is it OK to give a dummy to my newborn?

Yes, it is generally safe to give a newborn a dummy (also known as a pacifier or a soother).

It is often recommended to wait until breastfeeding is well established before introducing a dummy to avoid nipple confusion. Current thinking by experts (as well as our own first-hand experience) has started to challenge this outdated advice.  Babies are much smarter than we might realise and they seem to know the difference between a dummy and a nipple.

What is really important here though is that you as a parent don't use a dummy to placate your baby at the risk of missing helpful cues - for example mouth movements when they might be hungry. I always suggest reminding yourself to go through the simple checklist of hunger, burping, nappy and sleep before offering a dummy.  I know that this in itself gets confusing because sometimes your baby is really tired but needs a little help to soothe in order to get to sleep. Common sense is key here!

It is also important to choose an age-appropriate dummy. This is why we have the round, cherry shaped teat which is the perfect dummy for your newborn, from birth.

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