Anyone using pacifiers yet?

[babykaoss]

I'm seriously considering it. Poor Dominic is a pro-nurser, he's doing great, EXCEPT for those times when he's nursed ALL day, its his fussy evening period (yep, those have kicked in)....and watching his body language it seems to be because of all the milk pouring down his throat, making him cough and choke when he wants to comfort nurse to sleep, and again in the wee hours. I was up with him walking him, wearing him, trying to nurse, rubbing him, etc for hours last night. The poor little guy so obviously just wants to suck and settle down. My finger works for a few seconds, or the boob works in those times until my crazy letdown kicks in, and then he gets so frustrated and cries and cries. I feel awful for him.

I'm wondering if anyone else used a pacifier this soon. Each of my other kids only used them for a short time because of this same reason, and never got hooked on them....both kids just seemed to lose interest around six months or so. I just cannot remember how old they were when we started using it for this, because I think we already HAD pacifiers in the house. Dominic will be 3 weeks old on Thursday, and honestly I don't know if we can hold out another 3 weeks like this until that 6 wk mark.

Do you guys think if I only use it for those times when he is half asleep and exhausted and absolutely frustrated with my boobs that it will interfere with anything? It's not like I'm going to replace feedings with it or anything.


If you use pacifiers, what kind works for you, any recommendations, etc???

[texaspeach]

we have been using a soothie. I have over active letdown and over supply. comfort nursing wasn't working for us

therewas a thread about pacis a few days ago.. let me find it.

here

[mama*pisces]

My friend recommended the NUK ones to me, I guess they are supposed to promote breastfeeding...

"The innovative nipple shape conforms to baby’s mouth just like mother’s breast during feeding, reinforcing correct tongue position."

I haven't given in to the urge yet though, still tossing it around in my head. I'm pretty sure she would be fine at this point(5 wks today), I just don't want her getting hooked. Sounds like you have a greater need for it though...no oversupply issues here and she is fine with comfort nursing...just a little tiring for me.

[babykaoss]

Whoops I didnt see the other thread.

Thanks guys.

[slimkins]

I haven't yet. I am not opposed to them, he just hasn't gotten upset enough to need one. As for now, I am definitely his pacifier, and he is even getting a little better about how often he needs me. I bought a couple of pacifiers before Ryden was born. Unless he gets really stressed and nothing else soothes him, we are planning on them being something that only DH has. So, if he ever has problems soothing Ryden, and I have run to the store or are in the shower or something, he will have something that soothes his sucking needs. As of now, that hasn't happened.

[gurumama]

We were adamently opposed to them and didn't use them for ds1 and ds2, but for ds3 we're using one only for car rides, or if DH is watching him and he's had a bottle, been burped/changed/soothed/etc. and nothing else works.

It helps about 50% of the time, and we're talking about a total of 30 minutes/week.

[dislocator3972]

we just bought a soothie and I'm so glad we did. My nipples couldn't take being her pacifier any more. My LO is 4 weeks old tomorrow and even though she uses the soothie more than I'd like (she like to suck throughout her naps sometimes) she is still nursing 12-15 times per day, so i'm not worried.

if you feel it's time and you're ready to monitor use then it's probably time.

nak

[stardust swallower]

IMO you are the best gauge of your babe's needs. I bought a Natursutten for the same reasons you're talking about. Babe isn't crazy about it though... My finger usually works much better... don't know if it's the paci (seems big) or just babe's preferences for skin... the good thing about the Natursutten (I thought) was that I got exactly 1 (for $9!) and it's 0-3 mo, so I figured we'd be judicious about it.

[Grumpy72_ga]

FWIW, if your milk is fully in ... go ahead and get a pacifier if that is your plan.
I used one with my 2 nursers... (unfortunately this one doesn't nurse ... but that was due to her prematurity and discovery of a metabolic issue that she was thought to have.)

All of mine used the Soothies - though my last three used these
http://wubbanub.com/wubbanub-pacifiers.html
made finding the lost dummy easier

[wombatclay]

I have oversupply/overactive letdown so comfort nursing usually leads to gassy belly aches, vomit, engorgement, and a seriously upset babe.

We offered dd1 a variety of pacis and she hated all of them. Only our fingers worked.

We offered dd2 a variety of pacis and while she took one now and then it never became a regular thing.

We've offered ds a NUK (he wasn't a fan) but he seems to be content with his own fingers so we're trying to encourage that instead!

When we were shopping for bottle nipples for dd1 I spent a lot of time browsing the shelves looking for something that "looked like me". Do you have a baby shop with a lot of paci options? Maybe try three or four different brands? And make sure you get the right size!

[aydensmama]

Soothie user here for the same reason. I was nursing ds3 every hour in the evenings, and it caught up with the fast let down and crazy amount of milk, and made his tummy hurt soooo bad.

Soothie is for that time, the car and when he still wants to suck after his all 5-6 minutes of nursing.

I wish my baby could comfort nurse

[babykaoss]

Originally Posted by wombatclay

I have oversupply/overactive letdown so comfort nursing usually leads to gassy belly aches, vomit, engorgement, and a seriously upset babe.

This sounds exactly like us. I wish I had realized it days ago. In retrospect, this is how it was for ds too, although I was tandeming, so dd took care of the oversupply and I didn't make the connection at the time......

[wombatclay]

Kellymom has a wonderful "could it be oversupply/OAL" page here, along with ideas fir resolving oversupply and helping your little one deal with the "flood".

Low supply is a much better known condition since it is more "obvious" and more dangerous for little ones. Over supply though has it's own problems for mama and babe and one of those problems is that mothers often don't know what to look for! They're told that a gassy/fussy baby is normal, that spit up is normal, or that they need to change their diet or pump or introduce formula... when really they're dealing with over supply/forceful let down and there are some simple things they can try. Obviously oversupply isn't always the "problem" but in many cases just changing nursing positions or trying block feeding can result in a happier mama/babe duo.

[GradysMom]

nevermind

[Onemagicmummy]

Henri has had a pacifier (dody/dummy in UK terms) since she was 3 weeks old, she is a comfy sucker adn was taking in so much milk she was making herself sick and yet still wanting to suck, so dummy it was.

if she is hungry the dummy wont work, plus i always run throught ym mental check list (boob, bum, burp, hug) then the dummy,m if that doesnt work the its daddys turn to try to settle her.

Kiz

[mommaof5]

I love pacifiers, we use the NUK. Never has made a problem with nursing, honestly I can't imagine not using one!

[Talula Fairie]

After three weeks of baby fussing, and crying at the breast becuase they just kept letting down and she just wanted to comfort nurse, and vomiting from getting overfull (I have oversupply and overactive letdown), I finally just gave in and busted out the pacifier. They are a major livesaver. I finally just...had to. We are using the MAM pacifiers. Those are the only ones she'd take. Even the IBCLC I saw recommended using one in my case.

[puddleduck]

I have got over my paci guilt - i love them.
ds1 didn't have one and screamed for about 6 months, ds2 did and was really chilled out and slept loads better than ds1 (ok i admit it, ds2 still has his at night)

Baby River has one, i think she will eventually find her hand but until then i'm happy to give her a paci, she wont comfort nurse at all, and i can sling her screaming for 30 minutes before she falls asleep or give her the paci and shes asleep in 30 seconds - no brainer really.

[Talula Fairie]

Originally Posted by puddleduck

I i can sling her screaming for 30 minutes before she falls asleep or give her the paci and shes asleep in 30 seconds - no brainer really.

yeah, this is my experience as well. i still feel a little guilty but I just couldn't take anymore. I was exhausted and I hadn't really slept in like a week.

[Ceili]

We use one in the car. My five year old goes to Kindergarten in the next town over so we spend at least 1 1/2 in the car every day (45 minutes each way and I always drive in the mornings, sometimes carpool takes him home). Driving down the interstate with my finger in her mouth didn't seem safe, so pacifier it is. I leave it in the carseat though, she doesn't need it any other time and doesn't really like it overall. She'll be happier when she can figure out her thumb, she's working hard at it.