Pacifiers?

Shortstack06

I have been looking at pros and cons, and right now still not wanting to use them. I wanted other mom's opinions on them and if you use them(assuming baby takes it)

winecastle14

Hi. I haven't done an intro or opened the "go here first" thread (sorries, I will tomorrow) but I am a STM and I will use one. Although, I will wait until breastfeeding is well established first this time as my DD had trouble latching and it could have been partly due to early paci use.

I thought I wouldn't use one the first time but I do a lot of things I thought I wouldn't. Welcome to parenthood . Every baby is different so you'll just have to wait and see what works best for you.

ETA: changed my name a while back but haven't posted since. Morning sickness sucks ass. I used to be AmberEA14. Hi Nov '12 bumpies!!

mc0113

In theory, I would like to wait until breast feeding is established before offering any pacifiers or bottles. But in reality, if I have a baby that constantly needs to be sucking something, I'll give them a paci.

HamptonsMama

My daughter never wanted one and I'd be thrilled if baby #2 didn't either. DD also refused to take bottles EVER so I nursed her a lot. I would have used them if she wanted it but she really had no interest in it.

longcat07

mc0113 said:

In theory, I would like to wait until breast feeding is established before offering any pacifiers or bottles. But in reality, if I have a baby that constantly needs to be sucking something, I'll give them a paci.

this.

cassied7

I am a second time mom and I swore up and down that I would NEVER use one with my first. That lasted 2 days. He was a "sucker". He's 15 months and still uses it and I'm past the point of worrying about it. His dentist says three years is the cut off, so that's what I'll live by. I sucked my thumb until 4th grade, so I guess I don't blame him.

storm08

I was going to wait at least a week or two to use one with DS, but then the first night home from the hospital we couldn't get him to sleep/stop screaming. That pacifier gave us the most glorious hour of sleep I can remember in my life. We limited the use for sleep (night and naps) and in the car only. It made it easier when we weaned from the paci - car use went first, then night-time, then nap time. I expect we will follow a similar timeframe with this baby if we're lucky.

LaBellaVida

I'm use one of my baby takes it. So far my last 2 didn't want it, and i wish they took it.

LooneyLife

We do not plan on using one.  Not a single baby in my immediate or extended family has ever used one, so the whole pacifier concept is foreign to me.

moonfaerie

For me, it's all up to the baby. I don't buy into nipple confusion, so that doesn't phase me. It's nice to have a way of soothing baby without giving her the boob, so pacifiers are ok by me. None of my kids have taken to them, really, though.

DD1 used one a bit until she discovered her hands, and then she preferred to hold it instead of suck on it. DD2 would keep it in only if someone was holding it for her, which wasn't very helpful for me. DD3 gave the paci a stinkeye and decided to be a thumb sucker.

Beauxbaton

I probably won't breastfeed. If I do it'll be more of pumping breast milk and giving it in a bottle. So we will use one from the beginning if the baby takes it. My son never really did. So we will see

shannjohnston

DS still "needs" his for naps/bedtime and he's 2. Like @cassied7 mentioned, our dentist said he's fine until 3, no dental problems. If #2 wants one, we have quite a collection.

Samiantha101

I didn't plan on using one, but it was nice to have one for those times where I couldn't drop everything to breastfeed, such as the drive home from the store. Fortunately for me, my daughter didn't get too attached to it. She didn't use one past 4 months old. I don't have a strong opinion on the matter.

liladelphia215

If (s)he takes one, sure. It was easy enough to break the daytime binky by 18 months and the night time binky by 2.5.

Stargirlb

personally, no. I haven't ever used one and don't ever plan to.

I feel very strongly about no pacifiers for newborns particularly, until breastfeeding is established. 

Beyond that, I just never liked them or saw the point. I was the pacifier. haha

Stargirlb

BTW: constant sucking is a great way to establish your milk supply. 

Latham12

I am so glad we introduces a pacifier one day 2. I refused to be a human pacifier but mostly, our DD did awesome when we took it away at 20 months. Had we not introduced it, I'm sure she woot be sucking her thumb till she was 7. My brother sucked his fingers till he was 7ish and my cousin sucked her thumb till she was 9 or 10!! Her mom spent thousands on different things to get her to stop, none of them worked. But I still breastfed till she was 17 months and we only weaned so I could start fertility medicine to tttc. I nursed her when she was hungry, not when she wanted to just comfort suck.

Latham12

moonfaerie said:

For me, it's all up to the baby. I don't buy into nipple confusion, so that doesn't phase me. It's nice to have a way of soothing baby without giving her the boob, so pacifiers are ok by me. None of my kids have taken to them, really, though.

DD1 used one a bit until she discovered her hands, and then she preferred to hold it instead of suck on it. DD2 would keep it in only if someone was holding it for her, which wasn't very helpful for me. DD3 gave the paci a stinkeye and decided to be a thumb sucker.

I don't buy the nipple confusion either. I mean, if they are hungry, they will nurse :-)

ECATX

We started using one at about 5 weeks. We didn't have any issues with breastfeeding (before or after), and it made a world of difference for my DD. I sometimes wish she weren't so hooked on them now, but it was worth it. We can always get her out of the habit later. She was colicy as a newborn and cried for hours every day, and using a pacifier seemed to help (along with constantly being held, bounced, and walked around!). She was born with a blister on her hand from sucking in the womb, but she never really showed any interest in her hand or thumb once she was born.

thompnia

I didn't even offer one to my son until he was several months old, and it was more to see if he liked it than anything else. We exclusively breastfed (pumped bm when I was in school,) and like @Stargirlb‌, I was the pacifier (hate that we refer to our bodies as being the replacement object instead of vice versa, but not the point.)

I only offered it because my grandmothers tended to overfeed him when they babysat. I hoped that the paci would placate both his need to suck and my grandmas' need to not hear him fuss, but no dice. I don't think I will bother this time around, as I will be working full time by 12 weeks and do not want to risk our breastfeeding relationship more than that.

Edited for typo

amiej1227

FTM so it will depend on the baby but I'm not above using one if need be, if the baby doesn't want one great but if so then I'll find one that works

nolansmom08

I tried to use them with both of my kids, but neither would take them. In the end I'm kind of glad I didn't because I didn't have to worry about taking it away, but I'm the moment I wished they would have taken them. Not sure what I will do with this one.

Stargirlb

thompnia said:

I didn't even offer one to my son until he was several months old, and it was more to see if he liked it than anything else. We exclusively breastfed (pumped bm when I was in school,) and like @Stargirlb‌, I was the pacifier (hate that we refer to our bodies as being the replacement object instead of vice versa, but not the point.) I only offered it because my grandmothers tended to overfeed him when they babysat. I hoped that the paci would placate both his need to suck and my grandmas' need to not hear him fuss, but no dice. I don't think I will bother this time around, as I will be working full time by 12 weeks and do not want to risk our breastfeeding relationship more than that. Edited for typo

Baby using a pacifier while you at work is probably not going to affect your nursing relationship, if that's your primary concern. If he is taking bottles while you are away, a pacifier could be beneficial since the bottle fills them faster/longer than the breast so he will likely have the unquenched desire to suck for longer. 

I was not working or away from the babies for any serious stretches of time, so not offering any bottles and had no reason to consider a pacifier. If I WAS working and away from the baby for long stretches, and they were being bottle fed, I would probably use one. 

thompnia

Stargirlb said:

thompnia said:

I didn't even offer one to my son until he was several months old, and it was more to see if he liked it than anything else. We exclusively breastfed (pumped bm when I was in school,) and like @Stargirlb‌, I was the pacifier (hate that we refer to our bodies as being the replacement object instead of vice versa, but not the point.)

I only offered it because my grandmothers tended to overfeed him when they babysat. I hoped that the paci would placate both his need to suck and my grandmas' need to not hear him fuss, but no dice. I don't think I will bother this time around, as I will be working full time by 12 weeks and do not want to risk our breastfeeding relationship more than that.

Edited for typo

Baby using a pacifier while you at work is probably not going to affect your nursing relationship, if that's your primary concern. If he is taking bottles while you are away, a pacifier could be beneficial since the bottle fills them faster/longer than the breast so he will likely have the unquenched desire to suck for longer. 

I was not working or away from the babies for any serious stretches of time, so not offering any bottles and had no reason to consider a pacifier. If I WAS working and away from the baby for long stretches, and they were being bottle fed, I would probably use one. 

_______________

I think part of the problem was me being the person to offer the pacifier. Why would he want a pack when the boob was right there? Maybe I will get a few simply for whomever is babysitting to use.

Edited to try to fix quote fail

Lanatir

First time around I had an oversupply so I didn't want constant sucking, but DD wouldn't take one.

For a while I actually tried to make her take one because everyone I knew had kids who slept through the night or at least went down for the night in like 20 minutes instead of our constant 1-2 hour struggle every night for the first 6ish months of DD's life.  She just wouldn't have it.

I'm not against offering them, so we'll see what happens with 2.0.

MNgirl326

I wasn't going to do nuks.   But then i had a husband travel out of town during the week so i was on my own all week and eventually did just need some sleep.  I also had a baby with severe reflux, supply issues, had to go back to work, had to send LO to daycare, etc.  So the nuk happened. 

But after about 6 months, LO threw out the nuk and found his thumb.  No matter how hard I tried to keep the nuk, he preferred the thumb.  they were best friends.   Sigh it is what it is. 

On things like this, I personally wouldn't plan one way or another, i would just wait to the baby comes and see if their personality warrents one.  

jmcmoe

I'm with everyone who said that if they need to be constantly sucking, then use one, a pacifier is easy to take away, but if the baby finds his/her thumb then that a lot harder habit to break and can cause major dental issues....

Mrs_Bennett

Eh, not really something I've thought about yet.  I will probably buy a few before LO is born, and offer them if I feel they're needed.  DS1 used one for about 11 months (only allowed to have in while in bed), and it was not a big deal when we took it away at all.  DS2 never had any interest, and we didn't push them.  We'll offer them to this baby if he/she wants to suckle more than nurse, but it's really up to the baby whether he/she will accept them.

Edit: Using a paci is supposed to lower the risk of SIDS, so that is a benefit if you're worried about it. 

mom2case

I pushed the paci with my daughter.  She took it about 4 months and then found her fingers.  She's over 3 and we've been fighting to get her to stop sucking her fingers for over 8 months now.  She is down to only sucking them in the car and when she's sleepy.  I sucked my thumb (going to sleep) until I was 7 and really wanted something I could "take away" from our daughter.  Kids have a mind of their own though.   

KJsbabe

With DD I waited a month before I offered her one. With bottles it was two months. I wanted to have a solid hold on BFing before introing anything else. She took the pacifier now and then, but didn't "need" it by any means. They did come in handy, like the time she was crying uncontrollably at the doctor's office after getting shots, and nothing else I tried helped. She started refusing them around 10 months, so there was no struggle to wean her off them later. I'll do the same plan with this LO and hope for the same outcome.

llambrose

My daughter used one from day one, I nursed her almost exclusively for a year and never had any issues. She was a super easy baby, she nursed well, took a bottle no problem and loved a pacifier. If this one wants one, I will give it.

mmooki

They gave dd one in the hospital, and she used it for a few weeks. She never was really into it and it would keep falling out at night, waking her up. So we stopped offering. She was fine. I guess we'll take the same line of thinking this time.

nah82

Even if you intend to use one now, not all babies will take a pacifier.  But both my boys used them and I hope the new baby will, too.  There is a decreased SIDS risk for babies who sleep with pacifiers.  I have bfed two babies and I know that I personally prefer not to be used as a pacifier in between feedings (when baby is just sucking to soothe rather than eating).  It did not hurt my milk supply and I did not have a difficult time taking them away when the time came to do so.

jc51723

I gave DD a paci when she was about 4 or 5 days old, after swearing I wouldn't. I nursed at home and pumped at work for 18 months. We had a beautiful nursing relationship and the paci had no negative effects on it at all. She gave it up on her own when she was 13 months. She had her first ear infection so I guess it hurt her to suck on it. She threw it out of her crib and slept all night so I never offered it to her again and she was fine!

And she never had any nipple confusion. She knew exactly where the milk came from!

GromMom

I would have used one with ds but he refused. In fact I kind of wish he used one now because I have no milk but he wants to suckle to fall asleep but it's so painful. He suckles in his sleep even when not latched, it's kind of cute but he's also not a good sleeper, I wonder if a pacifier would have helped establish better patterns

LovelyLips

I put other options as I used one with DS. He wouldn't breast feed well and my milk was scanty and I ended up bottle feeding.

This time I want to try to breast feed properly so won't be using a dummy esp not early on as I don't want to confuse baby with different suckling motions.

I'm not anti dummy though and it was simple to get it away from my DS when he was about 3 for good. He only sucked on it a nap times and not when he was awake.

MrsRachelAnn

I'll use one with this baby if BFing is going well and he or she will take it.

We debated using one with my son, but ended up giving it to him on his 2nd day home. I exclusively breastfed him for 13 months and he used a paci until 20 months (only for sleep after he turned 1). He wouldn't really take a bottle, so I too am not a huge believer in nipple confusion.

Britt1406

Didn't read all the comments, but some babies might not take them. DS only used the one from the hospital for very a very short period (and little at a time). He refused all others- which worked out well since we never had to wean from it either. We will likely offer from the beginning with DD but it is NBD if she chooses to take it or not. 

letsgox

I chose "not sure" because I don't know if this baby will take a pacifier. We will use one if needed and if s/he "accepts" one, though.

We waited 6 weeks until offering one to C because I was EBF her and I didn't want her to take a pacifier if she were really just hungry. That went out the window when she just suckled for a bit then fell asleep and would cry when unlatched.

She had no issues latching after the paci, and had zero nipple confusion with the bottle and breast either. She is over a year and a half now and says "No thank you paci" now.

She only "liked" one type, so I recommend not getting a bunch of one brand until you know the baby will take it. (We have a TON of the Avent pacifiers and only had one sample Nuk. Wouldn't you know that's the one she actually "liked.")

winecastle14

Latham12 said:

moonfaerie said:

For me, it's all up to the baby. I don't buy into nipple confusion, so that doesn't phase me. It's nice to have a way of soothing baby without giving her the boob, so pacifiers are ok by me. None of my kids have taken to them, really, though.

DD1 used one a bit until she discovered her hands, and then she preferred to hold it instead of suck on it. DD2 would keep it in only if someone was holding it for her, which wasn't very helpful for me. DD3 gave the paci a stinkeye and decided to be a thumb sucker.

I don't buy the nipple confusion either. I mean, if they are hungry, they will nurse :-)

@Latham12‌ sorry but sometimes it's just not that easy. Took me two weeks to get my daughter to latch. I feel the need to comment here because people need to be prepared for some struggles with breastfeeding. Not everyone has them and that's great but a lot do. I'm still nursing my 20 month old but it was a rough start and it wasn't as simple as "if she's hungry she will nurse"

danakatiepfoltzer

cassied7 said:

I am a second time mom and I swore up and down that I would NEVER use one with my first. That lasted 2 days. He was a "sucker". He's 15 months and still uses it and I'm past the point of worrying about it. His dentist says three years is the cut off, so that's what I'll live by. I sucked my thumb until 4th grade, so I guess I don't blame him.

This exactly although ds is 2. It NEVER interfered with bf. He nursed until his second birthday.