Latest FSID advice on Dummy Use

The Federation for the Study of Infant Death Syndrome (FSID) has recently issued some new advice regarding dummy use and the role of pacifiers in reducing cot death. As anyone who has used the Baby Sleep System knows, there are a large number of babies with serious sleep problems as a result of "dummy dependency". Baby falls asleep with his dummy and when he wakes briefly at night as he goes through his sleep cycle, he cries out for mum and dad to come and stick his dummy back in.

My advice is that provided the back to sleep advice is followed see http://www.babysleepanswers.co.uk/reducing-the-risk-of-cot-death.aspa there is no reason why a pacifier needs to be introduced to a baby after it is 12 weeks old. I also advise that any dummy is removed immediately before baby is put down for a nap or at bedtime. There is also no reason why a baby cannot be seperated from his dummy when he reaches 12 weeks of age. The only exceptions to this is where mum and/or dad smoke (whether in the house or not) , if they allow people to smoke in their house or if the baby is co-sleeping with the parents in their bed.

The new FSID recommendation also includes no mention at all of the downside of dummies including increased levels of sickness and infection as well as sleeping problems.

I expect we are going to see more dummy dependent babies on the Baby Sleep Answers Forum over the next few months!