For many families, their parenting journey often involves dummy use. Sometimes that dummy \u2013 or pacifier as it\u2019s often known \u2013 use has advantages for the baby and their parents; sometimes it has disadvantages for everyone.<\/p>\n
But is the dummy actually good for babies? Let\u2019s discuss.<\/p>\n
This is all about trial and error, often in the same manner as trying to choose the best feeding bottles. Some babies will love one type of dummy and hate all others; and some babies will be fine with most dummy types. It\u2019s worth trying a few different kinds until your baby finds the one they enjoy the most.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also worth knowing that no matter what dummies you offer to your baby, they may refuse them all and simply don\u2019t want a dummy. And that\u2019s OK \u2013 my first two boys both rejected their dummies either after a few days or weeks, and we didn\u2019t bother offering a dummy to our third boy.<\/p>\n
Most dummies come with a silicone or rubber teat, and a plastic or silicone mouth shield and handle. The mouth shield prevents your baby from choking on the teat itself. Latex or rubber dummies are generally softer and more flexible than silicone, but they don\u2019t last as long. Silicone dummies also may be easier to keep more free from germs than traditional latex dummies.<\/p>\n
With regards to a question I get asked a lot: should babies use an orthodontic or flat dummy? An orthodontic dummy is flatter than traditional dummy teats, and are shaped to encourage your baby to suckle in a similar way to breastfeeding. They are also thought to potentially have less of an effect on how a baby\u2019s first teeth develop.<\/p>\n
It can do for some mums and babies but it really depends on the baby and how well they also take to breastfeeding.<\/p>\n
Certainly, it\u2019s not advised for babies to use a pacifier before breastfeeding has been established, which is usually after 4 to 6 weeks.<\/p>\n
Additionally, for mums who are struggling to establish breastfeeding \u2013 and by the way, it\u2019s not as easy as often portrayed -, whilst it won\u2019t necessarily stop the baby learning to breastfeed, it can become relied on too much when the baby should be learning to latch onto the breast instead.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For many families, their parenting journey often involves dummy use. Sometimes that dummy \u2013 or pacifier as it\u2019s often known \u2013 use has advantages for the baby and their parents; sometimes it has disadvantages for everyone. But is the dummy actually good for babies? Let\u2019s discuss. WHAT IS THE BEST ? This is all about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":342,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n