Pacifier at Night?

535 Views 5 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Sunshine4004, Apr 15, 2009

MommyToElla

Discussion Starter · Apr 14, 2009

My dd is 3 months and just started taking a pacifier. I have always disliked them (my older dd never took one), but Maya is way fussier than my first. At night she seems to want to nurse but seems unhappy with milk coming out so then she just unlatches continuously while crying - after a couple minutes she then wants nothing to do with me and is screaming.. So, anyway, we started trying the pacifier a couple days ago and it seems to work when she is tired but doens't want to nurse. I don't think it's going to effect my supply since I always offer her the boob first during the day. She's never nursed too long anyway - she's a quick nurser (and she has continuously gained 2 lbs. each month so far).
My question and it probably sounds dumb but, during the night she'll let me know if she's truely hungry right? She sleeps next to me (or on me) and she has been nursing at least 3-5 times a night (we get one good 4 hour stretch in the beginning of the night and then usually wake every 1.5-2 hours after that) since the beginning. Lots of time when I unlatch her she wakes (she was asleep) and shoves her hand in her mouth.. Last night we nursed to sleep and then when I laid her down she woke up so I put the pacifier in her mouth.. fell right back to sleep, then a couple of times throughout the night she would wake (the pacifier had already fallen out of her mouth) and I would put it back in and she'd go back to sleep. At 4am I decided to nurse her when she woke cause I was "afraid" she was hungry, even though she wasn't crying or anything - just stirring around.. she did nurse, but not for long and went right back to sleep. I again alternated with the pacifier and nursing until we woke at 7:30.
I like getting sleep.. so I don't mind if this pacifier works for now. Just want to make sure she'll let me know (which I'm pretty sure she will.. this just seems a little too good to be true right now).
I nursed my older dd every 2 hours until she was 1.5 and it wore me down. At that point she stopped night nursing and just nursed during the day. I think we'll have a happier relationship (all of us) if I get some sleep and this seems to make it happen!

Thoughts??? *not negative, bashing thoughts please.. I already feel guilty, but I really think she just likes to suck!*

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~Charlie's~Angel~

· #2 · Apr 14, 2009

I trully understand how nice it is to sleep. Just be careful that you dont put the bink back in when she really should be nursing. I used to do that with DS1, (thinking if he isnt crying, he must not be hungry right?) and i believe now that is one of the things that prolly hurt my supply. SHe might not outright let you know she is ready to eat, i.e. cry, because the sucking soothes her back to sleep before she even realizes shes awake.

On the other side, im sooooo jealous. DS2 wont take a bink AT ALL!

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CartersMommy

· #3 · Apr 15, 2009

"At night she seems to want to nurse but seems unhappy with milk coming out so then she just unlatches continuously while crying - after a couple minutes she then wants nothing to do with me and is screaming.. "

i'm no expert, but to me this sounds like oversupply, or a "hard" let down. if my milk came down hard it would spray and my son would pull off and cry-this was in the begining. now he just pulls off. since he was a newborn, I've always told him when the "milkie's coming down" so as to warn him. I used to pull off when it did come down then, but now my let down has eased up so we don't usually have the issue. About the paci...I personally wouldn't bother w/ it for sucking purposes but that's just me. sometimes u have to just get through the moment and it will pass eventually and on to something else. if it works now...go for it. good luck to u.

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CartersMommy

· #4 · Apr 15, 2009

ps...oatmeal and rice cereal is amazing for u'r supply.

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erynw

· #5 · Apr 15, 2009

Just wanted to let you know I have the same situation with my dd who is 4.5 months. There are times when she wants to suck but gets frustrated when the milk comes and like you said, pulls off crying. It's been this way from the beginning. If I put the soother in, she immediately settles and most often drifts off to sleep (because this not wanting milk is generally when she is tired and just needs to sleep).

My ds always nursed until fully asleep and I couldn't relate to mama's who said their kids never nursed to sleep. I didn't think there was any other way (other than crying) to get a babe to sleep. When dd came along I learned that there are definitely some who prefer to be rocked/cuddled/swung/whatever the case may be and don't need to be getting milk at the same time to fall asleep peacefully.

Trust your instincts, you know when she is hungry and when she is just being "fussy" and needs to sleep.

My only caveat with soothers is you have to be prepared for the days when they fall out and the child isn't able to put them back in. Guess who's job it is then? With both kids I have been prepared to deal with that eventuality. But if you aren't prepared for that, you might want to reconsider using it at all.

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Sunshine4004

· #6 · Apr 15, 2009

DS uses a pacifier to fall asleep at night and for naps and has for several months. Once he is soundly asleep the pacifier falls out and most nights he doesn't need it again. He sleeps 8:30PM-6:45AM straight most nights. He just needs to pacifier to fall asleep initially. He is only allowed his pacifier during nap time and for bed....I am not keen on the idea of him playing, etc. with a pacifier in his mouth.

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