An addiction like no other

Oct 17, 2017
2 min read

Dummies, dummies everywhere and with them my son is out of my hair. Oh I mean my son is happy.

Like an addict waiting for our next hit, the relief we felt when I found a dummy in the bottom of my nappy bag was like a high like no other. I am the first to admit it ,dummies were a blessing for us. I understand that some babies will not take one and some Mums would never offer one however when the nurse in the Special Care ward said Daniel was the worst little sucker she had seen in some time we took her advise and Daniel was offered a dummy. He practiced daily until after one month the Dr declared him a successful little sucker and they gave us permission to finally take our baby boy home.

Daniel and I were at the height of our addiction by age 2, we took the dummy with us everywhere and it got us through hungry uglies, tiredness or just a good old 2 year old emotional tantrum.

The dentist was the first to pop my bubble quickly followed by the Dr and the Speech Pathologist. It was now time for the Dummy to go. I got anxiety just thinking about what my life would be like without the dummy. I had visions or tears and tantrums. Both his and mine.

I asked around and was shocked to hear Mothers say things like “ just cut the tip off “ and “I told my child the dog ate it “ to “ just lose it somewhere “. What are these people thinking ? Are they crazy ! This has been a great comfort in times of anxiety for my little boy and they want me to snatch. Of coarse my child will cry if I do that. I know plenty of Mums who might throw a tantrum if someone snatched their Iphone. Who wouldn’t ?

It’s normal to feel uncertain about whether you are ready to make the change. If you have what it takes to quit and not give in.I chose instead to embrace pretend play and fantasy and introduce Daniel to the Dummy Fairy.

Two months later we live a life without dummies, a happy life without the anxiety and fear of being at the shops and looking in the bottom of my bag for a dummy and not finding one there.

With thanks to the Dummy Fairy our road to recovery was without bumps , pitfalls or setbacks. It was smooth sailing and we are officially cured.

By Leisa Papa , Author of “Daniel and the Dummy Fairy”