Breastfeeding vs. pacifying

Re: Breastfeeding vs. pacifying

• SmrBrd2012 member

  September 2015

  You can try to teach him to self-soothe by sucking on his hands. Not sure if he's being swaddled or not but maybe try leaving one arm out at night so he can get hand access?
  

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• rae430 member

  September 2015

  Honestly, I think it's ok. Sucking relieves stress for babies and helps them relax. Our babies are all still so young and we don't NEED to train them out of nursing to sleep at this point, unless it's becoming a real problem for you. My LO takes a pacifier when he sleeps (our routine is feed, massage/diaper change, rock to sleep with paci), but if he's really upset, nursing always soothes him best. With the paci, I coaxed it out of his mouth while he was falling asleep for a week or two, and now he doesn't get upset when it falls out. It might also be good to try getting him to fall asleep in different situations, like in a swing, the car, or Dad's arms. That way, you'll know he can sleep without your intervention and he'll eventually stop needing to nurse every time. He'll grow out of it with time! Some babies just need a little more reassurance than others.

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• CanadaMom17 member

  September 2015

  It's a tough one.  I bed share, and nurse her to sleep before I slip out of bed and do some things before going to bed myself.  She won't take a pacifier, so I'm not sure I need a bad habit at this point anyway.  I figure historically mom was always the pacifier anyway, so, it will pass eventually.  If I'm not there, she will fall asleep for other people, so it's definitely a 'mom' thing.  Maybe someone else can put him to bed?

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• CordeliaD87 member

  September 2015

  CanadaMom17 said:

  It's a tough one.  I bed share, and nurse her to sleep before I slip out of bed and do some things before going to bed myself.  She won't take a pacifier, so I'm not sure I need a bad habit at this point anyway.  I figure historically mom was always the pacifier anyway, so, it will pass eventually.  If I'm not there, she will fall asleep for other people, so it's definitely a 'mom' thing.  Maybe someone else can put him to bed?

  We also bedshare for naps as I work night shift. He does fall asleep for other people. It's just that, when I'm there, he wants my boob is his mouth to fall asleep. I guess I'm just worried that he will begin having problems falling asleep for others..
  

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