Dummy in middle of night?

[DinkyD]

Hi there
Some advice please on our 9 wk old son and sleeping habits!

We are mixed feeding, with formula feeds at 7pm bedtime and dream feed at 10.30ish. And have been for about 3 weeks. DS has always slept great from bedtime to dream feed and again from dream feed until about 2-2.30. At this point we have breastfed him and he has struggled to sleep more than 2 hrs at a time after.

The last few nights rather than turn straight to feed at 2ish we have settle him with his dummy. This seems to work, in that he will settle until about 5. We now feel guilty using his dummy to do this.

Any thoughts how we are going about things would be great - we are tying ourselves in knots wondering what is the best thing to do!

Many thanks in advance...

[Vicku]

Hi there
I don't think you need to feel bad or worry about resettling with the dummy. If it works and he then sleeps til 5ish, it was probably not a hunger driven NW. They often have a strong need to suck as it comforts them, but may not need milk. Of course some people prefer not to use dummies and are afraid of the baby getting dependedt on them. I personally think dummies are great and that most babies love to suck and I'm grateful that I have an alternative (to me for them to suck and sooth with. I do remember tying myself in knots too though, wondering what was the best thing to do, give the dummy or wait for them to start sucking their thumb or fingers. For us it worked out fine with the dummy, and when about 6-7 mos they can start to learn to find it themselves. If it does your head in before that, it can easily be weaned, so my thoughts would be to keep doing what you're doing and don't feel bad. If he was truly hungry he would let you know and wouldn't accept the dummy as a sucking substitute

Vick