Hawaii Babies

Pacifiers?

Just curious to see how you feel about pacifiers and if you use them, how often you let your LO suck..  We got one at the hospital but have only used it about 3 times, when J was being extremely fussy and nothing else worked.  I'm a little hesitant to use it on a more regular basis because I really don't want him to become too dependent on it.  His latch is fine and the BFing is going well so I don't think letting him use a pacifier would hurt.  I think we'll try to continue to save the pacifier for occasional use only?
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Re: Pacifiers?

  • Brooke used a pacifier while in the hospital and that was it. We tried and tried (well, Vance did) to get her to take to it, and she would shoot it out of her mouth. In the very beginning [when we were sleep deprived] our attitude was "do whatever works" (within reason, of course), but now I'm glad that I don't have to wean her off of that as well. :)

     

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  • I would have used a pacifier if my oldest took it, but she never did.  I didn't attempt to use one with my second.  
  • We didn't use one at the hospital, but have since we've been home.  We are lucky that he goes between breast, paci and bottle just fine.  We give it to him whenever he seems to need extra soothing, but lately he spits it out and seems to want it less. 

    I was also worried about him becoming overly dependent, but it was recommended by "Happiest Baby on the Block" for use in the first few months, so we thought we'd give it a try. 

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  • imagelola808:

    We didn't use one at the hospital, but have since we've been home.  We are lucky that he goes between breast, paci and bottle just fine.  We give it to him whenever he seems to need extra soothing, but lately he spits it out and seems to want it less. 

    This for us too, except we DID use them at the hospital. At first we gave it to them all the time, and now it's just whenever they seem to need a little extra soothing (Will has one right now, actually) - and they seem to want it less and less. They both have great latches and no problem going between breast, bottle and paci.

    Part of the reason we started using them is because both our boys - but especially Will - like to suck on their hands a LOT, and I'd rather they used a paci than their thumbs (better orthodontically speaking, plus a paci can eventually be taken away lol).

  • Oh, I forgot to add - there's also some research that shows that using a paci can lower the risk of SIDS, so they're definitely not bad if you choose to use them. Smile
  • imagelola808:

    We are lucky that he goes between breast, paci and bottle just fine.   

    Same here.  I'd always see posts about babies being picky about bottles, and pacifiers and thought we'd have the same issues but the first time we tried bottle-feeding J and giving him a pacifier, we had absolutely no problems at all.  He also does a pretty good job at keeping the pacifier in his mouth!  

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  • Before Elyse was born we weren't going to give her a pacifier, but it was a lifesaver in those early weeks when she would scream all night. 

    I did find that I was using it too much to stop her from crying as a automatic relex.  But once I realized that's what I was doing I stopped. 

    Now, she uses one in her car seat and shen she's going to sleep. 

    I personally don't have a problem with pacifiers, babies are soothed by sucking.  Plus it's pretty cute watching her figure out how to pick it up and get the right side in her mouth. 

     

  • imageHulaLove:

    I did find that I was using it too much to stop her from crying as a automatic relex.  But once I realized that's what I was doing I stopped. 

    I think this is the only danger with pacis - Ben's immediate reaction to any crying is to give them a paci and I have to keep reminding him that they're not a cure-all, and that the crying could be for a number of reasons that a paci won't solve.

  • imageredshoegirl:
    imageHulaLove:

    I did find that I was using it too much to stop her from crying as a automatic relex.  But once I realized that's what I was doing I stopped. 

    I think this is the only danger with pacis - Ben's immediate reaction to any crying is to give them a paci and I have to keep reminding him that they're not a cure-all, and that the crying could be for a number of reasons that a paci won't solve.

    Yep, we were guilty of this in the beginning too.  Now, though, I feel like every time he cries someone around here pipes up that he's hungry.  Even if he just ate 20 minutes ago!  Grrrr.... there are other things the little guy might be communicating!

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  • imagelola808:

    Yep, we were guilty of this in the beginning too.  Now, though, I feel like every time he cries someone around here pipes up that he's hungry.  Even if he just ate 20 minutes ago!  Grrrr.... there are other things the little guy might be communicating!

    LOL this is MIL's go-to solution too - the minute they start fussing: "Are they hungry?" "No, they ate 25 min ago." "Oh. (pause) Are you sure they're not hungry?"

    *sigh*

  • imageredshoegirl:
    imagelola808:

    Yep, we were guilty of this in the beginning too.  Now, though, I feel like every time he cries someone around here pipes up that he's hungry.  Even if he just ate 20 minutes ago!  Grrrr.... there are other things the little guy might be communicating!

    LOL this is MIL's go-to solution too - the minute they start fussing: "Are they hungry?" "No, they ate 25 min ago." "Oh. (pause) Are you sure they're not hungry?"

    *sigh*

    Case in point: my mom's here now and just did it AGAIN!  Super Angry

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  • We've tried to get Libby to take a paci and she flat out refuses...the same goes for bottles.  She's thisclose to being able to suck her thumb and I cannot wait because then she can soothe herself with it.  She has a strong desire to suckle and will comfort nurse for an hour or more sometimes.  That's why I hope her thumb-sucking takes hold soon.  I don't have a problem with her being a thumb-sucker...I did and so did my brother and it was never an issue.
  • DD still uses her "bite" (as she calls it) and she's nearly 3.  She only uses in the car, for sleeping, and when she needs comforting and I can't help her right away.  Even though she's getting older, a part of me doesn't mind that she uses it.  She is walking, speaking in full sentences, and potty trained.  Seeing her with the pacifier allows me to think that she is still a baby.  However, she is getting a little old for it, so I think once she is settled in our new home in Hawaii we may start trying to wean her from it.  
  • I don't mind them but I did wait to introduce it and only use it to calm/settle him while he's in the car (or stroller) and occasionally for nap time.  He needs to be pretty tired and mentally ready to be calmed down for him to even be able to take it so I don't feel like we overuse it because he will really let us know if he's upset for some other reason!
  • Jack also isn't really a comfort nurser either.  His nursing sessions usually only last 20mins max (usually less).

    He does suck his thumb though and we don't mind.  DH sucked his thumb for a while (my mom tells me I was never interested).  It's funny he will get his thumb in there but the rest of his hand doesn't make a fist - it splays out across his nose and cheeks.  Sometimes he starts to doze and his hand falls out and he looks at me like it's my fault!!

  • image4forluck:
      However, she is getting a little old for it, so I think once she is settled in our new home in Hawaii we may start trying to wean her from it.  

    Just FYI...my grandmaw said my dad wouldn't give up his paci when he was about your daughter's age & they were moving from SF back to NOLA (right after WW2) and she told him "sorry, paci's are not allowed on the train" and he bought it!  She couldn't believe it worked, but it did.  I don't know if DD has been on planes but maybe you could tell her no paci's on planes & maybe she will be okay with it or she may not be & you will have to see if the pilot will make an exception for her.  :)

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  • Actually, DH thought maybe we could tell her that "bites" are not allowed in Hawaii.  We've flown a lot, because we don't live near any family and even on shorter flights, her ears have always bothered her by the end.  Our pedi suggested letting her suck on the pacifier to make her ears feel better, so I don't think we'll take them away before we get to Hawaii.  I'm also concerned that a new home and no pacifiers at the same time may be too much for her to handle at once and she'll take a longer time adjusting.  My sister just had a baby and I thought that maybe after we're settled in Hawaii we can "give" the pacifiers to her cousin and he can send her a gift in return (which would really be from me and DH).
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