You’ll notice that when you buy a new dummy from us here at CMC Gold, or indeed any dummy supplier, it’s recommended that you replace your baby’s dummy every 4-6 weeks. But is this really necessary or is it just a marketing ploy? And if it is necessary, why is it important to replace a dummy within this timescale?
We answer all your questions.
How do you check for damage or changes?
As a conscientious dummy supplier, we always recommend that you replace a dummy every 4-6 weeks for both hygiene and safety reasons. Every time you sterilise your baby’s dummies, check them for changes in the teat size or shape and look for slits, ruptures or signs of fatigue in the teat material. If you do notice any of these issues, you should replace the dummy. It’s also a good idea to pull the teat in different directions as this will highlight any potential problems before they become an issue.
How can you tell that a dummy needs replacing?
- It will expand. This may not sound like a problem, but your bubba will get used to the larger size which means that they’ll be less likely to take a new dummy when offered because the teat will be much smaller.
- The rubber starts to break down. This is the main reason why you should replace your dummy in line with the 4–6 weeks recommendation. With constant sucking, the rubber starts to fatigue and may become brittle or sticky.
Why is it important to replace a dummy?
When the material of the teat breaks down it becomes less hygienic, plus the structure of the material will change. The breaking down of the rubber will leave tiny indentations that can harbour bacteria. As your baby is likely to be using a dummy daily and, of course, a dummy goes in the mouth, do you really want to run the risk of tummy problems or worse?
What happens if you don’t replace a fatigued dummy?
Don’t be tempted to keep a dummy even if it only looks slightly fatigued. With constant sucking, the tip of the dummy can actually break off in your baby’s mouth which has the potential to lead to a more serious issue. If you’d like to see some graphic examples of what happens to a dummy when it’s used past its 4-6 replacement timeframe, head over to our Instagram page.
And remember, it’s not just CMC Gold dummies that need to be replaced every 4-6 weeks, it’s every brand of dummy!
Time for new dummies? Check out the selection at CMC Gold
If it’s time to replace your bub’s dummies, head over to our dummies page and check out our stock. We have a wide selection of dummies in an enormous variety of beautiful colours, so you can match your little one’s dummy to their outfit. Of course, all our dummies are Australian-made and conform to AS 2432:2015 & AS/NZS ISO 8124.3 to ensure that they’re ultra-safe. Plus, we can ship them to you wherever you happen to be in Australia.