Comfort Sucking vs Breastfeeding?

gollygeeitsamy · September 2015

My daughter is 5 days old, and my milk has finally started to come in to really kick start breastfeeding. She is also a comfort sucker. Tonight she's been at the breast since 9pm, it's now 2:30am. We've had a few breaks were my hubby holds her with his finger in her mouth or she's sleeping (like 15-20 min breaks) I honestly can't tell if she's been comfort sucking me for hours, not latching properly thus making feeding longer (I have a lactation appt on Tues), or if maybe it's a combo. Idk how my breasts could still be slightly hard/engorged if she's been suckling for hours. I don't want to give her a paci since we haven't established breast feeding yet and my milk isn't fully in. I'm feeling very tired and discouraged at the moment. Can anyone give advice??

BeachBabe22 · September 2015

My advice would be to give her a pacifier. Both of my kids would stay latched on forever if I let them but I need a break. They both had pacifiers within a day of being born and never had any issues with breastfeeding because of them. My nipples need a break and mentally I needed breaks.

blondehairblueeyeditalianbaby · September 2015

The pedi told me tha typically after 20 min they are no longer eating. I would try a paci too. It sounds like she is just comfort sucking.

monicaP · September 2015

That is so difficult. If she is visibly sucking and you can hear swallowing then she is taking milk. Make to squeeze your breast into a milk sandwich. Her latch should include areola and nipple. At 5 days old she may be falling asleep and not nursing effectively. Tickle her toes, rub a finger under her chin, or pump her top arm up and down.

I hope that helps a bit. Good luck.

gollygeeitsamy · September 2015

@monicaP some of it is definitely visibly sucking, and I do squeeze my breast. When she falls asleep I do try to wake her, sometimes though I can't and she slips her latch anyway. Is this cluster feeding? I'm just so worried at the moment.

WDDCH · September 2015

If you feel she's at least gotten a good 20 minutes of nursing in her you could let her comfort suckle several minutes and then offer a pacifier.

Before my milk came in I had to give my baby a binky after awhile. Now that my milk is in I don't have to give her a pacifier because she's getting a good fill and is satiated (and if I do try to offer her one she gags and makes a face like its the worst thing ever) so she doesn't really need/want to suckle as much.

I do let her comfort suckle a bit but she stops herself after about 5-10 minutes of that now that milk is here. My baby is also five days old.

So give yourselves a break! A binky won't destroy your breastfeeding. My last little guy was EBF for well over a year and was a binky baby from day one!

gollygeeitsamy · September 2015

@WDDCH how long does your LO get the pacifier?

Edit: sorry, I saw she drops it after 10 min.

beansideirae · September 2015

my week-old baby is a comfort suckler and my milk is in. she will suck all day if I'd let her, and then spit up a ton. I gave her a paci at 4 days. she prefers the real thing, but will take the paci if that's all she's offered. I wanted to wait longer, but I don't think it mattered.

jkjdd · September 2015

My baby did that at that age. She won't do that forever. I know it's hard work. We tried the pacifier, but he wanted me. It's good for your supply, but super hard work. Hang in there!

Plumeria1214 · September 2015

My ped. said after 20 minutes it's comfort sucking and there's nothing wrong with a pacifier if that's what we need to do. She said everyone has to do what's best for them. Breaks are important for you and baby

kazmierczak0314 · September 2015

I don't think it's cluster feeding, when my son cluster feed he would eat for 5 maybe 10 mins then fall asleep for an hour and then back to breast. He did this for 3 days straight, so exhausting. He did gain a whole lb in 10 days.

hopeful87-2 · September 2015

We gave my daughter a pacifier the night she was born and she has had no problems breastfeeding. She just recently started keeping the pacifier in her mouth on her own for a long time but it's worth a shot.

Knottie1457011059 · September 2015

Im going through the same exact thing

gollygeeitsamy · September 2015

@bbudden92 today things have greatly improved. I texted my LC, for advice, and had my SIL come help me today. I did decide to give her a paci, and at the moment glad I did - it's given me some relief. I also pumped my breasts to relieve some pressure which has helped too.

jen83mn · September 2015

My little guy is 3 weeks old today. We offered him a paci on night 2 when we tried everything to get him to sleep and nothing would calm him down. He hasn't had any issues with breastfeeding and we still offer him a paci at least once daily when he's fussy and just wants to suck on something in between feedings. Glad it helped you!

baker1jm2 · September 2015

My daughters had a paci since day 2 and she takes breast, bottle and paci with no problems. For me I didn't let all of the "rules" dictate how to do things, my sanity is more important and every baby is so different

sakiraharrison · September 2015

I gave my bug a paci day 4, as I was really trying to make the 4-6 weeks per the LC. At first he wouldn't take it, I was trying the nuk ones, But as soon as I gave him a Soothie one, it was like heaven on earth. Your mental well being is more important to your baby than any suggested rules of breast feeding!

Kayciejoe56 · September 2015

My DS is 8 days old and we have been going through the same thing at least once a day, for the last few days. Usually it happens in the early evening. He just wants to nurse, falls asleep for 10 min but wakes up and wants to suck again. I will feed him twice and make sure he gets a good feed, squeezing the breast and really making him stay awake. But by the 3rd time he wakes up he gets a paci. By this point I'm pretty certain he is full and it seems to be helping him settle and get to sleep during those fussy times. I also was trying to hold out until at least 3 weeks, but my nipples are just starting to recover from the first few days and we are just starting to see a few longer strenches of sleep at night... so if a paci once or twice a day is gonna help us, I'm doing it!

MiromiM · September 2015

I talked to my pediatrician about this same thing. He's so chill and has young kids too. He looked at me and said, "An hour and a half? You could catch up on House of Cards or The Walking Dead. No seriously, 10-15 mins per side after that it's just comfort sucking and she's using up more energy than she's getting." I felt so tricked after my lactation consultant told me to let her just hang there and keep waking her up. Now when she falls asleep after 10-15 mins I pull her off. Mind you, she's now past birth weight and making more than enough dirty/wet diapers.

rebeccabloomwood · September 2015

I gave the pacifier today at 2 days old for the exact same reason. My nipples needed the break and if it weren't for that they'd be raw. It's made when she is on the breast 'count' more so far.

seamonkey4 · September 2015

Mine won't take a pacifier!

( I've tried nuk, gum drop, avent, soothies and latch. She don't take any and my poor boobs can't take much more. It's making me want to give up on breast feeding just so this doesn't happen anymore. I'm so tired, sore and of course hormonal. As she suckles for hours at a time I have tears streaming down my face from sheer exhaustion and soreness.

SydneyBxo · September 2015

@seamonkey4 Have you tried the MAM pacifiers? They're the only ones my kids liked.. they're super lightweight & easy for them to keep in their mouths. We tried the gum drop ones & they were just too heavy.

jabeauty90 · September 2015

Mam is the only pacifier my LO will take. The soothie he isn't able to keep in his mouth and the nuk he didn't like the lip.

seamonkey4 · September 2015

Sounds like I need to go try a mam. Should have bought stock in these companies lol

mriandabusto · September 2015

seamonkey4 said:
Mine won't take a pacifier! ( I've tried nuk, gum drop, avent, soothies and latch. She don't take any and my poor boobs can't take much more. It's making me want to give up on breast feeding just so this doesn't happen anymore. I'm so tired, sore and of course hormonal. As she suckles for hours at a time I have tears streaming down my face from sheer exhaustion and soreness.

This is me, except I won't give up even though I feel like my boobs are about to fall off, it's so painful. I let him fall asleep and then will take him off and put him in his bassinet or swing or rocker and he wakes right up pissed off and cries until I put him back. UGH!!

AccidentlyEvil · September 2015

My LO won't take anything but the Soothies pacifiers. When I put it in her mouth, I have to sort of hold it there for a minute or two for her to get the feel of it in her mouth. Sometimes she brings her arm up and holds it in herself (though I'm pretty sure this is just because she always has her arms up and not any active desire to keep it in her mouth...). One of the nurses in the hospital told me that NBs have to 'learn' to keep the pacifier in their mouth (the same way they have to learn everything it seems), it's not something they just automatically do or know.

ABombard12 · September 2015

SydneyBxo said:
@seamonkey4 Have you tried the MAM pacifiers? They're the only ones my kids liked.. they're super lightweight & easy for them to keep in their mouths. We tried the gum drop ones & they were just too heavy.

Thank you for recommending this! I am in the same boat as @seamonkey4 ! We have a wedding coming up where Nana is waycxhing LO and I'm afraid because he won't take a paci and likes to soothe on my breast he will be out of his mind

kcm813 · September 2015

MAM also is the first one that my DD would take, I'd try it if I were you!

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