Your baby just loves their dummy! They suck on it as they go to sleep, all the way through the night, after breakfast in the morning, and even when they’re sitting on your lap, enjoying a good story. And in many ways, you love their dummy, too. When they’re feeling a little moody or crying at night, the dummy is often your best friend as well as theirs, helping to soothe and calm them down.

But one day, over a playdate, a fellow mother expressed some concern over the use of dummies, and now you're not so sure they’re good for your little one. And so you find yourself wondering, are there advantages and disadvantages to using dummies? Is it better for my baby to avoid them altogether?

Fortunately, there absolutely are advantages. Unfortunately, there are certain disadvantages, too. But let’s begin with the positive and explore the benefits of dummy use.

What are the benefits of providing a dummy?

Sucking has a calming and soothing effect that can even help your baby sleep.

It reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

It generally prevents a baby from becoming a thumb-sucker, which is a much harder habit to put a stop to.

Given that these benefits are fairly substantial, why are some parents and experts so opposed to dummies?

Why do some parents avoid giving their babies dummies?

Dummies can increase the risk of ear infections, though this is less common in babies under 6 months old, when SIDS risk is at its highest.

Sucking on dummies before the 3 to 4-week mark may affect breastfeeding success.

For children who continue to suck on dummies up to and past the age of 3, this prolonged dummy use can cause teeth misalignment.

Continually having a dummy in the mouth past the age of 1 may cause a baby to make less conversational noise and thus delay their speech development.

Extended dummy use during the daytime may affect learning expressions, as caregivers are less likely to make faces at babies using dummies.

Now, with quite significant benefits, it sounds as though dummies could be pretty useful when your baby is still very young, but as they progress into toddlerhood, dummies become more problematic. So how can you make a decision in regards to dummies that will keep your baby safe and happy?

How can my baby safely use a dummy?

Dummies are perfectly acceptable and even beneficial after the first 3 to 4 weeks and before your baby is 6 months old. Except in unusual circumstances, there’s no good reason to discourage dummy use during this time period. The action of sucking decreases the risk of SIDS and can help to soothe your baby.

After 6 months, some experts argue that the risks outweigh the benefits. At this age, it’s unlikely that dummy-sucking will cause any teeth misalignment, but it may cause painful ear infections. After 10 months, prolonged and constant use increases certain risks and might affect speech (though the research here is lacking).

Therefore, we suggest that you try to do away with dummies once your baby is around 6 months old. At this point, as an alternative to a dummy, you could encourage attachments to security blankets or toys, or try massages as a soothing technique. If nothing else works, you can provide the comforting dummy, but try to gradually wean them by only supplying it at night or when they’re feeling particularly upset.

If it takes your baby a little longer to give up their dummy, don’t worry. Though it’s not advised, some children do end up using dummies up until their second year, so it’s by no means unusual. However, the longer your child uses it, the greater the risks. But know that there are various weaning techniques you can use, one of which will eventually work for your child.

Should my baby use a dummy?

On Unii’s Baby Development Journey, we share whether your baby should use a dummy.