Say Goodbye to the Dummy!
Goodbye, goodbye, dear friend goodbye! Babies are born with a sucking reflex, which helps them both eat and comfort themselves. In the process of getting themselves through their ups and downs, dummies become one of their greatest and most important companions, and teaching them to let go of the dummy might even lead to the first real conflict with your little one. Even though this process can seem like a challenge, rest assured that there are tips to make this journey a smooth one both for you and your baby. If you have a couple of minutes, join us as we discover and discuss what we can do to help our babies take another step of growth and leave their dummies behind.
What Happens When Dummies Are Used for More Than They Should Be?
Though known to be of great help when raising a baby with its benefits from reducing stress to helping them sleep, using a dummy past the age of 18 months can start to affect your little one’s dental health greatly. Frequently using a dummy or sucking on their thumb changes the way the teeth bite together as it changes the shape of their mouth and the alignment of their jaw. Using a dummy for a long duration can cause their top teeth to stick out, and the bottom teeth to go inward, which might lead them to need braces later on.
After the age of 6 months, frequent use of dummies increases your baby’s risk of getting an ear infection as well, either by altering the pressure in the Eustachian tubes that connect the inner ear to the nose and throat or by bringing up bacteria from the throat into the ear canal causing infection.
Last but not least, your child may simply grow very dependent on the dummy. They may get extremely fussy when they cannot see it, or cry and throw a tantrum in the middle of the night if it falls out of their mouth. As they get older, the tantrums may double as their bond strengthens. Their dependence can both disrupt their peace, cause them unnecessary stress, and disrupt your daily routine and night’s sleep as well. Considering how important and precious sleep is especially during the first months of bringing a life into the world, your and your baby’s sleep is of top priority. In conclusion, we can say that the earlier your child is free from their habit of sucking, the better!
When Do You Wean Your Baby Off of Dummy?
The easiest time to wean your baby off of a dummy is around 7 months of age, as at that time they have not developed an emotional attachment to their dummies. Attachment to dummies usually starts to develop around 9 months, and before that line marks the easiest zone for you to start working on ditching the dummies with your baby. But don’t you worry, unless your paediatrician recommends you stop, your baby can still resort to their dummy to calm themselves. Sucking is wonderfully calming for your baby and helps them deal with all the crazy new things they come across in their unique world. But when proceeding, keep in mind that after your baby is 9 months old, they’ll start to form an emotional attachment to their dummies. We do not want to rush you, but we warn you that after this age, protests and tantrums may increase.
If you want your baby to benefit from their dummy for longer, we have some good news for you! If you think that weaning your baby off of their dummy at 7 months is early, know that most children are emotionally ready to let the dummy go on their own by 2 to 4 years old. At that time, planting the seed in your little one’s mind that the time to let go of their dummy is close is easier both for you to explain to them, and for them to understand.
How to Wean Your Baby Off the Dummy
Weaning your baby off the dummy requires patience and gradual steps. Observe when and how they resort to their dummies and if you notice them sucking “just because,” offer an alternative form of stimulation like a lovey. You can also limit their dummy use to naps and bedtime, replacing it with a lovey or soft toy for comfort. White noise can also help by providing a soothing background sound to calm them and ease the transition.
Weaning a toddler off their dummies can be a challenge, but with several tricks, you can make the process easier both for you and your baby. If your baby is one year or older, replacing the dummy with another comforting lovey, like a blankie or a stuffed toy can provide the necessary comfort. You can also set specific times and limit dummy use to sleep or particularly stressful times for your kid, and communicate these boundaries to your child. You can teach your kid to stretch and breathe during stressful times, and help them cope with stress with different methods. Establishing “dummy-free” times, starting with short durations like 30 minutes, and using compliments to reinforce the concept and behaviour can also encourage them to let go of the dummy. Create engaging stories about inspiring characters giving up their dummies and finding comfort in other ways to inspire and encourage them.
While trying to make your baby give up the dummy, avoid telling your child that the dummy is being given to another baby, as this can lead to temper, jealousy and stress. Instead of wording it like that, you can create another story for the dummies being sent to another place, like to a fictional hero that they have so that the hero can build a playground for small kids.
You can turn this into a special moment by choosing a day with your child to say goodbye to the dummy, marking it on the calendar, and creating a countdown. You can also offer an exchange on this day, where your child gives up the dummy in return for a new toy.
Try to maintain a positive attitude throughout this journey, and avoid showing extra emotion to prevent your child from feeling pressured into giving up their dummy. Remember that each child is unique, and some may have stronger attachments to their dummy and may need more time to let go. When in doubt, consult your paediatrician for additional guidance. The most important thing in this journey is your patience, understanding and awareness that taking away the dummy is a gradual process. Keep calm and consistent, and soon your child will take another step of growth and adapt to life without their dummy.
