Pacifier - yes or no?

mopsie · April 2010

I took a BFing class last week and the LC mentioned that formula companies donate all the pacifiers to the hospitals to help babies get nipple confusion so they're more likely to have BFing problems.

For those of you who plan to exclusively BF, are you going to allow the hospital to give LO a pacifier after birth? If not, do you have to make a special request?

nicT42509 · April 2010

I also took a class and they told us that if you are going to BF, to NOT give a pacifier for the first 3 weeks (if at all) The LC said they will NOT give one without asking you first. Not sure about your hospital, but I would ask you dr and the nurses before hand.

ashlee1120 · April 2010

I personally do not want my LO to get a pacifier, and I am going to express this to the nurses and hopefully they will listen to me.

JulyFiveBride · April 2010

No. And it depends on your hospital/birth center's policies. At ours they won't give anything to your LO without talking to you first, so you don't have to request that they don't give one. DD never left our sight anyway, so we would have been able to intervene if the nurse tried to give her one, but if she had gone to NICU or the nursery, I probably would have reminded the nurse that we didn't want one.

EllaandLuca · April 2010

I worked in a Children's Hospital before becoming pregnant ... the pacifiers were not donated!! They're provided as a means of comfort ... and they actually help preemies continue to learn the sucking reflex while on feeding tubes. I have never seen a baby become confused between mom and pacifier. The only thing I can say, is many parents found it difficult to find a similar pacifier once they were released. So you may want to provide your own right away instead.

amy0105 · April 2010

Ideally, I don't want the baby to have a pacifier for a few weeks (at least) but, I've heard that at the hospital the nurses pop them in...

I made a decision NOT to freak out about that when it happens...although, I will request that my DH and I be the only ones to give a paci....

CTL2005 · April 2010

As with all things it depends on the baby. Both mine came into the world very very very orally fixated and LOVED to suck. My son was actually born with a "nursing blister" on his lip from sucking on his hand so much in utero. They wanted to nurse constantly to soothe themselves through sucking, which was torture on my nipples. We introduced pacifiers within the first few days and the both breastfed wonderfully for well over a year.

princessjenney · April 2010

I'm going to request that my LO not be given a pacifier at the hospital. I plan to introduce a pacifier at 4 to 6 weeks depending on how well BF is going.

mrsmcphail · April 2010

Our nurse/LC at BF class said no paci for the first 4 weeks. She said it's b/c any sucking that baby needs to do should be stimulating milk production though. She said that while nipple confusion does happen, it's much more likely with bottles than pacis b/c it's so much easier to use a bottle. They will give a paci if they have to do a procedure, take blood, etc., but that is the only time if you are BFing and that you can obviously request that they don't do that. However, having had a NICU baby who had to get an IV IN HER HEAD, I was totally fine with the SweetEase and paci b/c she wasn't crying while they did that and she ended up BFing just fine.

nikll34 · April 2010

I exclusively BF and DS has had a pacifier since day one. He never took to it until a couple weeks ago though. I honestly wish he did though! He wanted to comfort suck all day long and it was frustrating when he wouldn't take the paci. Also, he never had nipple confusion. He took to the breast from day one and has had no issue since then. Every baby is different so I wouldn't let the LC tell you not to use it. Some babies just want to suck on something all day long. My nipples became sore and DS was getting too much milk so he would spit up. If you think you need to use a paci then use it, only time will tell.

mrsfrank · April 2010

I nursed DS and we said no binkie for 3 weeks.... he was a pro at bfing by then and the paci was nice so he wasn't grazing on me all day long.. we will do the same this time

Lolabug86 · April 2010

No. I will be writing a note to put in my hospital bag that specifically requests that LO not get a bottle or a pacifier. They are to bring her to me if she gets fussy, even if it is 3:00 a.m. I'm paranoyed about breast feeding not working anyway and I don't need nipple confusion to add to my stress.

femmegem · April 2010

With DS1 I BFed, supplemented with formula, and gave a paci all at the hospital. He had no confusion whatsoever.

Court0026 · April 2010

I will be bringing a pacifier. My son was a latcher and he wanted something in his mouth all the time. He never had any issues and while I know all kids are different, I am not worried about nipple confusion. I think it is interesting and kind of funny that the LC said that about the formula companies and the pacifiers. Maybe it is true in some places, but it sounds to me like something they made up.

CarolinaKatie · April 2010

I'm pro-breastfeeding and BF my son for a year, but that LC sounds like a breast feeding nazi! I highly doubt the formula companies donate the pacis. Really?

We waited 2 weeks to give DS a paci and those 2 weeks were LONG! He never really wanted one. I was his pacifier. Seriously. He'd only take it if someone held it in his mouth. We gave up on it by 3 months. This time around, I don't want to get in that routine. It was exhausting. Loved breastfeeding, but not sleeping more than 3 hours for 4 months.....whew! I can't do that again, especially with an older child too!

Good thing is that I didn't have to go through the paci attachment phase some of my friends did. Just start weaning the paci around 6 months to just nap or bedtime and wean after a year completly from paci. As a daughter of a speech therapist, that's what I know is good for speech and talking.

BFab11 · April 2010

Idk when I'll start, but LO will get a pacifier because it's a lot easier to take away a paci than fingers/thumb if they start sucking on those.

InLovewSB · April 2010

G took a pacifier starting at about 3 days old. He never had nipple confusion and never had trouble latching. He was a great BF-er and nursed for 1 year.

IrishBrideND · April 2010

I swore I would not use one for the first two weeks because I wanted to BF. Well, LO had such an insane desire to suck that I spent 4 hours straight nursing on day 2. The LCs even told me to give her a pacifier (and they are VERY pro BF...thats their job). So, we did. And it helped a lot. no nipple confusion. She's a BFing champ.

mopsie · April 2010

CarolinaKatie:
Good thing is that I didn't have to go through the paci attachment phase some of my friends did. Just start weaning the paci around 6 months to just nap or bedtime and wean after a year completly from paci. As a daughter of a speech therapist, that's what I know is good for speech and talking.

I'm a dentist and my sister is a speech pathologist... between speech, talking and tooth development, this kid better be done with a paci by 1 year!!!

Brewtowngrl · April 2010

DS was a preemie and got a paci from the start. He was also formula feed through an NG tube and then bottle till my milk came in good. Once he could stay awake for a feeding he BFed till over 9 months without any issue with going back and forth.

erbear · April 2010

mopsie:

I took a BFing class last week and the LC mentioned that formula companies donate all the pacifiers to the hospitals to help babies get nipple confusion so they're more likely to have BFing problems.

Nice, I love conspiracy theories!

I actually think nipple confusion is bogus. I'm sure DD had a paci in the hospital. She only took one for a month or two, but we had no issues BFing (and she started taking a bottle of pumped milk around 2 weeks)

Aliliv · April 2010

I think no pacis. before 4 - 6 weeks rule is the LC's funny, mean little joke on women who try to breastfeed. Some babies have an inherent need to suck, so if I wanted to do nothing but nurse or be the human pacifier 24/7 I wouldn't have a paci. on hand. I had this lovely experience with my first and believed the no paci. before 4 - 6 week rule, and ended up quitting after 5 weeks. I won't make that mistake again. Some babies don't need it, but some do. Besides, nipple confusion is rare.

eta: our hospital will not give them and if you want the baby to have one you either bring your own or beg the nurse for one.

mrstarawalsh · April 2010

I don't give my children pacis because I think they are unnecessary. We do plan on exclusively BFing but fwiw I mixed fed DS and he had no nipple confusion. I did have to tell them not to give him one as well as tell them not to give him a bottle of glucose water.so I would mention it.

chrissyma · April 2010

contrary to what most women on here say, a pacifier actually helped me bf. i was totally against them, but when they did the hearing test they gave ds one to calm him. he liked it and latched on well. it was the one similiar to a breast, i think it's called a soothie. when i was ready to bf i would give it to him for a minute and then pull it out and replace it with my breast. after 2 or 3 months we took it away for good because i can't stand to see a toddler sucking a pacifier. but my son is almost 18 months and still bfing, so if you have some trouble latching def try that.

Lexi0402 · April 2010

We will use one after 3 weeks, because they can soothe and help prevent sids.

julybaby23 · April 2010

I have nothing against them and will use them.

Want a personalized experience?

Pacifier - yes or no?

Re: Pacifier - yes or no?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards