--- title: "Dummies UK: if you use one | BabyNido" description: "Baby dummies and soothers in the UK: when to introduce one, Lullaby Trust notes, MAM listings to compare, and when to skip — never dip in something sweet." url: "https://babynido.co.uk/guides/dummy-soother-uk" --- - [Home](/) - / [Guides](/guides) - / [Care](/care) - / Dummies UK: if you use one care # Dummies UK: if you use one Baby dummies and soothers in the UK: when to introduce one, Lullaby Trust notes, MAM listings to compare, and when to skip — never dip in something sweet. - UK care - Unscented first - Not a clinic By [Hannah Cole](/author/hannah-cole) · Published 13 August 2026 · Last updated 13 August 2026 Also browse [Care](/care)[Skip-list](/skip)[All guides](/guides) Desk-researched 2026-08-13. Links marked with * are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Verdicts stay independent: we name the free or official option when it wins. We have not lab-tested products. Verdict A dummy is optional. If you breastfeed, wait until feeding is established. If you use one, use it for sleep consistently, sterilise it, and never put it on a neck cord. Skip dipping it in anything sweet. Skip this if they refuse — do not force a soother. Not for: Skip this if you need infant-feeding support. A dummy is not a latch plan. We compare soothers as kit, not SIDS treatment. On this page - 1. [Do you need a dummy for a newborn?](#do-you-need-a-dummy-for-a-newborn) - 2. [When should you introduce a dummy if you breastfeed?](#when-should-you-introduce-a-dummy-if-you-breastfeed) - 3. [What dummy habits should you skip?](#what-dummy-habits-should-you-skip) - 4. [Which dummies are worth comparing in the UK?](#which-dummies-are-worth-comparing-in-the-uk) - 5. [Is a dummy the same as a teether?](#is-a-dummy-the-same-as-a-teether) - 6. [When should you skip buying dummies as a gift?](#when-should-you-skip-buying-dummies-as-a-gift) - 7. [Frequently asked questions](#faq) ## Do you need a dummy for a newborn? No. Many babies never use one. The Lullaby Trust discusses dummy use and safer sleep as a possible factor when used for every sleep, not as a must-buy. If you breastfeed, wait until feeding is going. A dummy that masks hunger cues is a problem, not a product win. Source: [ The Lullaby Trust — Dummies and safer sleep ](https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/dummies/) (checked 13 Aug 2026). The Lullaby Trust dummy page was last reviewed 1 February 2025 (checked 13 Aug 2026). If that page and a marketplace title disagree, the Trust wins. MAM listings sell because they are on Amazon, not because every newborn needs a soother. ## When should you introduce a dummy if you breastfeed? After breastfeeding is established — often a few weeks, not day one on the ward. NHS-linked feeding leaflets warn that a dummy can hide feeding cues. If feeding is hard, get support rather than a soother. Formula-fed babies still should not have a dummy instead of a feed. Hospital bags do not need a dummy pack. See [hospital bag](/guides/hospital-bag-uk) and [breastfeeding kit](/guides/breastfeeding-kit-uk). ## What dummy habits should you skip? Skip neck cords and dummy clips that can catch. Skip dipping in sugar, honey or jam — NHS teeth advice. Skip forcing a dummy they spit out. Skip using it in awake time if you are using it for sleep. Sterilise like other feeding kit. The Lullaby Trust suggests easing off between six and 12 months. Source: [ NHS — Looking after your baby’s teeth ](https://www.nhs.uk/baby/babys-development/teething/looking-after-your-babys-teeth/) (checked 13 Aug 2026). ## Which dummies are worth comparing in the UK? Compare a MAM 0–6 month dummy and a silicone soother — not a ranked orthodontic winner we have not fitted. We have not measured bite. Skip cords. Skip this compare if you do not want a dummy. Awin hops can sit beside Amazon when live. [ Compare dummies at Boots* ](/go/boots?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.boots.com%2Fbaby-child&p=inline) Desk-researched 13 Aug 2026. Example UK listings to compare, not a ranked best-of. We have not lab-tested them. Prices move. Affiliate links (*). Awin tracking URLs can replace a hop when you send them. - Dummies · Amazon UK ### MAM orthodontic dummy (0–6 months) A frequent Amazon UK soother listing. Compare the age range and whether you will sterilise it. One dummy, not a drawer. Skip if: Breastfeeding is not established yet and you wanted to wait, or they refuse it — do not force. [ Compare MAM dummies on Amazon UK* ](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=MAM+dummy+0-6+months&tag=clevermum0c-21) [Read the buying guide](/guides/dummy-soother-uk) - Dummies · Amazon UK ### Tommee Tippee / silicone soother Another common UK dummy. Same rules: no neck cord, no sweet dip, sterilise, not a feeding-cue mask. Skip if: You needed a teether, not a soother — different product. [ Compare baby soothers on Amazon UK* ](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Tommee+Tippee+dummy+newborn&tag=clevermum0c-21) [Read the buying guide](/guides/dummy-soother-uk) ## Is a dummy the same as a teether? No. A dummy is a soother, often for sleep. A teether is a chew toy for gums. Do not leave either in a clear cot overnight as a toy. See [teething toys](/guides/teething-toys-uk). A dummy that falls out at night is not something you fish for in the dark if it means waking everyone. Follow The Lullaby Trust on whether to replace a dummy that falls out during sleep — their dummy page is the rule, not a forum thread. ## When should you skip buying dummies as a gift? Skip if the parents are establishing breastfeeding and did not ask. Skip a dummy chain. Skip a huge mixed pack of ages. A voucher or muslins are kinder. If they asked, one 0–6 month pair with a sterilising method is enough. Sleep still starts with a [firm mattress](/guides/cot-mattress-safer-sleep-uk), not a soother. ## Frequently asked questions Do dummies reduce SIDS? The Lullaby Trust discusses dummy use as part of safer-sleep evidence. It is not a reason to force a dummy, and it does not replace back-to-sleep, smoke-free, or a clear cot. Read their dummy page. When can I give a breastfed baby a dummy? After breastfeeding is established. Using one too early can mask feeding cues. If feeding is painful or poor, get support rather than a soother. Are MAM dummies better? They are a common UK listing. We have not ranked orthodontic claims. Compare age range, whether you will sterilise, and skip cords. ## Read next - [ sleep Baby sleeping bags UK: TOG and skip Baby sleeping bags and TOG in the UK: which TOG, what to wear underneath, Grobag-style listings to compare, and when a bag is the wrong product. ](/guides/baby-sleeping-bags-tog-uk) - [ care Breastfeeding kit UK: pads first Breast pads, lanolin and pumps in the UK: what to buy if you breastfeed or express, Amazon bestsellers to compare, and what to skip — not a latch clinic. ](/guides/breastfeeding-kit-uk) - [ gear Teething toys UK: what to skip Teethers, Sophie la girafe and newborn sensory toys in the UK: what to compare on Amazon, what stays out of the cot, and when to skip jewellery teethers. ](/guides/teething-toys-uk) - [ planning Newborn essentials UK: what to skip What a UK newborn actually needs — sleep, car seat, nappies, a few babygrows — and the gadgets you can skip. Desk-researched, sourced. ](/guides/newborn-essentials-uk) - [ sleep Cot mattresses and safer sleep in the UK How to choose a UK cot mattress: firm, flat, waterproof, the right size. What The Lullaby Trust wants — and what to skip. ](/guides/cot-mattress-safer-sleep-uk) - [ care Sippy cups UK: free flow first Sippy cups and trainer beakers in the UK: NHS free-flow advice, when to start, Amazon listings to compare, and why non-spill valves can be the wrong win. ](/guides/sippy-cups-uk) [ See compare listings Then hop to the retailer ](#compare-listings)