Pacifiers vs No Pacifier

amberrrjade · June 2013

I'm curious to all of your opinions. Whether you've been around the block or are a FTM.

I haven't really made a decision yet. Need some more insight.

hollowway · June 2013

I plan on exclusively breastfeeding, so I will be allowing LO to self soothe... I dont plan on using a pacifier and will be telling the hospital not to give LO when they're born too.

[Deleted User] · June 2013

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ktedmon · June 2013

I plan to use them if necessary. There are reports that the use of pacifiers CAN reduce the risk of SIDS. I plan to bf, but using pacifiers may come in handy if baby is upset and isn't hungry. Some babies just won't take them. My niece wouldn't take them even in the hospital.

DebateThis · June 2013

This is one of those things that seems pretty silly to make a firm decision ahead of time. Some babies love them, some babies hate them, but really your LO should be the guide.

Mailmans Baby Momma · June 2013

DebateThis:
This is one of those things that seems pretty silly to make a firm decision ahead of time. Some babies love them, some babies hate them, but really your LO should be the guide.

This.

fitmama418 · June 2013

I agree with most PP's: I'm a FTM and will be breast feeding and will have the paci as an option when absolutely needed meaning I won't just shove it in their mouth every time they start to cry...just in like church or something you know?. However, if they don't take it, they don't take it! This will be a game time day by day decision for us.

lamo1210 · June 2013

I'd prefer pacifier just so my child doesn't suck their thumb. You can throw pacifiers away but not thumbs. Of course I'd love if my child didn't need a pacifier.

piperleigh · June 2013

I'll be using them again. My DS had MAJOR colic and if he wasn't nursing he was screaming, so one day we tried them and it helped soothe him when he wasn't nursing. We were also lucky and he didn't have a hard time when we took them away. So me personally I'm a fan of them.

[Deleted User] · June 2013

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babymama619 · June 2013

Ill be EBFing and also using pacifiers. After 15 years of working with infants I see the benefits and have seen them work well with breast fed babies. While there are probably some babies who will not take a pacifier no matter what, I think people should realize babies need to be taught to take it...if you want them to.

MrsApplelovesMrApple · June 2013

I bf and my son only used one at night. He would suck on it until right before he fell asleep and then spit it out. And it had to be the one specific pacifier they gave him at the hospital.
At 6 months he was over it. Every baby is different though.

Edvoncupacake · June 2013

I EBF'd and would occasionally give DS a pacifier when he wanted the comfort of sucking but he wasn't actually hungry. Or if he was just plain freaking the eff out. We ditched it eventually and it wasn't hard. He didn't miss it.

I'll probably do the same thing this time. Every kid is a little different though, so who knows how it'll go? That's the funny thing about parenting. It's trial and error.

artistlife · June 2013

DebateThis:
This is one of those things that seems pretty silly to make a firm decision ahead of time. Some babies love them, some babies hate them, but really your LO should be the guide.

Debate is wise. My Lactation Consultant actually advised me to use a pacifier with DS to help improve his sucking action. He lused it for maybe 6 weeks and then refused it. It did help him suck a little harder.
My niece was EBF and she sucked and still sucks her thumb. Only problem with that is she is almost four and you cant take her thumb away. My SIL regrets everyday not offering the paci.

sarenu1 · June 2013

shanbp:
Mailmans Baby Momma:
DebateThis:
This is one of those things that seems pretty silly to make a firm decision ahead of time. Some babies love them, some babies hate them, but really your LO should be the guide.

This.

Also this.

I plan to BF and would like to wait a few weeks before introducing one, but am not against using them if necessary.

I also agree with PP who said a paci is preferable to a thumb for me.

Agreed. With my daughter I always offered the breast first. Then after I would offer the pacifier if she was not content. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. She never formed a habit.

I had a terrible habit of sucking my thumb as a child. I would rather offer a pacifier than encourage a thumb.

noslen2005 · June 2013

I wasn't going to use one with our first LO, but he ended up in the NICU and it was a huge comfort to him. We only had the one when we brought him home from the hospital and at 6 months he/we lost it at Target and we never replaced it. We rarely used it except for church and car rides, so we figured we would try life without it and everything worked out just fine.

I don't plan to use onefor this LO, but if I change my mind because LO seems to have an interest or need then we will just go with it.

I like plans, but with all things baby I have found it's better to gather information and make decisions as needed. Like you're doing now!

aliwisewoman · June 2013

Yes, we will do pacifiers.;I've used them for both of my kids and weaned bothersome breastfeeding at 22 months. They stopped taking the pacifier, naturally, by 6 months, so we never had to go through taking it away. We plan to do the same with the twins. Coming from a BTDT mom, pacifiers are nice when they are really little. They reduce the risk of SIDS. Any mom that has breastfed understands what the term human pacifier means. There are certainly times when baby wants something to suck while they are held or rocked. I usually did not offer the pacifier at night, only because they were not very good at keeping it in and it would result in the baby waking up every hour because the pacifier fell out. Usually nursing and burping did the trick to get them settled back to sleep. I do think that some people overuse pacifiers, but it can also be an issue for a baby that starts sucking their thumb or finger. Some babies need that comfort more than others. A baby that really desires something to suck on will find something. So, to the women that say they don't want to worry about the pacifier becoming a problem, you could end up with a thumb sucker.

ETA: it shouldn't say 'bothersome' LOL!!! I typed 'both from'. Nice, autocorrect..

oooCarrieB · June 2013

lamo1210:
I'd prefer pacifier just so my child doesn't suck their thumb. You can throw pacifiers away but not thumbs. Of course I'd love if my child didn't need a pacifier.

Good luck on that one. Just bc you give a baby a paci, doesn't mean they won't decide they prefer a thumb.

We gave our LO a paci as a newborn, but by 4 months she had switched to the thumb.

I was really antipaci at first bc I was breast feeding, but it really didn't make a difference at all. I BF for 14 months.

DebateThis · June 2013

melisx33:
mtb21:
melisx33:
I am firmly in the "no" category on this. I personally just don't see a point to using them. My sisters and I were all raised w/o pacifiers with no problems. It may be more difficult, but we'll find an alternative if necessary.
One of the first things you learn as a mom is never say never. If it's going to keep you from pulling your hair out, I bet you'll try one.
I understand this. I will never say never to anything. But a pacifier would be an absolute last resort that I just really don't want to think about. But again, as a FTM, I will never say never

Serious questions. Why are you so against them? What other "alternatives" would you offer and why would you knowingly make things harder on yourself when they can be an easy, safe solution (and have proven benefits, ala the SIDS risk reduction)?

3Dewdrops · June 2013

One of mine took a pacifier occasionally from 3-6 months.

The other took one from a couple days til 1 month. She would have been happy to nurse 24 hours a day, every day so I was thankful for it while it lasted. Unfortunately she lost interest in it and I wasn't determined enough to try and push it.

Both were nursed and it definitely didn't affect nursing. Neither ever sucked their fingers in place of it. Unfortunately child #2 is lousy at self soothing so I kinda wish she had taken it longer. I'm glad I didn't have to go through a weaning off the pacifier struggle though. I will offer to #3 and if he/she likes it fine. If not, fine.

andigrrrr · June 2013

Before I had my DS, I was totally against them. At the hospital, I was adamant with the nurses that he was not to have a pacifier. But a few weeks in, during a desperate moment I caved and DS started using a pacifier when he really needed it. I never allowed him to have it all day long and was pretty strict on when I would give it to him. By 6 months it was left in his crib and by 10 months it was history.

With this baby, I hope to be the same way. Start off not giving it automatically and see if we can go without. However, if need I will use it again. But it will be gone by 1 year.

A great weaning tip....cut the tip of the pacifier with scissors. It will lose its sucking ability and essentially become "broken" to the child without having the anxiety of it being taken away. My DS was over his pacifier after three nights once I cut it. He needed it in his crib for about 3 more days and then he was totally over it.

McJen715 · June 2013

Woodsie:
I was firmly in the no pacifier camp until I had a kid who wouldn't sleep without one. Never say never.

Dude, this.

I didn't plan to with DD but it made her sleep so much better and we never had any issues with the pacifier interfering with nursing. In fact I think it helped me to be less of a human pacifier when she just wanted to suck but not nurse.

andigrrrr · June 2013

JoeLies:
andigrrrr:
A great weaning tip....cut the tip of the pacifier with scissors. It will lose its sucking ability and essentially become "broken" to the child without having the anxiety of it being taken away. My DS was over his pacifier after three nights once I cut it. He needed it in his crib for about 3 more days and then he was totally over it.
Thanks for this.  I think my biggest concern about pacifiers is the eventual weaning.

Yes, this was one reason I was hoping to avoid a pacifier all together. I was worried about the eventual weaning and the fear of having a 2 to 3 year old still attached to one. While a pacifier may not have any negative points with an infant, it most definitely has negative side effects once your child became older. It can have negative effects on language development, speech production, and eventually can cause issues with teeth when they start coming in.

inlove0509 · June 2013

Yes please to the paci! I had planned to wait to introduce the paci with my DD due to EBF but our lactation consultant recommended we use one to help loosen DD's tongue tie. No issues with nipple confusion. And amen the tongue tie loosened without having to be snipped! DD is 18 months and still uses a paci to sleep. It's comforting for babies to suck. We plan to wean soon before baby arrives.

However, I am firm that paci's are NOT for playtime or anytime besides sleepy/quiet time. They can delay speech and language development. I'm a speech therapist and work with 3 yr olds and up with severe speech and Lang delay and first step is working with parent to quit the paci and the sippy cup in favor of a straw sippy.

Kfran84 · June 2013

My girlfriend put it to me this way.. They have so few ways to soothe themselves when they are very little. Also the paci supposedly helps something with their ear canals.

So yeah, I have no problem with it when they're less than a year. I like the idea of cutting it. Thanks for that tip.

Chargersgrl33 · June 2013

We didn't try a pacifier with DS until we got home from the hospital and he never really took it.

This time around I would prefer for baby to not take one also. I will have one on hand but it will not be the first go to and I will wait a week or so before trying it.

awesnap · June 2013

Mailmans Baby Momma:
DebateThis:
This is one of those things that seems pretty silly to make a firm decision ahead of time. Some babies love them, some babies hate them, but really your LO should be the guide.

This.

With my first I did not realize some of these options werent mine to make. DD hated the pacifier, would only take a certain kind of bottle for a while, etc. You figure it out or you get lucky with a kid who is easy going and goes with the flow. The first couple months were survival and I did things I never planned on doing. HTH.

isacdimi10 · June 2013

DebateThis:
This is one of those things that seems pretty silly to make a firm decision ahead of time. Some babies love them, some babies hate them, but really your LO should be the guide.

::clap::

But yeah. My first 2 looked at you like you had 2 heads if you gave them a pacifier. My 3rd one was an addict for the first 3months and then he self weened. I will do whatever this baby wants.

vanie79 · June 2013

I didn't plan on using a pacifier with any of my children, but shortly after my first was born I had realized that she needed it for comfort. I weaned her off at one. I think you don't truly know till the baby is here.

drcolleen · June 2013

Neither of my DDs have had a pacifier, neither has sucked a finger, both breastfeed a lot when young. My parents are anti-paci not using them with us, my sister hasn't given one to either of her kids. I hate seeing kids walking around with pacifiers- creeps me out, I hate that the only pictures I have seen of some kids were with plugs in their mouths. BFing reduces the risk of sids and I work >FT so I want my kids to reverse cycle for the first months so they nurse a lot when I am around which usually means at night. Studies are mixed about breastfeeding and pacifier use but we haven't needed them so I don't plan to use them with DS.

livy625 · June 2013

I tried with my first and he only wanted to use me as a pacifier! I will try with this one, but the baby will make the decision in the end.

Rharold · June 2013

I exclusively breasted and did pacifiers, they are a lifesaver in my book, otherwise I was the pacifier. I have 5 soon to be six and my kids that took pacifiers were much easier. My two cents.

SwimSurfSmile · June 2013

I'm in the never say never camp. I ebf my son and did try to give him a pacifier, but he wouldn't take it so we never pushed th issue. I'd be open to trying with this baby if it seems appropriate.

Ellen8976 · June 2013

lamo1210:
I'd prefer pacifier just so my child doesn't suck their thumb. You can throw pacifiers away but not thumbs. Of course I'd love if my child didn't need a pacifier.

Good point

SittingOnAMtnTop · June 2013

ashleyross:
I can't believe how many people are making this decision so adamantly already. To be honest, it's pretty ridiculous. I understand wanting a "plan" but it's going to be based on what your baby likes and doesn't like. I also don't see why so many of you are so against pacifiers?? They have health and safety benefits. Please enlighten me on your thought process here.

This.

deebride1020 · June 2013

My son never took to one and I find it great! Not a thumb sucker either. Didn't have to worry about weaning or the possibility of tooth decay and crookedness. Not saying all kids that use one have those problems.

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