Dummy has ruined our night sleep!

[bexandlucy]

Hi, my (not so little) boy is 20 weeks and I introduced a dummy 2 weeks ago, as he wouldn't nap in the day and it was getting stressful and my poor 2,5 year old was being sidelined. His night sleep pre dummy was really good 8-8 with one occasionally two night feeds and he'd feed to sleep for these and at bedtime. Since the dummy it's suddenly horrific - he is currently waking up at least every hour for the dummy to be put back in, and can't seem to transition a sleep cycle without it (except the early part of the night, I have been putting him to bed asleep without it at 8ish and he sleeps well till about 11:30). The dummy has also helped us greatly with breastfeeding and latch issues, which was a surprise! Andhe settles beautifully at nap time.

I'm aware this might be a routine problem. We follow EASY fairly loosely (I did it very successfully with my lg) but i will post a typical day. He is exclusively breastfed, he isn't very keen on settling on the boob but I do feed him to sleep at night (I just love this) and during night feeds.

Wake at 7:15
E 7:30 (doesn't take too much as has late night feed)
A. About 1hr45
S 1.5-2 hours (rep lugging dummy after first 45 intervals)
E 10:30/11 (I've been trying to get towards a 4 hour easy since we started the dummy but wanted to ease him into it as he was used to feeding constantly)
S 12/12:30 1.5/2 hours
E 14:00
S 15:30

 Actually I'm finding it hard to post a typical afternoon, the mornings are much more organised and just typing this I think I need to work on my easy. I try and get him a catnap around 5 or 6 then I get him ad my toddler bathed and her into bed (incidentally he screams through this and it is a nightmare although he enjoys the bath itself (I don't bath him every night) he won't be put down, no matter how much sleep he's had. she goes to bed around 7/ half past then I come down and feed him to sleep straight after and pop him to bed. He is at the moment sleeping well till 11:30pm then waking for the dummy, has a night feed around 1am ad another around 4. We have never done a dream feed.

Well I am going to pay some attention to getting him a good easy. But I guess my question is, is this waking frequently for the dummy par for the course? It just so coincided with giving him the dummy that I can't help but think its linked. And is it possible to keep the feeding to sleep at bedtime and during the night? I don't really want to give that up but I can't carry on the way we are, we are all exhausted.

Many thanks.

(Oh incedentally, he does have a lovey, he self settles VERY well at naps now, no solids yet)

[Erin M]

My ds fed to sleep every night and was fine with it, so it can be done -- I know other moms have had the same.  The paci could definitely be turning in to a prop if he's just waking at night and looking for it to be replugged.  However, working on your EASY is a good idea as well -- if that's not right, then it will definitely make it harder to resettle at night. 

[anna*]

It does sound like the dummy is a prop, which is pretty common for it to get really problematic at about this age. You can keep replugging until he can do so himself, or wean it. I weaned it from my son at 4.5months, replaced it with a lovey and used PUPD. With my daughter I weaned it but ended up giving it back later and aimed to teach her to replug.

[bexandlucy]

Thanks for your replies.

I've tweaked bedtime outline a bit and sorted out the routine. It's solved my bedtime drama but his night sleep hasn't improved much. Last night he went to bed at 7:15, woke at 10:15, 1130 (fed) 1230, 13:15, 2:30 and 3:30( fed) that feed lasted ages and I got him back into his crib at 3:3p0 and he woke again at 6 for another feed. Ad straight back asleep again,

He is teething badly, but the coincidence with the timing of the dummy is just too much for it not to be that. I have a teething necklace coming anyhow.

At what age do they tend to be able to replug the dummy themselves?

[scruffymax]

My LO could replug the dummy at 5.5 months.  She also often needed multiple overnight repluggings up until then.  At around 4.5 months we got rid of the dummy to stop the overnight repluggings but when she did wake (every couple of nights even without the dummy) it then took a loooong time to get her back to sleep rather than a 30 second replug.  With the dummy she wasn't feeding overnight other than dreamfeed.  Giving her back the dummy and teaching her to use it independently was the best thing ever!

[anna*]

I think mine was closer to 7 months but tbh I dont really recall...