Does anyone else's LO use them as a pacifier at night to sleep?

shanrob1022010 · November 2011

When my LO is done breast feeding for the night before I put her to bed I will rock her to sleep but she will not calm down and stop crying. The only way she will settle down is if I nurse her again and I know after awhile she is comfort sucking. She then falls asleep and I put her to bed where she will sleep for 5 or more hours till her next feeding. My pedi. said she didn't want me to let her do that in fear that she will over eat. Does anyone else have this issue? My LO still will not take a pacifier so that is not an option. She will suck on it and play with it if you hold it but she doesn't suck on it on her own. She also isn't taking a bottle yet and does the same thing with that. Any advice would be great! THANKS!

blessings1 · November 2011

I do the same thing with my LO and my pedi said it is completely fine. As long as your LO isn't spitting up the milk and as long as you don't mind being her pacifier there is nothing wrong

shanrob1022010 · November 2011

Blessings1- My LO doesn't spit up so that's good. Do you think that they will grow out of it or will they always think that they need to use you as a pacifier to sleep?

babyAutumn · November 2011

Not before bed but at nighttime feed yes. I typically feed LO lying down and fall back asleep forgetting that he's nursing. I usually wake up an hour or so later and he's still sucking...but not swallowing. Our pedi said that if that's the only way to get some sleep not to worry about it until he's about 4 months old at which time we might want to consider stopping.

kls1223 · November 2011

I have to do this too. She refuses every type of pacifier and isn't taking a bottle either. My LO does this for most naps also. I tried to keep her from doing it but then she just turns into an overtired mess. We haven't had the problem with her overeating, and she never spits up. I think as long as you don't mind doing it that it's fine.

Djcieply · November 2011

Sometimes when I think DS just wants to use me as a pacifier I will let him suck on my pinky finger. My DS takes a pacifier but when he won't take it I try my finger and it will calm him down a lot faster. I touch the pad of my finger to the roof of his mouth(DH can do this too)and he goes to town. I think its something he will grow out of when he can start to soothe himself so I'm not too worried about doing it.

Lizghannam · November 2011

Ah yes!! I wish I didn't have to be his pacifier because I'm so sore ALL THE TIME:( I'm trying not to do this just because when I'm at work and DH has him, I want him to be able to nap without the help of my boob. I always joke and tell my husband to let him suck a little, but he wasn't having it

One thing I have found that is starting to work is if I let LO suck a little and then quickly put the pacifier in between his mouth and my breast...still holding him in that position, he keeps it in his mouth.

CTaylor315 · November 2011

I love this quote. It really made me feel better when I was feeling like a snack bar.

"You are not a pacifier; you are a Mom. You are the sun, the moon, the earth, you are liquid love, you are warmth, you are security, you are comfort in the very deepest aspect of the meaning of comfort.... but you are not a pacifier!" -- Paula Yount

Faliny · November 2011

same here! but my LO was eating too much and spitting up what she over ate. I found out that my LO is colicky and thats why she wants to comfort suckle. mine wont take a pacifier either, but as long as I keep up the gas meds when she is the mosy fussy, she hasn't wanted to suckle like that.

animel8on · November 2011

My LO only does it occasionally. I've read things that say it's not good to do it all the time in fear of breaking down and damaging the nipple, but I don't see anything wrong with it. When mine does it, I hold him close and bounce him and pat his back and he usually settles down unless he's wet or still hungry. I also rock him. He doesn't take a pacifier (personal preference) or a bottle (as of yet), so it's comfort sucking also. As long as she's not spitting up it should be fine.