Comments on: Pondering Pacifiers

By: Analisa Roche

Analisa Roche — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:20:10 +0000

Another breastfeeding fan of Nuk. And, despite our fears, weaning from the paci has been a virtual non-event four times over, first child at 3-1/2 (too old), twins at 3, and little guy before 2-1/2!

By: Oahugirl

Oahugirl — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 03:36:16 +0000

Go for it! I nursed my second daughter for 18 months and if she needed a paci, then she had it. She didn’t experience confusion. I used Nuk brand.

By: MichelleB

MichelleB — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 23:31:36 +0000

That silver pacifier is insane! Well ever since me and my hubby celebrated our anniversary over the weekend and he gave me a pair of gorgeous diamond earrings from http://www.idonowidont.com we decided to have a baby! We will give the baby a pacifier because my BFF said her baby loves it and helps w/ teething.

By: kgirl94

kgirl94 — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 08:22:56 +0000

…another thought….though paci’s can sometimes be habit forming, remember that a thumb can be just as bad! I sucked my thumb for a loooooong time – long enough that I can actually remember needing it to fall asleep!
You can always take the paci away, but you can’t do anything about a thumb! )

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:52:39 +0000

At first my son didn’t take to the pacifier we received at our baby shower so I didn’t think he needed one. It was cute and said “mute button”
My mother was very much against pacifiers, and neither my brother nor I used one.

But then my son decided to use me a human pacifier. After feeding, I can tell he’s done and not swallowing anymore. He’s pretty much asleep and just flutter sucking. This can go on for another 30 minutes if I let it. He’ll wake up and start fussing sometimes when I pull away. My mother in-law found a smaller pacifier for 0-3 month olds and he took to that much better. It also helped him settle down when she babysat him. Sometimes he prefers his hand over the pacifier, which is fine. I usually give it to him when he’s fighting sleep and is very fussy. I have to be sure that he’s properly fed first though and I didn’t start until he was good at latching on, after he was six weeks old.

My mother eventually came around when she realized that this kid just needs to suck and there was little she could do about it if she wanted to babysit him without earplugs.

The pacifier saved my nipples. And it’s supposed to prevent SIDS. He will not take it if he doesn’t want it though, which is more often than not. It doesn’t prevent him from crying if there is something else wrong like he needs a new diaper, he’s hungry, or cold or just plain fussy for who knows what reason. But when he wants his pacifier, nothing else will do. Listen to/watch your kid. She’ll let you know if she needs one or not.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:50:57 +0000

We had the same issues in the beginning and the same doubts. By the end of our 2nd week of breastfeeding, I was cracked, sore and bleeding and in tears from TLE’s constant comfort nursing. Our family doctor gave us the go ahead for a pacifier and I waddled to the nearest Babies R Us and bought out their pacifier selection.

Of course, The Little Empress spat them out and cried for more boobie. She’s now 7 months old and I think I have a photo of the one momentous occasion that she took the pacifier for a grand total of 5 minutes. And she didn’t begin to self soothe until she was about 3 months old.

That being said, there’s nothing wrong with a pacifier, especially in the early days when it seems you can’t find other ways to calm the baby. Just be sure to try and use it only when needed, otherwise it may become the baby’s lovey and be hard to take away later.

By: kgirl94

kgirl94 — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:34:57 +0000

Our son began using a pacifier after breastfeeding was established, and it worked out great for all of us – it calmed him down when he was cranky, and we didn’t have to worry about him screaming in our ears!
We were really good about only giving it to him when he needed it – when he was getting fussy. He’d go to sleep w/it, but it would always fall out once he fell asleep. No problems w/him waking because it fell out.
I think b/c we limited his binky time, he didn’t have too much of an attachment. We were more worried about taking him off than he was, as once we did at 1 yr, he went cold turkey w/no problems.

By: Fran Magbual

Fran Magbual — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 22:54:23 +0000

My son, our first born, was breast fed and he never took to the pacifier that we tried to give him. I guess I was his soother. For numerous reasons I did not breast feed my daughter and she ended up really liking having a pacifier to suck on in between bottles. I took it away from her at 6 months, which is when babies supposedly develop habits. There was a little bit of fussing, but she was able to fall asleep without it with no fussing after one night.

By: Lissa

Lissa — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 22:40:03 +0000

When Connor was born, I didn’t want him with any pacifier but the hospital gave us one anyway. I have to admit we used that on him but only after his breastfeeding habits were established. We used that as a crutch to help him calm down especially at public places. I don’t think it’s entirely bad but there is a certain point when you’d have to wean your baby from it so that other issues won’t come up. We were lucky that he pretty much weaned himself from the binky when he was around 11 months. They say though that most kids pretty much wean themselves from the pacifier when they start getting interested in other things.

Oh yeah one thing that the American Association of Pediatrics said about pacifiers is that it prevents SIDS so some pediatricians think it’s okay for babies to use it. It somehow helps the baby breathe or something but they don’t recommend the parent to put it back in their mouth at night if they happen to spit it out.

By: asako

asako — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:40:45 +0000

nothing wrong with pacis if that’s what you choose for you and baby. both of my kids hated/hate anything artificial. ds would suck for a moment and spit it out. dd would suck, then open her mouth and gag herself with it….I know how you feel about trying to calm them…i bought pacifiers in an act of desperation, knowing fully that i didn’t believe in using them. My heart was relieved when both kids didn’t like them…really relieved…

if you do decide to give it a go, wait at least until 6 weeks (that’s what’s recommended to avoid nipple/hunger cue confusion).

good luck mama!