Pacifiers for newborn

amother

Ecru

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 1:45 pm

what are the best pacifiers for a nursing newborn? I know that they say to wait till the baby is about 6 weeks- when the nursing has been established. What is your experience with this? I'm having my first iyh in a few weeks and wondering if I should give a pacifier or not? any advice??
thanks

pesek zman

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 1:57 pm

You're definitely going to see contrary opinions but I never offered a pacifier. My husband and I were both in agreement (neither of us got them as babies) and felt strongly against it. You have to have a high tolerance for kvetching. I definitely recognize that had we 'plugged her in' she would been less of a moany baby but I would do the same for a future child

amother

Pumpkin

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 2:05 pm

I'd wait and see. You don't need to decide yet.

One of mine NEEDED a pacifier. Her need to suck was completely above and beyond all human ability. It did take a long time to break her of that habit, though. But I don't regret it, she really needed it.

Never did for later kids. Some sucked their thumbs, though usually stopped after a few months.

If your baby needs a pacifier, you'll know. Otherwise, why introduce habits that will be hard to break?

keym

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 2:12 pm

Im going to be the dissenting voice here then. My husband and I were both long term thumbsuckers (ten and fourteen) and the orthodontia bills were impossible.
I personally blame it on the fact that its practically impossible to take away a thumb.
So I gave a pacifier- whenever they wanted as newborns, by 6/9 months limiting to only in crib and completely gone by 2/ 2 1/2.
As to which kind, my babies each let me know what they preferred. I bought 3-4 kinds and they showed clear preference.

Teomima

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 2:25 pm

I've given pacifiers, and a lot earlier than six weeks. My reasons are A: research shows fewer SIDS deaths in children that used pacifiers and B: Some kids just need to suck and if there's no pacifier around, they'll suck their fingers, and that is not a good thing. It's terrible for their teeth and, as annoying as pacifier weaning is, at least you can take it away. You can't take thumbs away.

That said, I had one child who was never into it. Didn't suck her thumb and never took to a pacifier.

As for which kind, I usually bought a selection and eventually noticed a pattern with each kid, which kind they seemed to prefer.

Iymnok

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 2:48 pm

My oldest two are still sucking their thumbs. Now we give ASAP. The cheapest have worked fine. My babies wanted to suck so badly they didn’t care.

Stars

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 2:54 pm

I was going to wait till my baby was four weeks old but he needed to suck all day long, and I did need to shower and use the bathroom eventually. It was a lifesaver. By 12 months old the pacifier was limited to the crib only, and by 2.3 I took it away completely.

thunderstorm

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 2:56 pm

As far as I recall the hospital even gave the newborns pacifiers immediately.
One of my kids stopped taking it six weeks .The other never took one from day one, he was my biggest kvetch. Those two that stopped or didn't take one ended up using me as their pacifier and stayed hooked to my breast literally an entire night. It was horrible!
Another had it until I had to fight taking them away. He's got the best teeth in the family. The other took one but wasn't in love with it as much yet it definitely helped him not be a constant kvetch.
Due iyh with another one any day now, and will see how that plays out.

Stars

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 3:09 pm

thunderstorm wrote:

They used to do that. Nowadays you cannot find pacifiers in the regular nursery, only in the nicu. At least that's the case in NY.

SuperWify

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 6:06 pm

I was also not going to give him a pacifier for the nursing reason but I am grateful that my mom intervened. My baby needed to suck all day and it was stressing me out. She got me a Mam paci (they are the best!) and he still had no problems nursing and BH slept better.

pesek zman

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 6:08 pm

Stars wrote:

They used to do that. Nowadays you cannot find pacifiers in the regular nursery, only in the nicu. At least that's the case in NY.

Correct. I asked the nurses not to offer a paci and they said that they don't

amother

Beige

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 6:15 pm

Stars wrote:

They used to do that. Nowadays you cannot find pacifiers in the regular nursery, only in the nicu. At least that's the case in NY.

Eh? Had a baby 4 months ago. They totally have.

amother

Fuchsia

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 6:17 pm

My kids sucked their thumbs from birth and wern't too interested in passys. Personally I mcuh rather thumb sucking because if they lose their thumb it's their problem to find it, but if they lose their passy, its yours!
I did have one kid that wouldn't suck his thumb and wasn't interested in a passy either, so I became his human passy. don't get me started on that!

pesek zman

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 6:18 pm

amother wrote:

Eh? Had a baby 4 months ago. They totally have.

Must differ hospital to hospital. I was at Columbia. Where were you?

amother

Beige

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 6:19 pm

Two of my kids took took to pacis right away. Two did not. I literally had to keep putting the things back in their mouths. I couldn't bear the thought of having thumb suckers. I know of a lady that sucked her thumb even after she was married... Both of those two ended up becoming very happy with their pacis, just like the other kids had.

Three had the Avent -- which is the prettiest of all pacis, and one only took a Nuk, which is really not pretty.

I give right away. I have never seen any nipple confusion. I nurse, sometimes give pumped bottles and give pacis.

allthingsblue

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 6:19 pm

I offered a pacifier right away; the baby didn't necessarily take it until a few weeks old.
Reaserch has shown it can reduce the risk of SIDS, or so I've read.

pesek zman

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 6:21 pm

amother wrote:

Why did you think the only alternative to paci is the thumb? Mine didn't do either. (Is that so unusual?)

amother

Cerise

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 6:27 pm

pesek zman wrote:

Why did you think the only alternative to paci is the thumb? Mine didn't do either. (Is that so unusual?)

Yes, it is fairly unusual. Historically, babies have been given all sorts of pacifiers, or encouraged to suck their thumb or fingers. Babies find sucking very soothing, and they suck their thumb or fingers even in utero. Many babies who are not offered a pacifier will develop a thumb- or finger-sucking habit.

amother

Indigo

Thu, Jun 28 2018, 6:41 pm

I love the gumdrop paci's. All my babies took them, most after I tried many other prettier types, they all ended up with the gumdrop.