how to get a baby to take a pacifier

nycmommy13 · February 2016

Sorry if there's already a post on this. My baby is 3 months old now and won't take a pacifier. He never had any latching problems when he was born so I don't understand why he can't take one. He's not opposed to one being given to him. He just can't seem to start the sucking motion and it just sort of falls out of his mouth. I figured it would be fine and that he wouldn't be a pacifier baby or that he would be fine once his tongue-thrust reflex went away, but recently he's begun comfort nursing. He'll cry when he's overtired or fussy, even if I fed him only an hour before, and the second I start nursing him he'll fall asleep or calm down. He won't really be eating, though, just using me as a pacifier. It would make my life a lot easier if he could learn how to use one. I've tried dipping the pacifier in breast milk, tickling the roof of his mouth with the pacifier, giving him the pacifier immediately after eating, and tapping the pacifier to initiate a sucking motion. None of it worked. Any ideas or mothers with the same problem?

VexedMommy · February 2016

Have you tried holding it for him for a few seconds or trying different styles of pacifiers? There are different shapes of pacifier nipple and front that may work better for him. Just like with bottles, some babies prefer one style over another for reasons we may never know. You might also try helping him find his thumb if that's a route you don't mind going down. (I'm determined not to let this one become a thumb sucker after having a hell of a time breaking DD1 of it.)

bravoandprosecco · February 2016

I has this problem. He also struggled with the bottle. Since I knew I had to go back to work I started giving him 1 bottle before bed, he hated it, screamed every night for 5 nights but then got the hang of it. I discovered once he figured out the bottle he could finally use the paci, does your LO take a bottle? I assume it's the same motion and they go hand in hand, I suggest practice with that and hopefully the pacifier will come easier

skabanak · February 2016

All 3 of my kiddos refused a soother

they eventually had bottles but never took a soother. I'm still trying with #3, he prefers sucking his hand though. I've tried soothies and NUK brand, I use NUK bottles which he's not crazy about either but that's because I don't give him a bottle regularly...hopefully once I start giving him a bottle a day to get him used to it he'll be ok! I'm not too worried about the pacifier though, I let all my kids self soothe on me.

Sorry.... That didn't really end up as advice... More like a dear diary reply lol.

MRSJESSICAX · February 2016

Im struggling getting my LO to take the bottle of expressed milk which means i haven't been able to leave his side for very long. Very open to suggestions or tips? I have my best friends hens coming up and worried he won't be taking the bottle..

ColoradoHiker · February 2016

I am in the same boat, so I'm more here to commiserate a bit. I EP, and DS still doesn't like pacifiers. Right before he naps, he will take the bottle for a minute or so and then pass out. We've tried a variety of brands, but still no luck. I'm going to chalk it up to being lucky to not have to break DS of the habit and move on.

Bootsie81 · February 2016

I had the same problem with this baby. It kind of baffled me because my other two were obsessed with their nuks. I just kept trying and now she'll take them when she's tired but still doesn't really want them any other time. She seems to really like her wubbanub.

Escheffler34 · February 2016

Also no advice more of a dear diary....
i waited till lo was about 4 weeks to give a paci, and now he refuses. He makes a face like it's disgusting and gags. He only has 2 bottles a week, while I'm at class. I'm just hoping he doesn't find his thumb! Seems like a harder habit to break. I don't mind letting him comfort suck on me, but it gets really exhausting sometimes

nycmommy13 · February 2016

Thanks for the advice, everyone! He takes bottles fine, although he won't take one from me. He only takes them from other people or at daycare when I'm at work. And if it's a bottle of formula? He won't take that from anyone if I'm even in the house. I don't mind since I feed him from me whenever I'm with him. It hasn't been too tiring since he goes about 2 1/2 - 3 hours between meals now, but the comfort nursing? I don't want to make that a habit. Plus, it's starting to make him harder to deal with at daycare since he can't do it. He does like his hand, which is a plus, but it doesn't work all the time. I'll try having my husband give him a bottle and putting the pacifier in immediately after. Hope that works!

hlz128 · February 2016

Mine refuses a pacifier too and he is a big comfort sucker. He hates bottles too. He won't take them from anyone. We have tried three different types of pacifiers and different shapes. So I can't offer any advice but you're not alone.

queenwog · February 2016

Mine won't take a paci either. He did for a while, from two weeks until about seven weeks. But won't take one anymore. I've tried a few brands and now feel like I'm swimming in pacifiers, but he won't take any of them. He chews on them if i hold them in his mouth but if I let go he spits it out.

Some babies just don't want them, no matter what you try. My sister's youngest wouldn't take one until she was six months or so. You can keep trying, but it may never happen.

Pontot31 · February 2016

Neither of my kids have been paci fans. But I also never pushed it. I'd rather not have to worry about taking it away later.

As for bottles- we learned with both of them that it hasn't been the type of bottle but the way we gave it to them. DD didn't want to be touched. She also wouldn't take a bottle until the day I went back to work. I couldn't be in he house and she didn't want to associate it with nursing. DH would put her in the rock n play and she would drink it there.
DS wants to be held like you're nursing him. He likes to be on the boppy and be cuddled. He's still not a super big fan and has to be pretty hungry to take one but he will do it eventually.

Jtk13 · February 2016

The MAM brand paci is the only one that stays in my LOs mouth. I tried nuk, soothie, and another (can't remember) before having success with MAM. Plus the ones I have glow in the dark!

mrsaragon · February 2016

Mine will only use MAM and will ONLY use it if he's his Happy Baby Wrap. If I trasfer him, the second his eyes open and he realizes he's no longer in the wrap he spits it out and won't take it.

VexedMommy · February 2016

Jtk13 said:

The MAM brand paci is the only one that stays in my LOs mouth. I tried nuk, soothie, and another (can't remember) before having success with MAM. Plus the ones I have glow in the dark!

Glow in the dark pacifiers seem like they'd be a godsend for middle of the nights. What a great idea. I wonder if it would be safe to use glow in the dark nail polish to paint a strip on the back of LO's pacifier.

MercyC1130 · February 2016

VexedMommy said:

Jtk13 said:

The MAM brand paci is the only one that stays in my LOs mouth. I tried nuk, soothie, and another (can't remember) before having success with MAM. Plus the ones I have glow in the dark!

Glow in the dark pacifiers seem like they'd be a godsend for middle of the nights. What a great idea. I wonder if it would be safe to use glow in the dark nail polish to paint a strip on the back of LO's pacifier.

I'd be afraid of it chipping.
Maybe lightly glue a glow in the dark sticker?
Or one of those paci leashes? They should make those glow!
They should make all baby things glow!

rachswi · February 2016

VexedMommy said:

Jtk13 said:

The MAM brand paci is the only one that stays in my LOs mouth. I tried nuk, soothie, and another (can't remember) before having success with MAM. Plus the ones I have glow in the dark!

Glow in the dark pacifiers seem like they'd be a godsend for middle of the nights. What a great idea. I wonder if it would be safe to use glow in the dark nail polish to paint a strip on the back of LO's pacifier.

I imagine it would be once the polish has dried. They don't suck on the back of the pacifier. Even if she did, I'd imagine it would still be fine if it's dry. Zeke has sucked on my painted fingernails and the polish doesn't come off or anything.

GoogleMD · February 2016

VexedMommy said:

Jtk13 said:

The MAM brand paci is the only one that stays in my LOs mouth. I tried nuk, soothie, and another (can't remember) before having success with MAM. Plus the ones I have glow in the dark!

Glow in the dark pacifiers seem like they'd be a godsend for middle of the nights. What a great idea. I wonder if it would be safe to use glow in the dark nail polish to paint a strip on the back of LO's pacifier.

Ehh I have the mam glow in the dark paci, it only glows for a few hours, so I am still searching at 3am.

I wouldn't use finger nail polish, maybe just find a glow in the dark marker or sticker

Jtk13 · February 2016

GoogleMD said:

VexedMommy said:

Jtk13 said:

The MAM brand paci is the only one that stays in my LOs mouth. I tried nuk, soothie, and another (can't remember) before having success with MAM. Plus the ones I have glow in the dark!

Glow in the dark pacifiers seem like they'd be a godsend for middle of the nights. What a great idea. I wonder if it would be safe to use glow in the dark nail polish to paint a strip on the back of LO's pacifier.

Ehh I have the mam glow in the dark paci, it only glows for a few hours, so I am still searching at 3am.

I wouldn't use finger nail polish, maybe just find a glow in the dark marker or sticker

That's weird, I haven't noticed the glow wearing off.

It's hilarious looking down at her in the RNP and all I see is a little glowing circle. It's also a godsend when its lost in the bed. I agree that all baby things should glow!

kmd91 · February 2016

I wish my little bub's paci was glow in the dark! He usually keeps it in his mouth pretty well, but if he's stirring in the middle of the night it's usually cause he lost it, then me fumbling around searching for it in his bed always seems to wake him up more, making it harder for him to get back to sleep. He takes a Nuk, but that's the only pacifier we ever tried cause he took it just fine. I wonder if I found a glow in the dark mam if he would take it.

taykerslake · February 2016

@kmd91 the last time I was in Walmart the Nuk brand had glow in the dark ones!

kmd91 · February 2016

taykerslake said:

@kmd91 the last time I was in Walmart the Nuk brand had glow in the dark ones!

Well looks like we need to take a look next time we are there! Thanks!

Ceridwen77 · February 2016

Jtk13 said:

GoogleMD said:

VexedMommy said:

Jtk13 said:

The MAM brand paci is the only one that stays in my LOs mouth. I tried nuk, soothie, and another (can't remember) before having success with MAM. Plus the ones I have glow in the dark!

Glow in the dark pacifiers seem like they'd be a godsend for middle of the nights. What a great idea. I wonder if it would be safe to use glow in the dark nail polish to paint a strip on the back of LO's pacifier.

Ehh I have the mam glow in the dark paci, it only glows for a few hours, so I am still searching at 3am.

I wouldn't use finger nail polish, maybe just find a glow in the dark marker or sticker

That's weird, I haven't noticed the glow wearing off.

It's hilarious looking down at her in the RNP and all I see is a little glowing circle. It's also a godsend when its lost in the bed. I agree that all baby things should glow!

Agreed; I have two of the Mam glow in the dark pacifiers and they glow all night long.

Ceridwen77 · February 2016

Jtk13 said:

GoogleMD said:

VexedMommy said:

Jtk13 said:

The MAM brand paci is the only one that stays in my LOs mouth. I tried nuk, soothie, and another (can't remember) before having success with MAM. Plus the ones I have glow in the dark!

Glow in the dark pacifiers seem like they'd be a godsend for middle of the nights. What a great idea. I wonder if it would be safe to use glow in the dark nail polish to paint a strip on the back of LO's pacifier.

Ehh I have the mam glow in the dark paci, it only glows for a few hours, so I am still searching at 3am.

I wouldn't use finger nail polish, maybe just find a glow in the dark marker or sticker

That's weird, I haven't noticed the glow wearing off.

It's hilarious looking down at her in the RNP and all I see is a little glowing circle. It's also a godsend when its lost in the bed. I agree that all baby things should glow!

Agreed; I have two of the Mam glow in the dark pacifiers and they glow all night long.

Paola1986 · February 2016

Try a latex Pacifier my baby also didn't want to to take a pacifier, try it when she's calm or sleepy

GoogleMD · February 2016

Well apparently I have faulty glow in the dark paci

poupoule · February 2016

She does not like it, but she will take it if I dip it in breastmilk, if she is drowsy enough it will hold until she sleeps.

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