pacifier help

sweetpea2718 · May 2011

So DS really likes the Soothie pacifiers. We give them to him when he's really out of control and it calms him down. He nurses to sleep, but many times he wants the soothie when he's put down in his crib. Regardless of whether he's put down cold (without the pacifier) or very drowsy (with pacifier), he is up 20-40 min later because it fell out (or he realizes that he doesn't have it in his mouth). I just don't know what to do. I've tried not giving him a pacifier but he beats my chest in frustration. His sucking reflex is still so strong. When it gets to be a vicious cycle, (which means me up and down every 30 min) I end up bringing him to bed and he's fine. I really don't want him in our bed every night. I am not against co-sleeping, but it was never part of our original plan and it makes me nervous with DH in bed with him because he's admitted that he's not aware and it makes him nervous too. We've slept apart for the past two nights because of it!

hispenguin · May 2011

I don't know if this will work for you, but if DD still needs to suck after feeding I will give her her soother, then when she's asleep in my arms and has stopped sucking I will gently take out the soother so she's not used to actually sleeping with it. Unless she's horribly fussy I try not to put her to bed with the soother.

mrsbmw09 · May 2011

hispenguin:
I don't know if this will work for you, but if DD still needs to suck after feeding I will give her her soother, then when she's asleep in my arms and has stopped sucking I will gently take out the soother so she's not used to actually sleeping with it. Unless she's horribly fussy I try not to put her to bed with the soother.

This is pretty much what I do as well. DD can't hold the paci in by herself for long and it wakes her up if it falls out, so I wait until she is REALLY asleep and then take the paci and put her in her bed.

lmg423 · May 2011

we used the soothie one at first and she liked it but had the same thing happening.

i started using the avent pacifiers and she does a better job holding on to it when she's not sucking. So when she decides she wants it again it's still in her mouth.

sweetpea2718 · May 2011

Thanks ladies! I guess another question would be, how in the world do you not wake LO's at all when you put them down? grrrr he always opens one eye as soon as I put him down, but as long as he has his paci, he closes his eyes again.

rac20585 · May 2011

DS loves the Soothie also! He likes to have it for naps during the day and we have the same problem where he will cry if it falls out. If he naps in his swing it seems to stay in better.

At night, I read him a book after his bedtime feeding and try to make sure he is still awake (even if he is drowsy) when I put him down in his crib. That way he's not surprised if he wakes up and I'm not holding him! I do not give him the pacifier at bedtime even if he fusses for it. He will sometimes cry for a few minutes but usually he is so sleepy that he settles down pretty quickly. If he gets really upset and I know he's not going to go to sleep, I'll pick him up and rock him for a few minutes to soothe him but still not give him the paci. So far this is working pretty well and he sleeps great! The best part is that DH and I have our bed to ourselves. I felt awful letting him cry those first few nights but I know I can take much better care of him if I am a well-rested mommy!

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pacifier help

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