Most babies and toddlers like to have something (a comforter, dummy, or cuddly toy) that helps them feel secure as they fall asleep.
But are there any problems with children using comfort items when sleeping? And can a newborn sleep with a dummy? We've written this post to help you learn more about dummies and other baby comforters and sleep.
Is it okay to use a soother to help comfort my baby at night?
Sucking is a natural reflex that babies use to feed and comfort themselves. While soothers (or dummies) are not an automatic substitute for cuddles, comfort and feeding when your baby is hungry, they are pretty good at helping them to settle and relax.
If your baby is comforted by sucking, then offering a soother at naptime and bedtime can help them sleep.
Bottle-fed babies can sleep with a dummy from birth. But if you’re breastfeeding, it’s widely recommended that you wait until they are at least 3 to 4 weeks old and have settled into a comfortable breastfeeding routine with no latching issues before introducing a soother into their routine.
What are the benefits of giving a baby a dummy to sleep?
A soother at bedtime may encourage your baby to soothe themselves back to sleep. But you may find yourself being summoned when they lose it in the night. If you don’t want to spend your evening hunting for a dropped dummy, try a glow-in-the-dark soother.
Some studies show that giving your baby a soother when putting them down to sleep might reduce the chance of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). According to the Lullaby Trust, it's not clear what it is about a dummy that may help reduce the chance of a baby dying of SIDS.
Research has also found that if a baby used to having a dummy, isn't given one on a particular occasion, the degree of protection may be less than during sleep periods when a dummy is given. So, if your baby uses a dummy as part of their general routine, you should aim to offer them their dummy each time you put them down for sleep, day or night.
Whether you do or don’t give your baby a dummy at bedtime, you should always follow safe sleep guidance (such as not smoking and placing your baby on their back to sleep) to significantly lower the chance of SIDS.
