Dummy’s/ pacifiers?

Ive not botherws with my 2nd as I had it for 4.5 months and once they can take it out its a nightmare! Youre right in that ita just another thing to cry about.
But, there is links to jelping prevent SIDs so take that into account x

It’s just another battle to have with them down the line for a slightly easier life with them at the start. Why?

My son used one to help him stay asleep after nursing, and it was sometimes helpful when he was already crying. He gave it up on his own when his teeth started coming in. He never cried for it.

I like them because they help reduce the chances of SIDS and I don’t mind my baby having a soothing tool, weaning my daughter was super simple and I think too many people over complicate it. Just take it away. I took hers between 12-15 months before nap time and she fussed a little extra and by bedtime she totally forgot about it and was fine.

Didn't use them for our first son and won't be using it for this baby when he is born. Didn't feel a need for it and we don't want to have to wean off breastfeeding AND a dummy. Also, seeing all the posts about babies waking up because they lose their dummy... Nope lol our son woke up enough during sleep regression and for feeds, don't need to add to it

Mine only has a dummy when she’s going to have a nap/going to bed. She spits it out once she’s in a deep enough sleep and has never once woken up and cried for it. She’s never wanted it during the day and if I put it in her mouth she spits it straight out. Sure it might be a problem a bit later down the line but for now it comforts her enough to get to sleep so win for me 🤷‍♀️

it really depends on the temperament of your baby

my girl has a dummy and she uses it to fall asleep and stays asleep even when it falls out

i only really use it to help soothe when crying in the day or in the car or to go to sleep - she’s not very interested in it other in those times

like mentioned above it reduces SIDS as well which is positive too

but it’s really up to your baby and how you feel about it

My first didnt have one, my second the dummy was the only way to get her to nap in the cot. I'm aware it may be a battle later but its just not that big of a deal tbh, theyll always be hard bits when parenting kids

I didn't with my first, but now we are struggling to get her to stop sticking her thumb, so I'm leaning towards introducing them with my second to avoid that battle

Depends on the kid. I offered them to my oldest and she was 100% a thumb sucker and wanted nothing to do with a soother. I may have offered it to my youngest but he was fine without it and never sucked his thumb.
I will say as the parent of a 7yo who still sucks her thumb at least a soother can be taken away

They have possitives and negatives. They keep the airway clear which helps with SIDs. As long as you dont over use them and you remove them quiet early you dont get the battle.

Did it for baby one, not for baby 2 and won't for our last.

It encourages non nutritive sucking which can mask baby's cries for real needs being met. Babies can only communicate with crying so it's my job to learn what need to meet and help them trust their environment and get fed, changed, burped, comforted, etc without outsourcing it to a pacifier. And the dental issues or future weaning? No thank you.

As a FTM I wasn't really aware of what life without a pacifier looked like, it was expected. We had a significantly easier time with our second without fighting that battle, and the insane lengths people put themselves through all because they chose to rely on one and now think it's necessary to rite of passage pacifiers retiring is just ridiculous to me.

It's bad long term use for jaw development and I'd rather I be my child's comfort even if it's extra work to avoid future issues. I EBF so I was the paci any way. I can see why formula fed babies might have a bigger need for one overall.

It made sleep extraordinarily easier for us, and when we were developmentally ready to get rid of it, it was quite simple. I think the trick was just to stay firm and not waffle or reintroduce them after you've taken them away.

And yeah, there's a few irritating weeks as they learn to take it out of their mouth and put it back in again, but they figure it out quickly, and then it's smooth sailing. Idk, I know they can cause issues when used excessively but we only ever used it for naps and bedtime and the dentist had no issue with it. I'm glad we used them and I probably will with my second.

My baby uses it to fall asleep independently since 6 months. He is 2 years and he falls asleep immediately he has it

I used a pacifier for my baby until about 5 months. If you take them away before 6 months there's less of a chance of them becoming attached. Because I used the pacifier, she never became a thumb sucker, so I don't have to worry about her not giving that up.

I didn't have one for our 2 either for similar reasons. Having to wean them off it later, it just feels like delaying an issue rather than preventing it. In the short term it makes the newborn phase easier - but realistically the newborn phase is easier than baby or toddler phase when they're dropping it out or when it's time to wean - so I just get through it, like yourself and find other ways to soothe them. If they pick up sucking their thumb I might consider it

Ive had to with my babies mainly because they always want to fall asleep with a bottle but obviously I can't leave the bottle overnight and they always wake up if I try no matter what I do. so the paci helps with that. But I also learned that it helps protect against SIDS!