We gave Toby a dummy the day after we came home from the hospital, so he was about 6 days old. There were (and still are) times when my boob cannot physically be in his mouth, like when we were bathing him (which he hated at first) and he'd get distressed or when he woke up in the car and i was driving etc so at first we used it for those times and those times alone.

I was careful not to over-use it, particularly when i knew he was going through a growth spurt, so that my supply wouldn't be affected.

Later, when his reflux was very bad it was a real life-saver as he was in a viscious cycle of feeding-vomiting-feeding again-getting tummy ache-vomiting-wanting to suck to relieve the tummy ache so being put back to the breast- and, you guessed it, vomiting again! So the dummy helped to break that a little.

Nowadays i sometimes use it to settle him to sleep for a nap too.

I think like with most things, its about moderation. We don't use it as a gobstopper, and he won't still have it when he starts school!

I feel the same as Rebaby. Elliott had a dummy from about 3 weeks old. We certainly do not use it as a gobstopper but it has really helped when he has been colicky. I will wean him off it after 6 months as I believe it is unfair to do it before then. We have never had a problem with nipple confusion or supply issues.

All this said, I do wish at times that we has never introduced it. However, I do not mind as he gets a lot of comfort from it and I would rather wean him off a dummy than a thumb (my OH was a thumb sucker and his teeth suffered for it...).xx

My LO has a dummy to go to sleep for daytime naps only... He doesn't have it at night but needs it to get himself off to sleep in the day. As soon as he opens his eyes the dummy is out and I don't give it back to him til sleep time again.

I see no issue with them. I agree that comfort sucking has a purpose in increasing supply but sometimes they do just do it for comfort and I think it can get wearing.

I'm going to be different than everyone *sigh* haha

I let Brayden have his dummy when ever he wants. I can tell when he wants to increase my supply because he just won't come off the breast and cries if I do. If he is falling asleep, playing on the floor and sticks a hand in his mouth I know he wants the dummy. He has had colic ever since day one and it helps calm his tummy. If he wants it until he is a year or so old, I'm going to let him have it. My mom did that with me and my brother and we did fine. It helps with teething too...

I was going to write a post about this, but this has answered my question. I tired to give my LO a dummy the other day when he was upset, but he just didnt want it! He seams happy enough with out it!

really the only time he gets one is if he's really upset and we're in the process of putting him in the sling. the combination of the sling and a dummy if i'm walking out the door settle him immediately. any other time he doens't actually like it and spits it out.

I tried to give Alice a dummy when she was about a month old as everyone I spoke to told me it was bad for her to be using me to comfort suck. She didn't take to it at all, and now I'm quite glad. I'm happy to let her suck when she wants, and it is definitely less than it used to be.

Holly has had a dummy on the odd occasion like when she was upset after her jabs. She has now found her thumb, but as hubby and I were (I still am) thumb suckers and both have shocking teeth I'm not sure whether this is a habit I should try and break with a dummy, although she now spits it out with a look of utter distaste! She does still to tend to comfort suck too, not as much as she did. I still have sore nipples so tend to leave her a little bit, then whip her off when I think she might make me sore. I can tell when she does this as my nipple comes out squished with a line down the middle! Then it hurts more!

I'm also with the ladies that agree in providing the boob for comfort I let Sini go for it whenever she wants it. I don't think she'll be like this forever.

A couple of weeks ago, when Sini turned 2 months old, my OH told me that maybe it was too much comfort sucking... so I gave a go to the dummy. Sini spit it out in a sec! She wants to have a taste of milk, I guess such is her desire. We never tried the dummy again.

Personally, the idea of putting a plastic in Sini's mouth makes me feel weird. But, if she would have accepted the dummy, I may have let her use it. So, to certain extent I do feel ambiguous about it

Daisy likes her dummy when she's in the pram or car seat and doesn't settle without it. She has pretty much weaned herself off it at all other times though.