ALONGSIDE sleep training, weaning and potty training, getting a child to ditch their dummy once and for all is arguably one of the most stressful parenting jobs.
But it's important not to let your child have a dummy for longer than they need.
"Long term dummy use can lead to a change in the way your child’s teeth meet when they bite," parenting expert Sue Welby, founder of Littlelifesteps, told us.
"It can also affect speech development, especially certain sounds."
However, Sue insisted it's important to "select the timing carefully" of when to ditch the dummy.
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"Make sure it is a stress-free period and your child is not dealing with any other new skills or big developmental leaps," she said.
And it's also vital to give it some time.
"The first 3 days can be the worse where children ask often.But after this most children move on.
"In some cases, it can take up to 2 weeks for some children to stop asking for their dummy."
Luckily, after years of working alongside parents, Sue has some tried and tested approaches for parents to try if they want the dummy gone for good.
Have a 'goodbye to dummy' day
"Choose a date for when your child is going to give up their dummy, and make sure they're aware of it," Sue said.
"Keep your child involved by marking the days off on a fun countdown calendar."
Sue has a free countdown chart for parents, so contact her to get your hands on one.
"This can help them mentally prepare for the transition and feel more in control of the process.
"Planning with them about giving up their dummy is key, so they know it’s coming."
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The dummy tree
Sue is a big fan of Angela Yip's book Leo and the Magic Dummy Tree, which she advises reading to your child regularly.
"I have known some nurseries have a dummy tree for a child to tie it to," Sue said.
"Or if not, you could offer this as a suggestion to your child’s nursery.
"They can get a little prize the next day."
Gradual weaning
If your child has a dummy frequently during the day, then it's a good idea to try the gradual weaning approach, Sue said.
"Wean off in the daytime first," she explained.
"Have a little box of toys that will give your child some tactile and oral input, and bring it out when the dummy is put away for a little while."
In the box, you could include things like party blowers, musical instruments and sensory balls.
You could use a timer at this point if you like, but you MUST put the dummy away, Sue stressed.
"Let them know how well they have done," she said.
"'What a clever boy/girl putting your dummy away for a while. Mummy knows it can be hard to put your dummy away'."
Gradually decrease the frequency of the dummy during the day, until it is only used at bedtime.
Then you can use another approach to get rid of the dummy at bedtime.
