After months of sleepless nights, I have managed to get our 6 month old son to sleep during the nights. However he has become quite attached to the dummy and gets very upset if he isn't very sleepy when i try and put him down without it. The problem is he now is waking up around 3.30am and can't get himself back to sleep without it. Are there ways of breaking this association over a period of time, and what steps should I take to do this? I.e do I not give it to him and only give it once he really starts to cry etc. Do I do the timed crying approach and increase the time we don't give him the dummy in the hope he will evenually put himself to sleep or will that make things worse.

Not sure I can help other than to sympathise. My 4 month old is fine during the day but a nightmare at night as wakes as soon as her dummy comes out which is probably every hour and more early morning. Not sure whether to let her cry it out or what - maybe its just a phase - any advice!

I think that you either need to not use a dummy at all or be prepared to pop in during the night if he wakes and give him the dummy! I can't see any other way of consistentcy as a baby will son learn that if they cry loud enough the reward is the dummy. If you use a dummy and are happy with a dummy is ther eany reason why the baby shouldnt have it at night also?

I didnt use dummys so sorry if the advice is useless!!
x