pacifier -- yay or nay?

MrsRon · February 2010

I'm trying to make a list of things I still need to get before our baby arrives. The article that I'm looking at online has pacifiers as an essential. I'm hesitant. On one hand, I read/hear things saying that I "need" to have them around to calm the baby down if he's fussy. On the other hand, I feel like if I don't have them around, I won't be tempted to give it to him, he'll never get used to having it, and I'll never have to break him of it. What are your thoughts? I plan on EBFing if it makes any difference. I may also post this on 0-3.....

aegrimm · February 2010

Pacifiers are proven to help prevent SIDS.

That's what made me decide to buy them for DS. But, he hated them anyway, lol

AmyLovesEddie14 · February 2010

We'll definitely be getting pacifiers.

Bhobbsdz · February 2010

I would have a couple on hand. It soothes the baby and at some point, you will try anything. DD took them until she was about 2 mos. old and then did not like them any longer.

Temp200154562509288 · February 2010

It's natural for babies to suck, but not all babies like pacifiers, I would have a few around. I EBF DD and she only took a pacifier when she was sleeping, and when we were in the car.

Worcbride · February 2010

I was so against pacis until I had DD. I BF'd and literally she wouldnt get off of me--to the point I was bleeding. She was about a wk old when we gave her one....and it saved me and made her happy. Babies have a NEED to suck. She never had nipple confusion. Weaning her was a piece of cake.

Smootchy · February 2010

I actually did just hear that paci's are good in preventing SIDS. I'm planning on BF but will also paci's around. It's all personal preferance.... When I think baby, I think paci. I was a BF baby and also had a paci. Turned out just fine

terrahill09 · February 2010

We bought a few just to have around in case we get desperate. I'm sure we will end up using them. The hospital will give you one too..at least ours does.

madameprimm · February 2010

I have some just in case, but I'd love it if she wouldn't take one. My mom said that neither my brother nor I would ever take pacifiers.

ABColeslaw · February 2010

Yes we are planning on using a paci, unless Asher hates them, then we only have like 4 so its not the end of the world.

Mrs_Springbride · February 2010

we dont plan on using one, but have a few on hand...just in case!

balibaby · February 2010

Bhobbsdz:
I would have a couple on hand. It soothes the baby and at some point, you will try anything. DD took them until she was about 2 mos. old and then did not like them any longer.

Same situation for us. She loved the Soothie one and then spit it out after about 2 mos. I would have actually liked her to keep taking it, instead I became her pacifier! Our hospital provided us with a bunch of paci's so my thinking is you probably don't actually need to buy any. See if your baby likes the one they give you and then you can always buy a different brand if you need to. I recommend one for the car ride home from the hospital. It's kind of stressful as a new mommy hearing your baby crying on their first car ride!

sherina825 · February 2010

aegrimm:

Pacifiers are proven to help prevent SIDS.

That's what made me decide to buy them for DS. But, he hated them anyway, lol

Never heard of this. This is why I love The Bump, always new info. I will be getting them anyway, just as a precaution. If LO takes it fine, if not fine. My mother didn't use them with myself or my two sisters because she thought they were nasty, but my oldest sister is 38 and things have changed a lot since then.

LovingMyHubby · February 2010

Bhobbsdz:
I would have a couple on hand. It soothes the baby and at some point, you will try anything. DD took them until she was about 2 mos. old and then did not like them any longer.

Ditto this. We also EBF'ed and had no problems with nipple confusion.

AlisonLynn · February 2010

AmyLovesEddie14:
We'll definitely be getting pacifiers.

Yes

Lizzama · February 2010

we have a few and plan to BF while I can (I work 12-hour night shifts so eventually it won't work) but the only thing I've heard is that those children who really do like the paci will need one of the orthodontic one as their teeth start to come in to help prevent messing them up.

MsLindseyLou · February 2010

I thought that I wouldn't use them, but DD was in the NICU and they gave her the soothie ones. I totally attribute her sleeping through the night to the paci. My neice is a horrrible sleeper and she didn't use a paci.

My daughter sleeps like a dream, 12 hours a night and puts her self to sleep with a paci.

I will be using one for #2.

tlmommy2b:) · February 2010

aegrimm:
Pacifiers are proven to help prevent SIDS.

this is one main reason why I am getting them:)

gunsofbrixton · February 2010

I plan on breast feeding as well but ive definately heard you need to figure out what works best for you...if you want to be an EP and bottle feed or breast feed and formula feed its all up to you...but we will definately be using pacifiers

joleine · February 2010

aegrimm:
Pacifiers are proven to help prevent SIDS.

That's what made me decide to buy them for DS. But, he hated them anyway, lol

That's one of the reasons we bought them.. that and you can take a pacifier away at any time... thumbs are permanently attached.. and babies want to suck, all the time.. they'll find something to suck one way or another.. I'd rather it be a pacifier than a thumb..

blissfully_caffeinated · February 2010

I'm not going to use pacifiers. I want LO to learn to self sooth. If he needs to suck on something he can use his thumb. It'll be a lot harder to get him to suck him thumb if he's got a pacifier. Plus, it's one less thing to worry about. If LO is having a freak out it's a lot easier to help him put his thumb in his mouth than it is to desperately look for a pacifier. kwim?

Temp200154562509288 · February 2010

blissfully_caffeinated:
I'm not going to use pacifiers. I want LO to learn to self sooth. If he needs to suck on something he can use his thumb. It'll be a lot harder to get him to suck him thumb if he's got a pacifier. Plus, it's one less thing to worry about. If LO is having a freak out it's a lot easier to help him put his thumb in his mouth than it is to desperately look for a pacifier. kwim?

I understand your reasoning but 2 things you may want to consider. 1. Thumbs are harder to break the habit than a paci, 2. from what I understand thumbs are not good for thier developing mouths and can cause problems with their teeth later on.

Regardless, I understand where your coming from and to each their own.

xcjen06 · February 2010

Yes for me because of them helping against SIDS, I was on the fence too until I learned this.

joleine · February 2010

MyBella:

I understand your reasoning but 2 things you may want to consider. 1. Thumbs are harder to break the habit than a paci, 2. from what I understand thumbs are not good for thier developing mouths and can cause problems with their teeth later on.

Regardless, I understand where your coming from and to each their own.

This is why I'm leaning towards a paci.. you can just throw them away.. My friend's 8 year old sucked on her fingers for well, 7 1/2 years until the dentist told her to stop and now she has an orthodontic appliance in her mouth to fix the damage done.. once she's done with this appliance, she'll have to get braces to continue to fix it

anakin · February 2010

blissfully_caffeinated:
I'm not going to use pacifiers. I want LO to learn to self sooth. If he needs to suck on something he can use his thumb. It'll be a lot harder to get him to suck him thumb if he's got a pacifier. Plus, it's one less thing to worry about. If LO is having a freak out it's a lot easier to help him put his thumb in his mouth than it is to desperately look for a pacifier. kwim?

Self soothing is a great thing for a baby to be able to do, but have you considered that most babies are 4-6 months old before they have the control to get their thumbs in their mouths? DS is 3 months and loves to suck on his hands and fingers, but he still can't get them in his mouth with any great deal of consistency. And trying to help him doesn't work either, he balls his hands into little fists and will actually push his hands away from his mouth when he is upset. There are times when the only way to sooth him is to give him something external to suck on, like a nipple, a paci or your finger.

You certainly should give it a try, but with the great return policies at most stores these days (BRU has a 90 day return policy) you might want to pick up one pack of pacifiers and see if you might need them.

And DD switched quite easily from a paci to her thumb at about 6 months. But now she is 5 and still sucks her thumb. We have tried several different suggested techniques to get her to quit the habit and it hasn't worked.

FWIW, our dentist and pedi have both said that thumb sucking does not have a great impact on the child's teeth. It was commonly believed that it had a negative effect, but the opinion on thumb sucking and teeth is changing.

CalMum_Momma · February 2010

We will def be using a pacifier! My brother's daughter is 2 years old. They did not use a paci, and now she sucks her thumb all the time. Try taking that thumb away! I did not know about it being good for preventing SIDS, but that will be an added bonus.

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