Should I Give My Baby A Dummy at Their First Photo Session?
“Should I give my baby a dummy?” If you’re about to have a baby or have recently had one this may be one of the million things you’re wondering about. And like most of the other things, you’ve probably been given a whole lot of conflicting advice. I do sometimes use dummies at newborn photography sessions, as well as a range of other settling techniques. However, it’s always your choice whether we use one or not. I hope this article will help explain why there’s different advice about using a dummy so you can decide what’s best for you. So, here we go: Should I give my baby a dummy?
First, a quick disclaimer. This little article is all about sharing some information about using dummies with newborn babies and explaining why I sometimes use them at photography sessions. Hopefully, it will help answer some questions you may have, but it is in no way intended to replace advice from your health care professional. Please discuss with your health professional if you’re unsure about whether you’d like to use a dummy or not.
Why Did the Midwife Say I Shouldn’t Give My Baby a Dummy for the First Few Weeks?
Those first few weeks of breastfeeding are all about establishing your milk supply. Every time baby comes to the breast your body gets a message that it needs to keep making milk to keep your little milk monster satisfied. Yes, there are a few unicorn babies who will just feed every 2-3 hours and have a nice big sleep in between, but it’s normal for newborn babies to want to be near the breast pretty much all the time. They suck as a way to calm themselves and help them drift off to sleep, too.
It’s actually a pretty clever system (minus the sleep deprivation). Your baby is born wanting to be close to you and suck lots and lots. And every time they do, your body knows to replace the milk they’ve taken and make even more for their next feed. In most cases if we let our babies breastfeed whenever they want to, they’ll keep our supply at an amount that matches what they’re taking out and we can relax knowing they’re getting all the nutrition they need.
So the reason your midwife and/or lactation consultant may have suggested NOT using a dummy is because if your baby is looking for something to suck on and you’re offering a dummy instead of the breast, your body is going to be missing out on some of those signals to make milk. Now, if that happens a few times a day for a few minutes while you’re taking a shower or running a quick errand, it’s probably not going to make much difference. But if your baby is spending hours sucking on a dummy instead of feeding then it can cause a decrease in your milk supply.
OK, So Why Do You Use Dummies at Newborn Sessions? Can’t I Just Feed My Baby If They’re Fussing?
Heck yeah, you can! If you really don’t want a dummy anywhere near your baby, I’ll 100% respect that. I actually try not to use them if baby is nice and sleepy, because then I don’t have to risk taking the dummy out and disturbing them.
But, here’s the thing: Usually at home, once your baby’s had a feed and drifted off to sleep, you’d make sure they were nice and warm and either keep them cuddled close to you or put them somewhere safe to have a nice snooze. In my lovely warm studio, I’ll be gently unwrapping them and posing them for their photos instead. I work slowly with newborns and do my best to keep them settled as I move them, but some babies are a little more wakeful than others and this is where a dummy can help to keep them comfortable and settled while I get some gorgeous images for you. In these instances, using a dummy can make things go more smoothly and efficiently. If your little one is ever fussing a lot and not settling easily with other methods, I’ll always suggest you give them another feed.
Please do just keep in mind that for some babies it may be difficult to do certain poses without using a dummy. If you’re choosing not to use a dummy and we’re not able to get baby posed comfortably unwrapped, we may just need to skip some of those poses and take extra wrapped photos. Do let me know if there’s certain poses you really want so we can chat about this at your session.
What About “Nipple Confusion”
It used to be thought that breastfed babies could develop “nipple confusion” if they were given dummies and bottles. This is because the sucking action on artificial teats is different to at the breast and because babies who used artificial teats sometimes had problems breastfeeding. More recent research suggests that “nipple confusion” isn’t really a thing. It seems the real reason for the breastfeeding issues is because babies who spend a lot of time sucking on artificial teats spend less time at the breast. And, Less time spent at the breast equals less milk production. Most babies are pretty clever at knowing how to suck on breasts and artificial teats of all different sizes and shapes.
An exception may be if your baby has any kind of issues with the way their mouth and throat are shaped or with their sucking and swallowing coordination. In this case, you may have been advised by your baby’s health professional to use or not use certain types of teats.
What do the Other Health Professionals Say About Dummies?
You’ll probably get a range of differing advice depending on who you speak to. Some may recommend dummies as a way to decrease your baby’s SIDS risk or to “give you a break”. Others may caution against their use because of possible orthodontic issues or difficulty taking the dummy away later on. There’s too much to cover here, but here’s a few links to check out:
If We Use a Dummy at the Session, Do We Have to Keep Using Them Afterwards?
Nope, not at all. Your baby will generally only use the dummy for a few minutes at a time during their photography session. It’s not enough time for them to develop a “dependance” or an expectation that they’ll always have a dummy to suck on. We can use the dummy for the session and then you never have to use one ever again.
Do I Need to Bring My Own Dummy?
If your baby is already using a dummy or you have a certain type that you want to use, please bring it along. If it’s brand new it will probably need to be sterilised- the instructions are usually included with the dummy.
Otherwise, I can provide a dummy at the session. I use Jollypop newborn dummies because they come individually packed and sterilised, ready to use straight away. They’re also all in one piece which makes them less likely to break apart and cause a choking hazard and less likely to harbour any nasty germs later on. You get to take it home with you afterwards (but no need to ever use it again if you’d prefer not to).
There’s a whole range of dummies out there in different shapes and with different features, so feel free to bring along a different one that you’ve researched or that your friend swears by if you like.
I Have More Questions!
Read all that and still asking “Should I give my baby a dummy?” No problem. Feel free to reach out and I’ll do my best to answer any questions you have before your session with me.
Breastfeeding is a journey and sometimes it can get off to a rocky start. If you’re looking for breastfeeding support or information, the Australian Breastfeeding Association is a great place to start. They have loads of free resources including online articles, online chat support and a 24 hour helpline. They also offer local group meetings you can attend to meet other parents and get some in person support. And they can point you in the direction of health professionals who can assist you if you need a little extra help.
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Here’s a session I photographed with a baby who used a dummy
