I've had that song in my head all day. The one from the Wizard of Oz. Why? Because today the dummy went with the bins!
My big boy never had one, I tried and he kept spitting it out, clearly not fooled by just sucking, and was quite happy having a boob full of milk then nothing.
However, small boy loved it from the moment he took his first soothing suck.
He was very particular for someone so small and whilst I tried a few different brands there was only one that would satisfy him. His "chav dummy" as my husband called it as it had I heart Mama written around the edge!
How rude! Doesn't he know how hard it is to find something with Mama on it. (Hoping they will call me Mama for as long as possible, but sure, as soon as they go to school, I will be Mum even though I don't think Mama is babyish at all.)
But you could have knocked me over with a feather, when, at 9 months and 4 days his gums were so sore with the top molars coming through, that he couldn't bear to have the dummy anywhere near him. Nothing but cold yoghurt would help for about 6 days. After the 6th day the dummy and chain were still on the side in his bedroom and I had asked lots of friends their advice as to whether I should just throw it away.
Some said yes, get rid of it while you can others said no, that he will want it again in a few days when the gums settled back down and then there we will be trouble if it's gone out with the recycling!
So 3 weeks and 6 days later it came to this morning. Monday. Rubbish day.
As he has not made a fuss at bedtime, fallen asleep in the car without it, I thought it has got to go!
So no tales of a dummy fairy here. No dummy tree with a magical present waiting. No little babies on the other side of the world who need his precious dummy.
It is a relief to have got through that milestone so painlessly. I have friends who are about to tackle it with their almost 3 year olds and I don't envy them one bit.
Dummies are a saviour and the route of all evil in one! Your best friend and worst enemy when it is time to let go.
Good luck to all the parents who are about to and have been through, this sometimes, agonising process. If you have any tips I can share with my friends, please do!
