When, and how, should I wean my baby off her dummy?

It's best to start limiting the time your baby has her dummy from about six months. Ideally, she should have given it up completely by the time she’s one.

Of course, when faced with a distressed child, this is easier said than done! Babies often use attachment objects, such as their thumbs or security blankets, into their second year and beyond.

It may take some effort on your part to persuade your baby to part with her dummy. Encourage her to become attached to a blanket or soft toy instead, so she still has something comforting she can carry around and take to bed.

Some parents find it easier to stop their child using a dummy when they’re old enough to understand why it’s being taken away. They may arrange for the 'dummy fairy' to visit during the night, leaving a small gift for the child in exchange for the dummy. Other parents set strict rules about when their child can use their dummy, for example, only in the house, or just in the evening.

When weaning your baby off her dummy, gradually decrease the time you let her use it during the day and evening.

Try helping your baby to settle at bedtime without a dummy. Many babies who go to sleep with a dummy will look for it when they wake up during the night. By removing it as a sleep aid, your baby will have a better chance of learning to settle back to sleep by herself.

It’s worth persevering with your dummy-weaning efforts. One of the main disadvantages of a dummy is that it can cause problems with your baby's growing teeth if she sucks it vigorously, of if she's still using it when her adult teeth are preparing to come through.

And if your child still uses her dummy by the time she’s a toddler, it may make her less inclined to talk. If that’s the case, when the time comes, take her dummy out of her mouth when she tries to speak. Encourage her to use words instead of pointing.

If your baby uses a dummy, she may also be more prone to ear infections. It’s possible for bacteria to backtrack from her mouth into the narrow channels that run between her ears and her throat (the Eustachian tubes). Make sure you clean and sterilise your baby’s dummies often.

Find out whether a dummy will interfere with your baby's teeth.