Tips to get BF baby to accept dummy?!

[cuckoochick]

Really need something to help this LO settle as she wants to fall asleep on me. Rocking/patting doesn't seem to help although patting sometimes helps when she's stirring.

Any tips on how to get her to accept a dummy or what types are good? I am seriously stressing about DH going back to work and coping with a baby who takes hours to settle and to spend time with my toddler. I said I wasn't going to freak out about sleep this time but think I'm  getting there

[barbaraz78]

Don't have much advice, but DS took quite a lot to accept the dummy. But when I found the "right" one (it was from Avent, the one with symmetric nipple) he immediately took it. So, my advice is try different ones.

[shivi]

we dipped in gripe water ;-)
Oscar loved Avent, Emma loved Nuk newborn. Emma actually liked the latex ones...whereas I thought they all prefer silicone!

S x

[Shiv52]

Try to use it initially when she's not fractious and upset. That's how I got M to take one. I was only ever trying when she was upset and really sucky and she had none of it. But she ended up loving it x

[anna*]

What Shiv said, plus try a couple of diff brands and sizes. Audrey wouldn't take a 0-6m one but loved a bigger Mam one.

[cuckoochick]

Thanks ladies. I've sent DH out with her to the shops to buy some different types and hoping she will sleep in the car because she's just awake today and was like this yesterday. Once she's out she sleeps well but it's just getting her over and tk stay asleep initially that's the issue. C wouldn't take one at all. I'm praying that G will find one that she will accept and it will help us. 

[anna*]

Is she very unhappy? Or just awake? Can you pop her in the sling for a while? Aud used to have some insane long A times in the early days but was mostly quite happy with it (til we hit the witching hour, of course)

[cuckoochick]

Yeah just awake. She is not really a crier. She fusses and searches for the breast and will eventually cry. DH is back. She slept for half an hour and is wrecked but hungry. So of course  she's now just falling asleep rather than feeding properly, waking and fussing repeat!

[my3girlsjde]

I found with Emma the best time to introduce it was when she was completely groggy from a feed. She liked to comfort nurse so when I knew for.sure that she was done, I would slip my nipple out and pop the paci in. But I would keep her at the breast to trick her  It took a few tries but helped when she was completely 'milk drunk' iykwim. Bigger nipple I was always told is better when bfing . Good luck

[cuckoochick]

Well poor little thing is so OT after this afternoon that she has passed out with a dummy in her mouth!!!!! a MAM one! She's been falling asleep on the breast all afternoon and not settling/feeding well so I've brought her upstairs early and skipped her bath. Was just about to feed her but DH said lets just try the dummy again as she was fussing while I put my PJs on and he lay her down in the Moses basket popped it in and she began sucking merrily away.

So now we need vibes that we can continue to get her to accept it as C took it once as a fluke and then that was it.

Now of course I'm wondering how long to let her sleep or should I wake her up for a feed in a little while?! She's only been asleep for 5mins so no doubt will wake up in a few minutes anyway!

Never thought I'd be so excited about her sucking a dummy! Just praying it might work without her having to be such an OT wreck. I've sobbed so much today as I feel terrible when she won't sleep, like I'm neglecting her when pretty much the whole day I've been trying yk get her to sleep.

[*Ali*]

Colby liked the newborn mam ones right up til we weaned (well he lost interest in) it at 7mo.
We also used the trick of slipping it in once the feed was done and he was tired. I often had to hold it in in the early days until he got the hang of it.

[cuckoochick]

Ah well fluke! She slept 30mins and has now had a good feed but is back to fussing like hell. DH is trying the dummy again but with little joy. Looks like a long evening ahead.

[lily_layne]

I'm late to the party on this one so maybe you've already got her taking the dummy, but in case you don't it often helps to tug on it gently once she starts sucking.  This forces her to suck harder and *should* eventually help her to accept it.

[enna77]

Also if it keeps falling out you can try putting half a piece of muslin through the handle to help position it in place. My maternity advisor also said rather than trying to plug it in straight on you can try - say if they're lying in bed - putting in from one of the sides and slightly above their mouth basically trying to replicate how they would nuzzle upwards for a breast while BFing. Good luck my fingers are crossed for you.

[ZacsMumme]

Big fan here of gripe water dipping
I also had more success right after a feed, it helped get the wind up too.
Tapping on the paci DNA help acceptance too
The other thing is if Z or T were unsettled I put the paci between them and the cave between my breast and shoulder...kind of in my armpit, and then rocked/jiggled to calm. This way the paci stayed in place.
Hugs hun x