Breastfed babies and pacifiers

okcountrygirl · May 2016

Most everywhere I read suggests not giving breastfed babies pacifiers until after 4 or 6 weeks old but I'm curious about any of yalls experiences with this? We see our pediatrician tomorrow so I will ask her as well...

mmemartinez · May 2016

They popped one in DS mouth at the hospital before I could protest. We had some trouble
with latch the first couple of weeks but it didn't seem related, according to the lactation consultant (he had a slight tongue tie and we used a nipple shield to help train him). Used them consistently until about 9 or 10 months then he stopped taking it on a regular basis. Nursed for almost two years. If baby needs it, it should be fine, but I can't speak for everyone's experiences.

LadySamLady · May 2016

My LO is EBF and thus far completely uninterested in pacifiers, much to my dismay. She spits them out with a WTF expression on her face.

jenl1681 · May 2016

DS isn't really into them, sometimes you can get him to suck on it, but for the most part he just spits them all out. I haven't noticed any problems and he is EBF

Bellodomani · May 2016

I've given both of my EBF babies pacifiers from day 1 and haven't had issues. My son sort of half heartedly took it until about 4 months, and this baby doesnt seem super enthusiastic about them either.

seasalt123 · May 2016

My LO has had a pacifier since the early weeks as he was a preemie and couldn't take oral feeds at first. I was also a bit apprehensive but the nurses told me it would train him to suck for when the time came. He also was bottle fed pretty much the same time he learned to breastfeed. He currently has no issues switching between all three. Mind you, I am still using a nipple shield but I don't think that's related as I'm the one struggling without the shield, not him.

Sunshinebins · May 2016

I have a similar experience to @seasalt123 my babies were in the NICU for so long. They took pacifiers before anything else really and still bottle feed or breastfeed no problem. They aren't huge pacifier fans anyway, but sometimes it helps them if they are really having a meltdown. I am starting to kind of doubt nipple confusion being as big of an issue as it's made out to be based on what we were told By NICU nurses and doctors. it's all about your comfort level though and what works for you.

missnc77 · May 2016

I started giving my LO a pacifier after 2 weeks. She's EBF, and she has been a great latcher since the first time I breastfeed her. I haven't noticed any issues with her latching, but she's not exactly a pacifier addict. We give her one when she's super fussy, and she'll hold it to her mouth for a while, but eventually she'll become disinterested. I figured if I did start notice latching issues, I could just stop giving her one. The big thing that finally pushed me to give her one is that occasionally, she'd start sucking her fingers, and I read that a finger sucking habit is much harder to break down the road than a pacifier habit. So if she's going to suck on something, I'd rather it be something I can break the habit of later.

Charla1224 · May 2016

My LO is EBF and uses a pacifier at 1 week old. I gave in on day 3 once I realized she was using my nipple as a pacifier. She would cry as if she was hungry but once latched wouldn't really suck hard enough to get much milk. Just sort of suck for comfort. This made my nipples raw so I popped in a paci. She doesn't love it but it does help after she eats and falls asleep. She usually spits it out and continues sleeping 30 min later though.

NinnyJean · May 2016

We gave her one at day four when leaving the hospital because she was so upset in her car seat and have only given it to her since if she's freaking out in the car seat. I haven't noticed any difference in her nursing so not sure about the nipple confusion

camillaandcarson · May 2016

LadySamLady said:

My LO is EBF and thus far completely uninterested in pacifiers, much to my dismay. She spits them out with a WTF expression on her face.

My first baby did this, never did like them.
I introduced a paci to this baby 2 nights ago. It wasn't the dream miracle I had hoped. Baby was clearly offended, hated it, and also spit it out with the same expression. That is ok with me, less stuff to have to haul around and keep away from my toddler/pets.

tgortney · May 2016

Charla1224 said:

My LO is EBF and uses a pacifier at 1 week old. I gave in on day 3 once I realized she was using my nipple as a pacifier. She would cry as if she was hungry but once latched wouldn't really suck hard enough to get much milk. Just sort of suck for comfort. This made my nipples raw so I popped in a paci. She doesn't love it but it does help after she eats and falls asleep. She usually spits it out and continues sleeping 30 min later though.

My LO isn't EBF but I can relate on the day 3 comfort sucking. DS is pump and bottle fed, sometimes breastfed, and uses a paci. No nipple confusion here. I agree that I don't think it's as big of a deal as everyone makes it out to be. It's a risk if you're willing to take it.

To me, I was willing to sacrifice EBF if it meant he would be comforted and still able to have my breast milk. Breastfeeding is a bonding experience for us now, not a need.

saladflambe · May 2016

Emma has been get a pacifier since the hospital though she's not a huge fan. She does breast, bottle, and paci. No issues.

LadySamLady · May 2016

camillaandcarson said:

LadySamLady said:

My LO is EBF and thus far completely uninterested in pacifiers, much to my dismay. She spits them out with a WTF expression on her face.

My first baby did this, never did like them.
I introduced a paci to this baby 2 nights ago. It wasn't the dream miracle I had hoped. Baby was clearly offended, hated it, and also spit it out with the same expression. That is ok with me, less stuff to have to haul around and keep away from my toddler/pets.

Haha! Offended is the perfect word! Holly gets totally offended.

JoMunson · May 2016

I gave Ezra a paci after a three hour comfort feeding. He won't take it if he's hungry and he spits it out when he's done. My thinking is- it must be really frustrating to want to suckle on a boob to feel more secure but you're already full.

mcb2016 · May 2016

My son hasn't had any nipple confusion either. I also heard how that is over stated. I was told some baby will have nipple preference and a bottle is easier than breast feeding. With the struggles we've had breast feeding (low supply- supplementing after breast feeding) I'm thankful my little guy loves being at the breast. I'm not sure I could stick with it if he wasn't so interested in it. I feel like I am constantly breast feeding, supplementing at a slow pace, and the breast feeding again. Then off to pump before it all starts over again! He does take a pacifier they gave him it in the nicu much to my shock. My hospital is "baby friendly" and had many no pacifier usage advice. We try to limit the pacifier to car rides.

seasalt123 · May 2016

Sunshinebins said:

I have a similar experience to @seasalt123 my babies were in the NICU for so long. They took pacifiers before anything else really and still bottle feed or breastfeed no problem. They aren't huge pacifier fans anyway, but sometimes it helps them if they are really having a meltdown. I am starting to kind of doubt nipple confusion being as big of an issue as it's made out to be based on what we were told By NICU nurses and doctors. it's all about your comfort level though and what works for you.

I've also read that nipple confusion is exaggerated. We were in the NICU for five weeks and I saw a fair number or parents come and go. All the babies were given soothers and bottles and all the mothers who pumped were able to breastfeed by the time they left without any nipple confusion. The babies adapted pretty quickly.

okcountrygirl · May 2016

Thanks ladies! I had wondered if the whole nipple confusion thing might be a little overrated... my LO is only 5 days old but so far he seems a comfort sucker at night. I feel like my boob is just a cork so each feeding lasts well over an hour and then he gets upset when I take the cork out...

JoMunson · May 2016

okcountrygirl said:

Thanks ladies! I had wondered if the whole nipple confusion thing might be a little overrated... my LO is only 5 days old but so far he seems a comfort sucker at night. I feel like my boob is just a cork so each feeding lasts well over an hour and then he gets upset when I take the cork out...

(Stuck in the box!) I feel like we as moms can tell if our baby is sucking cuz he's hungry or cuz he needs that dopamine boost the paci gives them. If Ezra eats and is changed and happy and he's still crying and making "food" faces, or he is latching for only a few minutes at a time, I give him the paci

artteacher19 · May 2016

I caved sometime during week 2 at home during the night when I realized he was just comfort nursing repeatedly to fall asleep. His latch has always been stellar, so I tried it to keep him asleep for longer than an hour and it worked! However he won't take the Avent one we have - he only likes the MAM one we got for free from the Amazon gift box. Sometimes he spits it out but it helps a bit at night.

slfezz · May 2016

MAM pacifiers are the best. I have used them with all 3 kids starting in the first few weeks and never had any issues breastfeeding.

Future Tip: The MAM bottles have the same texture and shape as the pacifiers. So if you have a baby that gets picky about bottles but like the pacifiers, try them out.

Kurrant · May 2016

We gave Lucine a pacifier soon after we got her home. She won't take it if she is hungry. The major issue is that she is a very light sleeper and once the thing falls out of her mouth ( even if its been an hour) she wakes up screaming her head off till we either get her back to sleep without it or pop it back in. I started giving her my finger to use for about 10 minutes after I put her down then slowly slip it out and away. That wont wake her but now she doesn't like the pacifier as much and demands a hand half the time.

araecasey · May 2016

DD had nipple confusion, and it was horrendous trying to overcome when I was wading through my own postpartum shtuff. NC isn't fake, peeps. Having said that, I have a paci packed in my hospital bag for this baby! If my LO will take it without issue, we're using it! I most often see nipple confusion/preference in babies who have an unresolved tongue tie. They tend to be more comfortable with artificial nipples because they don't require the frenulum to stretch. If a pacifier works for your baby and breastfeeding is going well, bravo!

itsbrookejones · May 2016

We gave her one at 3 days and she goes to town on it. No problems whatsoever breastfeeding either. It's really been a lifesaver.

lbachran · May 2016

@Kurrant, why hadn't I thought of this? Damn mommy brain. My LO fights sleep like his life depends on it and we started giving him a paci at night and during naps. But almost every time it fell out of his mouth he'd startle awake and I'd have to begin the whole process again. I'd just started letting him fall asleep cuddling with a boob to avoid even giving him the paci!

@araecasey, if you say nipple confusion exists then I'm a believer because you're definitely one momma who knows her stuff around breastfeeding.

sillyfox · May 2016

LadySamLady said:

My LO is EBF and thus far completely uninterested in pacifiers, much to my dismay. She spits them out with a WTF expression on her face.

This was DD. I really only half-heartedly tried though. I was worried I would miss her cues when she was hungry if she had a pacifier in her mouth. Also, one less thing to break her of later.

Kurrant · May 2016

So Lucy busts out of the swaddle and ends up with her hands up so we got this little swaddle with wings https://www.lovetodream.com/Products/Original

When we gave the pacifier it would fall out after a bit and wake her up so for the last two nights I have instead been putting her swaddled hand in her mouth instead of the pacifier. Yesterday when I put her in the bassinet she did it all by herself! I hope this means she will learn to self soothe sooner and maybe start to fix her 4pm-midnight terror time issue.

artteacher19 · May 2016

Kurrant said:

So Lucy busts out of the swaddle and ends up with her hands up so we got this little swaddle with wings https://www.lovetodream.com/Products/Original

Wow thank you for this!! Our dude loves to sleep arms up when he's unswaddled in his Mamaroo, but we're struggling with night time in the PNP. I just ordered one! Maybe it'll help him self soothe.

Breastfed babies and pacifiers

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