Pacifier or no pacifier?

imsoexcited915 · October 2015

Curious on opinions. We haven't introduced one and don't think we will. DD has been good for us and no need at least as of yet.

AndieTessie · October 2015

I use them since we are BF and I need a break. Sucking is calming for babies and she'll stay on for hours if I let her. I introduced them around 1 week against LC advice but have had no nipple confusion and it's made BF easier since I can get a break when I know she's full. I originally didn't want them so I wouldn't have to break the habit later on, but they've been really helpful to me.

Knottie23963119 · October 2015

If you're breast feeding I suggest not doing it. A nurse shoved one in my son's mouth in the hospital and it caused major confusion. My husband gave him it again one night and once again confusion. Now that I've taken it away, he does so much better with feeding. Just my opinion here, but I wouldn't introduce one if you can help it

Jenten810 · October 2015

AndieTessie said:
I use them since we are BF and I need a break. Sucking is calming for babies and she'll stay on for hours if I let her. I introduced them around 1 week against LC advice but have had no nipple confusion and it's made BF easier since I can get a break when I know she's full. I originally didn't want them so I wouldn't have to break the habit later on, but they've been really helpful to me.

This is my experience as well.

ktbkitten · October 2015

We use them. He needs some help to self sooth. It hasn't caused any issues.

mwertalik · October 2015

I have had the same experience as @Jenten810 . luckily it calms my little girl who is almost 4 weeks and it hasn't caused any nipple confusion. I mostly breastfeed but occasionally pump and feed her a bottle. I introduced the pacifier the first night home bc she was screaming and I was exhausted from her sucking on me so it was a life saver for us.

dmland17 · October 2015

I introduced one at 2 weeks and it's been a lifesaver. We haven't had any nipple confusion. And, I personally rather give a pacifier which I can take away when she is older than let her find her thumb which is a much harder habbit to break.

MW5280 · October 2015

Jenten810 said:

AndieTessie said:
I use them since we are BF and I need a break. Sucking is calming for babies and she'll stay on for hours if I let her. I introduced them around 1 week against LC advice but have had no nipple confusion and it's made BF easier since I can get a break when I know she's full. I originally didn't want them so I wouldn't have to break the habit later on, but they've been really helpful to me.
This is my experience as well.

Yep. So much this. The pacifier has been great to have when my nipples can't handle the sucking anymore!

awells189 · October 2015

We're bf'ing and I wanted to hold off until 4-6 weeks, less to do with nipple confusion, and more to do with building my supply by having him attached to my breast on-demand. Well, I frantically tried to introduce one yesterday at just shy of 5 weeks and he was not having it. May have missed the window where he'll take it (though I'm thinking it wasn't the right brand for him). So many pros and cons both ways whether or not to do one

tstew96 · October 2015

I didn't want to use them but this little dude was sucking on his hands and fingers from the second he popped out so he needed them

GeorgiaDottie · October 2015

We use it and have had zero nipple confusion. My pediatrician and OB both told me it's rare to actually get confusion but could happen. That being said we use the soothies ones and the wubanub (my fav!) and daughter loves them. It helps her soothe

jen83mn · October 2015

We used a paci for the first time on night 2 at the hospital when baby would not sleep and I was exhausted and just needed an hour of rest. He had already done a great job at latching and breastfeeding, and we didn't have any nipple confusion issues at all. We used a pacifier the hospital gave us, but switched to Soothies once we got home. We started him on one bottle a day of pumped milk at 3.5 weeks and he easily took that as well and has no trouble going back and forth between breastfeeding and the bottle or the paci. Sometimes the paci is the only thing that will calm him down (it's natural for baby's to want to suck, and when we're out and about it's a lot easier to put a paci in his mouth than my boob!).

PickledPlums · October 2015

We're formula feeding and our ped wanted us to stretch his feeds to at least two hours in between so we used one to help him stretch those extra minutes. I hate them so it's the only reason we did and we haven't needed it in a while.

theglitteredpterodactyl · October 2015

Same as pp, introduced around the one week mark because she didn't have any problems breast feeding and it's amazing for when she just wants to comfort nurse but doesnt or can't be cuddled up on me. Babies this little can't self soothe on their own and sucking is amazingly calming for them so the pacifier helps out a ton.

Mewkie · October 2015

Exactly as pp have mentioned. Not opposed to them, just don't want to deal with taking them away later on. i try to use one only if he has been fed and cleaned and burped ect. So far no issues with nipple confusion and breastfeeding. He is 2 weeks old today. DS1 relied on a pacifier to fall sleep and he would wake every 45 minutes looking for us to put it back in. That was brutal and I would like to avoid that down the line if possible. For now I will use as needed.

millereliz13 · October 2015

We are using a pacifier and are ff. My little guy had issues sucking and breathing at the sane time, so a pacifier was recommended to us.

ForeverEverAfter · October 2015

I'm firmly anti-paci for the first month while BFing. There can be a negative effect, and not just on latch. The extra sucking is also important for supply and bonding. Sure some babies do fine, but it's not a risk I'm willing to take. There's a really neat passage in The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding about the release of cholecystokinin while sucking-sucking on a paci can trick this hormone and mess with eating and supply.

I offered them (3 brands) to DD1 at 2 months as a sleep aid, but she refused them all. She grew out of the fussiness, and I never had to get rid of pacis. I'm hoping to not need to offer them to DD2.

I will add that neither child comfort sucked when nursing because of my overactive let down-gives them a face full of milk if they try.

kaybee03 · October 2015

I planned on ebf, but we have some issues that required me to pump and give him bottles in addition to trying to nurse. He is doing better with nursing now at three weeks, but had such terrible gas, I gave in and gave him the paci for comfort. I was afraid for him to suck for food on an already sad belly. No nipple confusion here and we've gone between all sorts of nipples and now paci. Granted, he primarily eats from the bottle now but can jump to nursing right after no problem.

rachj711 · October 2015

We've tried but our son really has no interest in using them. He would rather suck his thumb

caityrose · October 2015

We started with soothies just shy of 3 weeks. Before that she slept so much there was no need but she started getting to the point that she was fussy when she was awake because she didn't know how to be awake lol. I can tell when she's hungry vs just wanting to suck based on her grunts lol. It helps her soothe and fall asleep. We're using a nipple shield till we can fix her tongue and lip tie so I figured she's already a bit confused. After her procedure I will lay off the paci for awhile to make sure we nail down our latch. It's been a serious life saver. Sometimes you just need extra time to take care of yourself Inbetween feedings and need them calmed down and quiet. No guilt here. Mom needs to taken care of too or I'll be no good to her

MrsT05 · October 2015

I wasn't planning on giving DD a paci right away, but shortly after being born she was attempting to suck her thumb. I would much rather have to deal with getting rid of a paci when she's older than the thumb habit. She's 5.5wks now & I still catch her trying for her thumb so I don't regret the paci decision.

thefuturemrsdaniel · October 2015

I asked for one the first night at the hospital because he was just sucking for comfort. The nurse had the best response ever. She goes "the LC would say don't use it but they don't work the night shift" haha truth!

bijouxbleu · October 2015

I was against a paci as well. But ended up giving one to my son. FTM, he likes to suck in my boobs for comfort, so I gave in and gave him one, because I didn't want him sucking on his thumb either. No nipple confusion for him, and I occasional bottle feed him as well. My lil one is 5 wks old.

v1wwo · October 2015

I only pump and bottle feed so I'm not worried about nipple confusion. Since I can't really pick up the baby while pumping it helps me calm her down if she is crying.
I also read that what kind of paci you use matters greatly. The flat ones don't really look/feel like your nipple and could lease to confusion and painful mom nipples.

cathieh · October 2015

I have tried with all 3 of my kids. None took them. DS1 is 4 and still a major thumb sucker when he is tired or worked up about something. DS2 never used his thumb or a paci to soothe. DS3 uses me and won't take a paci although he does suck on his hands sometimes so I think he may end up being a thumb sucker too.

momofsweetps · October 2015

AndieTessie said:

I use them since we are BF and I need a break. Sucking is calming for babies and she'll stay on for hours if I let her. I introduced them around 1 week against LC advice but have had no nipple confusion and it's made BF easier since I can get a break when I know she's full. I originally didn't want them so I wouldn't have to break the habit later on, but they've been really helpful to me.

This. We've been using one since he was 24 hours old.

hakettler · October 2015

Also used one early on. LO will spit it out if she's not interested. But it instantly calms and soothes her, especially after a feeding and she doesn't want my boob anymore. I'm hoping to wean her off of it at some point.

AmandaNacora · October 2015

We tried introducing one right away but she wouldn't take it. Now at 4 weeks she takes one. Sometimes she just wants to suck on something. We try feeding her first and she'll suck and then spit out the bottle but keep rooting and making sucking motions, or start sucking her finger. She started spitting up because she'd want to suck and we gave her the bottle so she'd over eat. Now we feed her and when she's done and starts spitting the bottle out but wanting to suck we give her the binky. It's also very convenient for when we aren't able to feed her right away (or for when mommy dumbly forgot to bring the bottle!)

But since you feel you don't need one, I wouldn't introduce it until you do need it. It can be hard sometime to get babies to give them up later on.

elizabethteters · October 2015

No pacifier. Let them suck on their fingers.

Especially if you are breast feeding. Them sucking on a binky will make them latch less.

CSchoFink · October 2015

At 39 weeks (when LO was born) his reflex to suck was immature so he could get milk out of a bottle but latching and breastfeeding was too much for him. The nurse in the NICU gave him a paci to get him on a feeding schedule and he got to work on how to suck--one week later, he latched easily and now breastfeeds without a problem! Also, as we change his feeding schedule, it gets him to the end of the between-feeding time without hysterical tears.

If your LO doesn't need one, don't use it unless it will help one/both of you in some way, but it has been very helpful for us!

aavila18 · October 2015

awells189 said:
We're bf'ing and I wanted to hold off until 4-6 weeks, less to do with nipple confusion, and more to do with building my supply by having him attached to my breast on-demand. Well, I frantically tried to introduce one yesterday at just shy of 5 weeks and he was not having it. May have missed the window where he'll take it (though I'm thinking it wasn't the right brand for him). So many pros and cons both ways whether or not to do one

We just hit 4 weeks and I realized I'd feed him then he'd just suck to soothe after a while. To help give me a break I introduced the pacifier. It's taking him a little bit to get the hang of it. He spits it out occasionally but it's like learning to latch on, it takes a bit because he's not used to it but it helps him self soothe if I help him hold it in his mouth while he's calm. He breast feeds like he used to and hasn't affected us. I think the notion if it ruining breastfeeding is when you introduce a pacifier when they are hungry instead of at the end of feeding for a while.

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