EBF babies - when to introduce paci's?

aschleser · May 2011

I have a lot of different kinds of pacifiers and would like to get them sanitized initially before baby arrives - but this is my first and I plan on EBF through ~6 weeks, then I'll pump at work/BF at home.

When did you all start using paci's for your LO? Do they start in the hospital, if not immediately, what was your reasoning? Did it affect latch/breastfeeding, or eventual introduction to a bottle??

Thanks for your input!

abp51008 · May 2011

Our LO got his paci around 5 days-1 week old. He really likes to suck and as much as I love to nurse him, I can't be his human pacifier all day long. In our birth plan we stated no pacifiers. Our reasoning was that newborns are not typically hungry when first born, they just have an innate reflex and desire to nurse from their mothers. This gives them colostrum and helps to get your milk going. If they are given a pacifier that young, then their need to suck may be filled by the pacifier and then when it comes time to nurse, he doesn't want/need to. We did have a little bit of latch trouble in the first days on one side, but once we learned what we were doing he latched on fine. We introduced a bottle this week and he has no trouble going back and forth from breast to bottle. Hope this helps!

Good Luck!

Jennifer Ruth · May 2011

We roomed-in in the hospital, so I know he didn't get one there.

We waited until 4 weeks old to start both a paci and introduce a bottle.

AutumnBride929 · May 2011

Here's my experience FWIW...

DS had a paci in the hospital. I did not succeed at BF and I can't pinpoint a reason why. My supply suffered because either a.) DS had a bad latch, b.) I did not consume enough calories, c.) I did not BF often enough. I have no idea if a paci affected his latch or what but I know a lot of babies who are given one right away BF fine. He still uses a paci.

DD has been successfully BF but was never given a paci until a month old. She rejects it.

So I don't know if it's better to intro one sooner or later. I've only tried two kinds with DD but I don't really feel the need to be vigilant about finding one she likes.

octbride2006 · May 2011

DD did not have a paci in the hospital. She roomed in with me, and we never gave her one. She did have one at about 1 week old, but refused it. She then liked it at about 3 weeks. We used the Avent ones. I hear the soothies are the best for BF babies though. She did have a bottle at 5 days old because we had to supplement her.

Brewtowngrl · May 2011

Both mine got a paci on day one. DS1 was in the NICU and started with bottle feeding too. We BFed for 9 months. I am still BFing DS2 two times a day and he is over a year. Some kids like to suck and being a human pacifier is no fun and can get painful.

BrittKav · May 2011

Both of mine took a paci (Soothie brand) in the hospital, and neither had any problems BFing.

ALY1981 · May 2011

Jennifer Ruth:

We waited until 4 weeks old to start both a paci and introduce a bottle.

this

ALY1981 · May 2011

Jennifer Ruth:

We waited until 4 weeks old to start both a paci and introduce a bottle.

this

MelbaToast37 · May 2011

We tried to do everything "perfectly" according to the lactation consultants and all the BFing experts - no pacifier until 6 weeks. Well after a week and a half I was a blubbering mess because ALL the baby wanted to do was suck. My nipples were torn and bleeding, I hadn't slept in days, and my daughter was constantly frustrated. We gave in and bought her a pacifier and all of a sudden she was a different baby. The girl has a wicked latch and suck, and I wasn't willing/able to subject myself to it all day anymore. We use the MAM pacifiers and have no trouble BFing exclusively.

LaLaaaa · May 2011

I specifically requested no paci's at the hospital and when they took her away for the hearing test she came back with one in her mouth. She LOVED it. I literally sat there and cried because I was convinced we were now going to have nipple confusion (hormonal much?? lol). After a few days I started giving it to her and we had no problems whatsoever. We EBF and she rarely gets a bottle. She's been using a paci since then and sometimes it's a lifesaver. We use the Gumdrop pacifiers, they are the only ones my LO will take.

capulet · May 2011

DD got a Soothie paci in the hospital when she was in the nursery (mostly she roomed in but they took her for a few hours at night) - it was the one thing they did that I wish I had told them not to do, but it didn't have any long term effect on BFing. I started her at home on a paci (Soothie again) when she was a week old because BFing was so well established that I was literally doing nothing else, so I figured it was safe. And I BFed her for the next 21 months. She didn't take a bottle that often, but I think that was more due to us not trying it enough than anything to do with pacifiers.

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EBF babies - when to introduce paci's?

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