Introducing a dummy – or thumb

All babies are born with a sucking reflex, which is essential for feeding when we are young, and many babies actually practise sucking their thumbs while they are in the womb. The need to suck and reflexes mean that dummies can often be a great source of security. But not all babies want a dummy, and not all parents want their child to have a dummy. Dummy or no dummy – either choice has its advantages and disadvantages – so find out what works best for your family.

The advantages of introducing a dummy

• It may be easier to get your baby to fall asleep or go back to sleep.
• Dummies provide a certain reduction in the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. It is not clear why, but one explanation could be that dummies keep the airways open.
• It may be easier to comfort your baby in ways other than with food. So if the baby breastfeeds, it may be a little easier for other people besides the breastfeeding mum to comfort them.
• The ‘risk’ (so to speak) of the baby starting to suck their thumb is usually lower if they have a dummy available. This is because thumb sucking can be more difficult to stop than a dummy because, for obvious reasons, your thumb is always around. On the other hand, not many teenagers (as far as we know) suck their thumbs, so even thumb sucking tends to work itself out over time.

The disadvantages of using a dummy

• Babies tend to get very attached to their dummies, which is not surprising as they are a great source of security. So keep in mind that when your child stops using a dummy, you need to let it happen in its own time and respect the fact that your child gets a great deal of comfort and security from the dummy.
• Using dummies at an older age is not usually recommended by dentists as it affects the child’s bite (but the bite also tends to recover later, so check with your child’s dentist if you are unsure).
• If babies lose their dummies at night, it’s common for them to wake up upset – and there can be a lot of fumbling around in the dark to find them (but you can actually buy glow-in-the-dark dummies for those times).
• It’s important to remember the dummy if you’re going out, as your baby might be unhappy otherwise. We would also like to warn you that little ones tend to get used to a certain brand, model or material and do not necessarily accept your best backup solution.
• It’s yet another baby product to buy.

Dummies for newborns?

In Sweden, the advice on when to start using a dummy has been changed by the National Board of Health and Welfare, as it seems to offer some protection against sudden infant death syndrome. The advice used to be to wait a few weeks before giving newborns a dummy, but this is no longer the case. There is some controversy about how soon after birth you can start using a dummy and whether it actually interferes with breastfeeding. Moreover, all children are different, which makes it difficult to say with certainty what is best. But if you do want to breastfeed and want to be on the safe side, you might want to wait to introduce the dummy until your baby has mastered the suction technique.

Should I sterilise dummies?

Can you clean a dummy by sucking the dummy clean yourself and should you really sterilise the dummy as often as stated on the packaging? Well, when it comes to dummies and cleaning, everyone does it a little differently and it’s mostly a matter of personal preference. Still, you should consider sterilising the dummy when it is new and perhaps periodically during cold and flu season. If you baby gets oral thrush, it is also good to sterilise dummies frequently to prevent the fungus from spreading to a breastfeeding mother’s breast. Don’t forget to squeeze out any hot water that may remain and double-check that the dummy is still intact. Some dummies should not be boiled to sterilise them, it may be sufficient to pour boiling water over them and leave them to soak – read the packaging and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
It seems to be the nature of dummies to – in addition to disappearing without a trace – land on the floor quite often. When they do, you might feel better if you wash the dummy before giving it back to the baby, but it all depends on what you think is okay and what you are comfortable with.

Safety and storing dummies

How long can you keep a dummy? It’s worth remembering that even a favourite dummy wears out and ages, and can become a choking hazard for the baby if it is not completely intact. Therefore, you should always check that the dummy is undamaged by pulling the teat a little before giving the baby the dummy. Also, there should be no holes or scratches on the teat, which can easily occur if the child chews on the dummy. It is also important to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on the age the dummy is suitable for, how long it can be used before it should be replaced, and how to store the dummy.

Advantages and disadvantages of thumb sucking

Thumb sucking is usually a bit trickier for a parent to regulate, as it’s there all the time. Of course, this is what makes thumb sucking so easy and practical for the child, but it is also what makes it more difficult to stop. But there is no need to get too hung up on it; as we have already said, this too usually works itself out in the long run. As with dummies, if your baby wants to suck on their thumb, it can be a great source of comfort. Unfortunately, thumb sucking can also affect your child’s bite, so it’s also good to discuss this with your dentist. Sometimes the skin on the thumb can also become irritated because it is wet most of the time – if this happens you should try to let it air, help it heal, and try to talk to the child about the fact that their thumb may need to rest sometimes.

Please note that all information above is based on Swedish recommendations.