perhaps I should have given him a dummie!!!!!!

i think i would have needed some kind of therapy had i not given lola a dummy!

I hate the look of them, and the fact that at 2 jack still needs his to sleep, BUT its up to us as mums if they have them all day, it took me a while to realise that and now jack knows when he gets up it goes on his pillow. 

Jack had one from birth, lola from 3mnths, Jack had one to learn to suck as he had a tongue tie and was prem, Lola it was a case of she needed to suck for comfort and i was exhausted, I was so anti dummy you wouldnt believe i ever brought them!

But i seriously wouldnt hesitate to give one to another child, Lolas been in a bedside crib for sometime, tonight she went into a cot with sides without a peep, and if she wakes she finds her dummy and comforter and is asleep again! The same with jack, id rather he didnt have one at 2 but hes in bed, and i sucked my thumb for 17yrs and i have perfect teeth, i choose mam or avent dummys as theyre approved by dentists, jacks dentist said they cause no damage when used properly (Not 24hrs a day).

Jack has delayed speech, speech therapist said dummy is nothing to do with it, he was prem his dad is dyslexic and dyspraxic (sp) and also hes a lazy boy with a mummy who knows what he wants!

Sorry ive rambled a bit i really did hate them but can honestly say theyve only had a positive effect in my case!

The question said What does everyone think, so this is what I think of dummies,absolutely nothing against those using them.I personally hate dummies.I never want to see an ugly bit of plastic obscuring any part of my beautiful baby's face.I give mine a raggy and sheet as comfort aids and if they choose to suck their thumb they're welcome to,if they find that themself it's far more natural than me sticking something in their mouth,but I don't go to any effort to teach them this either.

I've known of a few cases,as a nanny and working in nurseries where a child's speech problem may be partly caused  by the overuse of a dummy,but the same can be said for kids who walk around with a bottle hanging out of their mouth.They can't make the full range of sounds,especially the consanants,even though they're trying to talk.Many other things can cause speech problems though,your child doesn't automatically have problems because of their dummy

All that is probably very politically incorrect,especially since hvs are pushing dummies as a good thing now,but like I said the question said what does everyone think.

I never used to particularly like dummies but did try and give Harry one when he was such a bad sleeper thinking it would help him, but oh no why have a dummy when he can have mummy! Now I am pleased he didnt want a dummy as its not something I need to try and coaxhim to give up.

I think dummies are fine if they help keep a baby calm, and it is also believe it can prevent SIDS - so where is the bad thing there!    However I dont think it is very nice when you see 2 and three year olds out all day with one stuck in their mouth!  

My sister uses one for her baby but he is now 10 months and very rarely has it in the day the only time he has it is for sleep or if he is unwell.

 Some parents do over use them and  I think if parents use them all the time it can affect speech but if it is used in older children purely as a sleep aid or when a child is poorly I can't see the harm.

 Some people hate them with a passion and other people love em!

Both of the boys didnt have them but my daughter did and it was a godsend at the time!!  She was quite sickly as a baby and it was agood way to settle her.  After that she only ever got it at naptime or if she was poorly to help her sleep during the night.  Although it did take a while to wean her off, she was just coming up for 2.  My dad saved the day in the end-she would do anything for her grandad!

I dont relly like seeing bigger kids with them stuffed in their mouths though.  There has to be a line somewhere.

I have 3 children and it is only my 3rd that had a dummy. I have to say i really hate them and think they can, but not always, be over used.

My 3rd baby arrived just at the same time as my daughter was very poorly in hospital on and off for about 6 months.

I used the dummy simply because i just didn't have the time to teach him to self soothe (my prefered option) as i was spending so much time looking after my daughter. I still hate the fact that i made the decision to use one but at the time it was a logical choice. My decision was based on the fact that i would rather be doing nice things with all children rather than just my baby.

Once we got through the difficult 6 months of my daughter being poorly, i weaned my son off his dummy by the time he was 11 months.

Every situation is different and if its the right choice for any parent then use one, just be wary not to over use it and stick it in all the time. Let them have it if they are needing it to soothe and remove it when possible.

I hate seeing olderchildren with them trying to talk with it in its mouth as they really dont need it by then but have become attached. Hope this helps