How many of you gave your lo pacifiers?

[eternamariposa]

So I am having what is probably a typical new mommy freakout with my demanding six week old. I nurse on demand, and she demands it ever 45 minutes or so. I have OALD and block feed but she still has a hard time when it comes to comfort nursing. She also never sleeps for more than two hours in a row so I don't get much rest and time with my husband is practically non-exsistent. I can't EVER set her down without her crying. Naps are extremely frustrating because she gets full but then ds, 3yo, wakes her and she won't nurse or can't because of the OALD.

I need some perspective. Is it worth it to break out the paci for those comfort nursing desires if you have OALD or will things naturally balance out? We full out AP so she sleep with us, is in the carrier/sling often, never left to cio. We have never used a paci before and are worried about possibly creating a problem.

[jecombs]

I used a paci with no problems and I introduced it wayyy earlier than you're talking about. I had a high-needs infant and OALD and she needed to suck to soothe herself... so we broke-out the paci.

In my experience, the only thing that corrected the OALD was time. It got progressively better after DD was 3 mo. old and by 6 mo. it was gone. Block nursing is only going to help if your OALD is due to a true over-supply (sometimes they're not related). Be careful using the block-feeding and make sure it doesn't decrease your supply too much.

Also, keep in mind that 6 weeks old is prime-time for a growth spurt! So she may actually need to nurse more until the spurt is over.

[eternamariposa]

I do have an oversupply but still we only use the same side for two feedings-usually an hour or less apart to be safe. Her behavior isn't new to the 6 wk mark either and ds #1 was high needs like her too.

[PatioGardener]

There is a great randomized controlled trial of pacis vs no pacis for breastfed babies that showed that paci use did not decrease breastfeeding duration. It did come out in the analysis though that paci use was often a 'red flag' or warning that breastfeeding may not be going well - so not a cause of issues, but something associated with issues.

That gave me reassurance that if breastfeeding is going well and mom is not feeding less because of the paci use that pacis can be used by bfed babies - and even to help the bfeeding relationship.

[Sharlla]

i would if she would take one. her need to suckle is constant but i cant just nurse her all day

[Addie]

We sometimes use a paci with our EBF 12 week old. I waited until about 8 weeks before introducing it, because I was nervous that it would effect breastfeeding. Also, we had some latch issues early on due to tongue-tie, so I waited until things were going better. We use it pretty selectively - mostly when he's overtired and needs to go to sleep, and I know he has nursed enough to be full. It does seem to help him calm down when he's overworked.

[Lineymom]

All three of mine got pacies starting within days of my milk coming in. It was always because they wanted to suck but were not hungry and cried and chocked on the milk. My youngest is 3m but my others nursed for 2 + years, and were big fat babies! I don't know what OLAD is though...

[Llyra]

I think moderate use is just fine, and if it helps baby be happy it's a blessing, and if it helps mama cope a little better it's a blessing. It's overuse and inappropriate use that's the real problem. I think you have to set some limits on its use. Use it carefully, be careful that you're still nursing very often, and if breastfeeding problems develop (difficulty latching, poor latch, baby's weight gain slows, etc.) resolve to get rid of it entirely.

One thing to be careful of-- when a feeding has gone on a long time, and you're getting tired, it's easy to try and slip the paci in and get baby off the breast before baby is really finished. Try not to do this too much-- it's that long, slow suckling at the end that brings in the later letdowns of fattier hindmilk, and signals your breasts to keep up with baby's demand. During growth spurt periods, if you take baby off too soon, that natural supply and demand process might not work as well as it should.

I do think that if you want baby to take one at all, it's probably better to introduce it now. I waited with DS, because we had legitimate nursing problems that needed to be resolved before I was ready to try it. Anyway, I guess I waited too long, because he refused it entirely.

I will say this (and it may be a coincidence)-- my girls both took pacis, and slept great. DS was the cruddiest sleeper ever.

[guestmama9971]

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[cocoabean8]

Yep I did. No problems...

[ladyleah]

My LO is 9.5 weeks old and we use one on occasion- after a feeding if he is overly tired and can't get comfy for a nap-- or in the middle of the night right after he has eaten if he still wants to suck. Usually within 5 minutes of putting it in he falls asleep and spits it out! lol He doesn't have a problem with nipple confusion or anything like that, and is gaining weight rapidly! (I am very thankful!)

Now he is starting to suck on his fist and thumb (if he can find it!) often....once he gets the hang of that we might ditch the paci. Time will t

[EmilyG]

I've used a paci with both my girls from the start with no problems at all. DD#1 especially, had a strong need to comfort suck 24/7, and the paci was a life-saver! She still ebf till 10 months, then started some solids, but continued to breastfeed till 18 months. She was a binky girl till she was 4, when she happily gave it up on her birthday without a look back (amazed me, she was so dependant!)
DD#2 uses a paci too (she's 5 months) but not as in love with it as #1.
I don't think there is any problems with the paci, as long as you're giving it for the sucking need, not to stall when they're hungry.

[JessicaS]

I gave one to ds since it helped keep him a little calmer in the car and he couldn't really get super angry at that time due to his heart condition. He lost interest in it pretty early though.

[leaveit2beeker]

I gave a pacifier after 6 weeks. I was not really in love with the idea of nursing ds to sleep for every nap/bedtime, so the pacifier was helpful in that regard. Still trying to pry it away at 2 years old, though... hahaha

[prothyraia]

I used a pacifier with my first because of my OAL (with my second child, his older brother was still nursing so I didn't *have* OAL ).

Babies need to nurse for comfort as well as nutrition. There is nothing comforting about nursing on a fire hydrant. A pacifier is a reasonable alternative; I would offer my breast first and if he rejected it I would give a pacifier. He used it until he was about 4-5 months old, and gave it up on his own after my supply settled down and I didn't drown him all the time.

I do remember actually being very sad when I watched him suckle on the pacifier and do that little "flutter" suck that I had read about babes doing while comfort nursing. It seems silly now (it seemed silly at the time too!) but I felt a little bit like my breasts weren't doing their job, and I had enough exposure to the idea that pacifiers were Teh Evil that I had to fight against feeling guilty about it. But it really was the best way to get his needs met.

[eternamariposa]

Originally Posted by prothyraia

It seems silly now (it seemed silly at the time too!) but I felt a little bit like my breasts weren't doing their job, and I had enough exposure to the idea that pacifiers were Teh Evil that I had to fight against feeling guilty about it. But it really was the best way to get his needs met.

This is totally where I am at. In my breastfeeding classes and research pacifiers are made out to me homewreckers just waiting to destroy the nursing couples relationship, lol. But it seems very obvious that her need to suck is not being fully met by the breast, so I started to figure maybe if I always offer the breast first and never steal it away but let her decide she is done things would be ok to give her the paci at night when she usually screams for an hour to settle or right after I feed her and she wakes when I set her down. I kinda need to be available for my 3yo and my husband too...or at least to pee, lol.

[ShwarmaQueen]

I think pacifiers are more detrimental when babies are learning how to latch, but afterwards I don't think they're a big deal. I will say that when hospitals routinely use them with newborns they CAN interfere with nursing because moms need that early suckling to send the right signals for her milk supply.

Personally, I tried with DD and DS but neither would take one. However, I'm happy anyways because DS found his thumb this week and it's really nice to not have to nurse him to sleep every. single. time. that he's sleepy (like I did with DD). And it's kinda cute.

[KempsMama]

I didn't realize it at the time, but with DS I had OAL and oversupply issues. We used a paci, from day one, and never had any issues with BF at all related to the paci. At about four months he found his thumb, refused to take the paci anymore, and still is a happy thumb sucker at almost two. Which I'm a-ok with.

[Denae524]

My dd is a total paci addict, and she has no problems bfing that is for sure!

[YayJennie]

I introduced a soothie around 6 weeks, and I'm glad I did. I had an oversupply and a sucky babe, which was making my supply worse. I gave him a pacifier, my supply (eventually) evened out, and now he's 10.5 months and still breast feeding successfully, with no intention to wean anytime soon. And he goes to sleep super easily for his father or me by just giving him the soothie. Pacifiers definitely made all of our lives much easier, and did not negatively effect breast feeding at all (if anything it helped my supply issue because he wasn't constantly suckling, increasing my supply!)