Need some paci/bfing advice (or reassurance)

croberts22 · May 2011

After being up with Charlotte most of last night trying to get her full enough to fall asleep, I resorted to pumping some and fed her that way. Even though she'd been feeding more than 30 minutes and then refusing the other breast, she just wouldn't fall asleep. She latches good and does fine all day, it just seems like she can't get full enough to be satisfied at night. Even though she'd be feeding so much, so took the 2 oz I got from pumping and then slept for 2.5 hours or so. (This was around 3:30am, no one had been to sleep and we where all at our breaking point).

I called the LC this morning, but she was out so I tried Postpartum (they are on the "call for help" list) and the nurse I talked to suggested a paci. She said it was up to us and not an official statement since they discourage it for the first month when bfing. But, that it sounded like Charlotte is just a baby that needs to suck for comfort.

I'm worried this is going to give her nipple confusion. I know some of you have given a paci this early while bfing. How did it go or you? If I have to, I'll just start exclusively pumping. I just feel a little like I'm failing already at this and she isn't even a week old.

heysupnatalie · May 2011

I had to resort to pumping and paci's because mine wouldn't latch. Then miraculously last night and today I tried to feed him from my boob....and it worked. He now is back to boob but he likes paci's too. There isn't any confusion really over here.

tokenhoser · May 2011

I tried the paci. He won't take it. I keep trying, he keeps looking at me like I'm an idiot.

I think I'll try a different shape soon. If I was you and bfing is otherwise going well, I'd do it.

fluffybuns · May 2011

I use a pacifier sometimes, and there haven't been any issues with nipple confusion. She knows where the good stuff comes from!haha We haven't had any latch issues either.

It was the same with DD. Both of my girls just needed to suck for comfort. It's not that they are still hungry, but they want to snuggle and have something to suck on. The pacifier saved my sanity with my first, and it's coming in handy with my second so far too!

nickelbabi · May 2011

The soothie pacifier was a lifesaver for us about 5 days in and helped us get some sleep. We only used it at night when we absolutely needed it and had tried everything else. It was helpful for a few days, and now DS doesn't really like it much and definitely prefers my nipple instead. Just this morning, he was fussing, so I started feeding him, even though he had recently eaten, and he fell asleep within 4 minutes. You should meet with the lactation consultant when you can and they can make sure she is getting enough to eat at each feeding.

kck329 · May 2011

Cora got a paci really early in the NICU, more than a month before she was able to start breastfeeding. No nipple confusion at all here-she still latches well. She actually gets really frustrated with the paci when she is hungry because she seems to know it won't meet her needs. When she's just fussy or needs to suck, its awesome.

As long as she is getting enough to eat, I think you are fine to give her a paci when she needs to suck. Especially since it sounds like she is doing great breastfeeding anyway.

alliejoe · May 2011

Ben likes to suck- a lot. At the hospital they don't use pacis and Ben used me as a paci instead. I ended up having to pump and not give him the boob for 3-4 days b/c my nipples were bleeding, etc.

So, I ended up giving him a paci and he knows he's not going to get food from it and he'll spit it out if he's hungry and not just looking to suck.

If you don't want to do the paci, try your pinky with the inside of you finger on the roof of the mouth. They did that in the hospital.

Don't worry! You've gotta figure out what works for you!

Temp38995750004016 · May 2011

First, maybe she just wasn't sleepy. Georgia eats during the day for 30-40 minutes then stays wide awake to play.

My LC and pedi both OK'd the paci when I was very skeptical about giving one to her. Infants need to use their sucking reflex 16 hours out of every day, so if you don't want her sucking on you.....

My LC also said that actual nipple confusion is very, very rare so not to worry about it. We are using both a NUK and Gummy and she still breastfeeds very well. LC said it's best to use it now and not use it after 4 months, when their need to suck all day goes away.

I usually put her down without the paci; if she starts fussing in her sleep, I give it to her and she spits it out within 3 minutes of falling asleep anyway.

I'd give it to her and not worry too much about it.

theaustins05 · May 2011

Last night my nurse woke me to feed Madison at 4 am, she reluctantly woke up and shorted to eat, then fell back to sleep, when I put my boob up she would cry, so I popped it back out. She did this until 730 this morning. I called our nurse in and with tears told her to please take her to the nursery or show me how to feed her because she cant still be hungry. She said some babies need to suck and use the boob as a paci. I can either let her continue or give her a real paci. The pedi gave her a paci. She still takes my boob.

pumpkinhead06 · May 2011

after day 2, when she decided to use me as a pacifier, I asked for a soothie. That is what the hospital provides. She wasn't thriled with the soothie, but did take it someitmes. When we got home I introduced the MAM brand, and she likes that one much better. (that is what my son always used)

as far as it interfering with my BFing attempts... she was born on a Thursday, back to birthweight when we got discharged on Monday and when we took her in this past Thurs. for her 1 week appt., she was already up another 8oz. I'd say there is no confusion for my porkchop.

deo · May 2011

I was hesitant to use the pacifier too. I worried about nipple confusion. But on day 3 or 4, all he wanted to do was suck. My nipples were raw and cracked and there was no way he could still be hungry. So to save both my sanity, I gave him the pacifier and he loves it. He still breastfeeds great (we still have the occasional latch issue, but that was going on before the pacifier). He seems to know that the pacifier isn't food, and if he is hungry he spits it out.

If I were you, I'd try the pacifier.

sparkymcgeee · May 2011

I gave mine a pacifier at that point even though mine had latch issues in the first few days after delivery. She was fine. She didn't have nipple confusion. Good luck.

croberts22 · May 2011

Thanks everyone, we went ahead and tried it a couple times today to see if she'd take it and she did. After she was really asleep she spit it out. And she still feed just fine.

jeffrae · May 2011

we introduced a paci in the hospital (we had the nursery take him for a few hours as I had a long delivery the first night and was by myself the second). She did ok with that. So we used one from the day we got home if she was very fussy and had already eaten. I was a human paci for DD1 until a LC told me to use one. Our hospital uses the gumdrop kind....which dont stay in well with our LOs. We like the avent kind. No nipple confusion either time.

AmberinDenmark · May 2011

tokenhoser:
I tried the paci. He won't take it. I keep trying, he keeps looking at me like I'm an idiot.
I think I'll try a different shape soon. If I was you and bfing is otherwise going well, I'd do it.

I tried it last night for the first time. LO is 2.5 weeks old, and he did not take it, and acted like he didn't know what to do with it. We will keep trying too.

JUSTBEYOURSELF · May 2011

I used a paci in the hospital. get one with a roung nipple (first years gumdrops) the baby will think it is your nipple as to it looks just like yours. my baby feeds just fine. a few hours before you want the baby to sleep feed her more and more often. if she/he falls asleep rub their feet and hands to get them back to sucking. try to be somewhere as well with no distractions or light. right before the last feeding right before bed time change her/his diaper then set the mood. turn off lights, get the baby swaddled, put the night light on, have your boppy ready, have some water for yourself to drink and make yourself comfy. keep doing the same routine night after night and she/he will get into the groove.

I returned all the other paci's and am just using the round ones from the hospiital as to they are round, look like my nipple, and I did not want to introduce the angled paci's as to I thought that would make my baby confused, and my LC nurse from the hospital agreed with me on that. that is why they use the round nipple ones that I have. they gave me a few when I left too. mine are like the gumdrops but mine you cannot buy in stores. I have the number and website for them if you want.

the only other suggestion is to give a bit of formula at night with your bm. formula has been known to get babies to sleep faster and longer. when I was pg with the twins one of the books I had suggested if I had to suppliement with formula at all to do it at night time for that reason.

also if you think your LC is not providing you with enough info there are some classes and groups that you could attend. I was lucky at the hospital I go to the nurses were more than happy to help me. They asked me a few times if I need help and at first I said no. Well one day I just clicked with one of the nursery nurses and when I told her some of my questions she jumped right in and gave me a ton of pointers. let me tell you they helped me out so much and I am glad that I let my guard down and was very open to learning what she showed me. she gave me her number at the end of her shift and I do plan on calling her if I need any further assistance.

I know when you first start all this BF it is great for some from the start due to you have a ton of adrienaline keeping you motivated. Then as the tired mommy comes out it is easy to get discouraged. hang in there. Trust me when you let the baby feed till your boobie has no more it seriously is the best feeling. one your boobie feels sooooo much better and two your baby will sleep like a champ.

also know that when you wake the baby up for feedings... do not wake the baby up. just grab her out of the crib and put her on your boob. she will somewhat sleep walk thru a feeding. you can even change a diaper without waking her as well and do not worry of getting her clean clean that can wait till the morning, as long as they have a dry diaper then they are fine.

good luck.

I am open to talk if you or anyone else reading this wants to. feel free to pm me with any questions. If I cannot answer them I can call the nurse that helped me as well as a LC that I know.

huge hugs...

McAllie5 · May 2011

We had similar issues. I talked to the pediatrician about the nipple confusion because I was really worried about that too and he said that with a pacifier you shouldn't worry about nipple confusion because no food is coming out - your breast is always more desirable. With bottles you can have nipple confusion because there is a "food reward" involved. I heard not to give bottles before 6 weeks to avoid nipple confusion.

I've also heard that if you give only one bottle a day it should be ok and won't be enough to deter them from the breast, but I think all babies will be different on that note and we're trying to play it safe so I won't offer one before 6 weeks. Unless we get super desperate.

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