Children’s dummies (also known as soothers and pacifiers) can be an absolute godsend for some parents.
Modern dummies are safe to use, can easily be sterilised and the mouth shield prevents your baby from choking on, or swallowing the teat.
It’s possible using a dummy at the start of a sleep also reduces the risk of SIDS. But the evidence isn’t strong and not all experts agree that dummies should be promoted so make your own choice.
Dummies can easily become germ-ridden and their use is linked to increased risk of ear and stomach infections.
Keep germs away by being super switched on with hygiene – sterilise dummies daily.
Never put a dummy in your own mouth to ‘clean it’ – mouths are full of bacteria, so it’s the worst thing you could do!
It’s is also so important that these dummies are not only cleaned daily but also checked carefully for and splits or tears.
As you can see from this photo, if the teat becomes detached from the base, even if it’s just cracked a little, it could pose a very serious choking hazard for a baby.