April 2011 Moms

Pacifier?

I haven't yet used a pacifier with DS.  His pedi yesterday said that I could go ahead and give him one if I wanted, so maybe he wouldn't soothe himself on the boob during the day as much (he does several short soothing/nursing sessions during the day).  I wasn't really planning on doing pacifiers with him unless he really showed a want/need for them - WDYT?  I'm not sure what my hangup with pacis is, I guess I just didn't ever think of them as a necessity.

TIA!

Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml

Re: Pacifier?

  • DS is just over 2 weeks and we gave him a pacifier a few days ago.  He loves sucking on his hands and same as you, would soothe himself with nursing even when he wasn't hungry.  I guess I figure that it is easier to take away a pacifier later on than try to break him of a thumb-sucking habit.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • We hadn't planned on giving Max one- I have an unexplainable hangup too...however, after 3 weeks of painful breastfeeding and TONS of comfort nursing, ive come to grips with it. I still use it as absolute last resort, especially during the day. This kid would hang on a boob all.day.long and my nips need a rest
  • Loading the player...
  • We gave our son a pacifier in the hospital because he was under the bili lights, was screaming to be held/comforted, and I couldn't take it. The ability to suck soothed him. I was so glad I gave him one. Now, he only needs one in the car (he's not a fan) or sometimes when MH is holding him and my boobs are unavailable. I don't mind comfort nursing him so we don't offer the paci routinely during the day. And we don't let him sleep with one. But in a pinch, the paci has really helped us!
    Pregnancy Ticker 
    DS - 2 years old
     image
  • Thanks ladies, I think D becoming dependent on the paci all the time is what I'm worried about.  I wouldn't mind if he took it now and then, but if he couldn't function without it (my siblings were like that) I'd probably have a crisis.

    Those of you using them, is there a specific kind?  I thought about getting some of the gumdrop ones, but didn't know if there was really a difference.  I do have a cute one with his name on it I could use in a pinch!

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • LO has a serious sucking desire, one of the reasons by nipples are destroyed. We introduced a pacifier a lot earlier on than we wanted to, but he only gets it when he's being particularly fussy and mouthy and we fed him not too long before then.
    Love, Peace and Rock & Roll the urban ellas Lilypie Second Birthday tickers Lilypie Pregnancy tickers
  • We have been trying one at night, because Terra is a little bit more fussy, and it is hard to get her to sleep without being on the boob, but she can't keep it in her mouth - The LC consultant told me just make sure that they don't use it all the time, and you miss feedings because you don't notice their cues.
  • We didn't plan on giving one but a week and a half ago Colton was on my boobs for 9 hours mostly comfort nursing. (I think mostly because my SIL was visiting and stressing him out!) I got a blister on both nips and decided to give a paci. He likes the Advent ones... we tried soohies and mams but didn't like them. He doesn't take it very often and sometimes he goes all day without it, but we have then just in case!
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Pregnancy Ticker
  • We waited 4 weeks with DD#1, but offered this LO a paci right away.  Those first 4 weeks with DD were a nightmare because she nursed ALL day long from wanting to soothe herself.  Looking back I wish I has given it to her sooner.  DD#2 can take it or leave it really, so I don't force the issue but sometimes I have to give it to her after she has eaten so much she is spitting up everywhere and/or I know she isn't hungry and I have something I need to do for DD#1.  I don't think pacis are a big deal, sure if your LO doesn't need it then I wouldn't offer one but we had no issues weaning DD at 11 months so I don't see the problem if they are a baby that really needs one for soothing.

    ETA:  This LO is a thumb sucker, so that was also part of the reason I offered her one earlier.  That being said, we took DD#1 paci away with no issues but when I weaned from BFing at 13 months she started sucking her pointer finger for comfort..so you never know what will happen even if you use a paci or not. 

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Pregnancy Ticker
  • imageKarenH15:
    .  He loves sucking on his hands and same as you, would soothe himself with nursing even when he wasn't hungry.  I guess I figure that it is easier to take away a pacifier later on than try to break him of a thumb-sucking habit.

    This is our daughter. I was also anti-paci until she started trying to suck on her hands and comfort nurse all day long. She loses interest in her paci pretty fast though so I'm hoping it wont be an issue when she's older and we're ready to get rid of them. Also I use the orthodontic ones, so they are more bf friendly, she doesn't like the smaller ones. 

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • kje120kje120 member
    We tried giving him one,but he won't take it.
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic

    Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickers Lilypie Second Birthday tickers
  • I think some kids just need the comforting of sucking more than others. DS1 was a binky master. There are a ton of pictures of him with a bink in his mouth but it was either a bink pic or a pic of him screaming. I absolutely saw that he needed it to calm himself down as he got older and I saw how comforting it was for him, especially when I went back to work. We got rid of it when he was 3 - it was sort of accidental, I had meant to get rid of it a number of times before that but just didn't have the heart to do it.

    This baby likes the bink but doesn't really need it. We use them every once in a while but he will fling it out of his mouth when he doesn't want it or block it with his tounge if he just wants to scream. His binky flinging ablities are quite impressive, he can shoot it a foot at least. 

    I do make a point to pull it out of his mouth when he's sleeping though. I found that with DS1 as he got older if his bink fell out of his mouth while sleeping he'd always wake up crying. 

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • We have one for LO and she really could take it or leave it. Sometimes if she starts sucking her hand and she's just eaten so I know she's not hungry we'll give it to her because I don't want her to be a thumb sucker for the same reasons PP have said. We use it in the car and I'll also use it if I'm having a hard time putting her down for naps and in both instances she has it in her mouth for all of two minutes before she's asleep. She's actually getting really good at self soothing herself if she does wake up.. so running in to stick the soother in her mouth isn't really an issue for us. She really doesn't use it all that much but it's good to have around for the odd time she does need it. 
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • Scout05Scout05 member

    We use one as a soother in the evenings when she gets super fussy and nothing else will calm her. I'm not BFing, so comfort nursing is not an option. I don't offer her one at naps/bed time because when it falls out, she goes nuts. So it's something for when we're holding and rocking her to calm a fussy fit.

    It works well for us; I was a thumb sucker and it took my parents an incredible amount of time to break me of the habit. And this is after I wrecked my teeth. I'd rather do the paci, it's a lot easier to take away than her thumbs and before any real damage is done to the mouth.

This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"