Pacifiers - do you plan on using them?
With my three prior kids (now *all* adults) we used pacifiers...and the grandparents and daycare centers I think used them to the extreme. My plan back then was to only allow them to use them as babies, more or less as an aide to myself at bedtime. I invested in the ones that were supposed to be "dental" safe....each and every kid had/has dental problems (and mouth-roof problems). Whether or not I can contribute them to the pacifiers or not, I don't know...I just remember all the mommies and strangers offering the advice that I shouldn't be using pacifiers because of future dental and mouth development problems.
It was also hard to ween a couple of them off.
So...this time around, I'm not going to have to worry about grandparents overriding parenting decisions, nor will I have day care center's to contend with...
It's been 20 years since I've had to educate myself on the pros/cons of pacifiers...and I'm not sure if they are worth getting in the first place. I'm not against them (particularly when I think of how they can be calming for the child without associating food w/ comfort suckling).
What have been your thoughts for your little one on the way?
Re: Pacifiers - do you plan on using them?
I plan on using them. I had actually read that using one can actually can help reduce the risk of SIDS. Here is the article if you would like to read it.
https://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/news/20051208/pacifiers-may-protect-babies-from-sids
Some babies don't need or want it but I will offer my LO it. It is a pain to ween them off of them for sure but if it provides comfort I say why not!
We used one with our first daughter and at about 5-6 weeks, she stopped using it. Literally, we would put it in and she would spit it out so we stopped offering it and she didn't have any issues. She would still move her mouth like she had it (self-soothing) and still does now if she's really tired.
I will offer it to DS and see what he does.
we will use pacifiers this time also. i didn't think it was that difficult to wean them of the paci...they used to have them everywhere and we weaned them slowly...first, no paci in the car, then no paci outside of sleeping times, then we put them all in a basket for the "binky fairy" to take away for the babies. the binky fairy left a little treat for the twins and all was fine.
good luck with your decision.
Havent used them with first 2, and dont intend to this time either. Maybe at the grocery store to stretch her out if shes upset but definitely not as a sleep aid. i have strong ideas about using them to fall asleep.
My son sucks his thumb and has a comforter bunny toy. I will introduce a comforter asap, as Saluas bunny has been the best! He has fantastic teeth too even though he sucks his thumb alot. This is starting to lessen now though and he only does it now when hes ready to sleep.
I had an open mind w/my son (who will be 3 soon), but had planned to wait a week or two to be sure he nursed well. He had a MAJOR need to suck right from the start and the nurse ended up offering us one in the hospital (I hadn't brought any) and he took to it right away (and nursed like a champ). We still let him have it for sleeping, but that's more because we're okay with it than because he needs it. Our pediatrician felt that the paci was more of a social intrusion than anything else and that as long as he wasn't using it during the day it was no biggee (he usually spits it out at night after he's asleep anyway).
We'd do it again if the baby took to it. I prefer it to the thumb as it can be taken away ... and I have also seen the studies that it is good SIDS prevention in the first year.
Margaux still uses one at night, and we'll use one (if she wants it) with Millie. We call ours "nups" and Margaux knows not to take them out of bed because "nups are for naps."
I'm not looking forward to taking it away from her, though.
big brothers 12.2009 and 02.2012
I have 2 teens and a baby on the way
with the 1st she did not really take to pacifier preferred me
the 2nd liked it and it gave me a break
now with this one will buy the nuk brand as that is what my kids liked best before. It is nice to not be the chew toy and it does what it is supposed to do it pacifies. When they are old enough to name it, then it gets lost and stuffie replaces it. So we never had dental issues.