How do you encourage newborn to take pacifier

amother

Wed, Jan 06 2021, 11:33 am

I’m trying to introduce it to my newborn as I feel a pacifier is good for several reasons. I tried two so far and he’s still not taking it nicely. How and when do I keep pushing it so that it becomes natural?

I’m also finding it frustrating that as soon as it falls out he wakes up and cries. With my others I used to take out the pacifier when they fell asleep with no issue.

If you’re not pro-pacifier or have nothing helpful to add please skip this thread. I don’t have energy for mom-shamers.

amother

Ginger

Wed, Jan 06 2021, 11:38 am

Which one's did you try? By one of my babies I tried about 8 different paci's. I find that most babies like the mam or hospital one, make sure it's the newborn size. I also find that for a newborn you need to hold it at their mouth for them till they learn to keep it in themselves.

amother

Wed, Jan 06 2021, 11:44 am

amother [ Ginger ] wrote:

I tried the mam first and he didn’t seem to know what to do with it. Now trying the bibs one. When do I give it to him?

amother

Ginger

Wed, Jan 06 2021, 11:47 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I tried the mam first and he didn’t seem to know what to do with it. Now trying the bibs one. When do I give it to him?

They're not supposed to know what to do with it the first second, it take time to learn. Give it to him when he's calm at first. Bibs is the worst, the nipples are huge for a newborn and it's a choking hazard as well, the nipple expands and I've seen too many babies gag on it. I don't understand how this paci got approved to be put on the market.

amother

Cyan

Wed, Jan 06 2021, 11:50 am

I'm not a major paci user, but everyone does what works for them, not sure why not using them means shaming those that do!

But anyhow I did use with one or two of my kids, and the best way to get them to use one is to introduce it right after they were nursing or sucking a bottle. At first you really need to be there and hold it (gently) in until they get the hang of it.

If he cries when it falls out, it means that he's relying on it. You can gently and repeatedly teach him that it's okay to fall back asleep without it. So when you see he's getting very sleepy, gently take out the paci. If he wakes up and starts to get agitated, put it back in, count to 20, and gently remove again. If he's agitated, give it back and repeat, until he falls asleep without it. If you do this a few times, he should get the hang of it.

challahchallah

Wed, Jan 06 2021, 11:50 am

Does he take a bottle? Sometimes the pacifier that’s the same brand as the bottle works well because it’s a familiar nipple shape.

The other thing you can try is if it’s one of the pacifiers that has the hole in the back you stick your finger in there and gently press on the roof of their mouth to stimulate sucking.

Also, unfortunately, even newborns have their own personalities and preferences so some just never take to a pacifier.

amother

Ginger

Wed, Jan 06 2021, 11:53 am

amother [ Cyan ] wrote:

Why would you take out the paci when the baby falls asleep? And why should she teach the baby to fall asleep without a paci? She wants to get her baby to take a paci, not the opposite. I think this is the advice she specifically asked not to give.

amother

Cyan

Wed, Jan 06 2021, 11:57 am

amother [ Ginger ] wrote:

No, she said baby wakes up when the paci falls out. The way to avoid that is to teach the baby to fall back asleep even without the pacifier. Then he (hopefully) will stop waking up every time the pacifier is removed or falls out.

amother

Ginger

Wed, Jan 06 2021, 12:00 pm

amother [ Cyan ] wrote:

Once he learns how to suck the pacifier well, it won't fall out until he's in a real deep sleep and probably won't be waking up.

PeanutMama

Wed, Jan 06 2021, 12:17 pm

I think some babies have to get used to the idea of taking a bottle or breastfeeding for like 2-4 weeks before offering a pacifier
My son however took the bottle but most of the milk just leaked out of the corner of his mouth on the slowest nipple flow he did take the pacifier though and he completely dropped it at 8 months and since then he’s been refusing every pacifier we offer him so I guess he’s past that pacifier stage

Good luck op

amother

Lime

Wed, Jan 06 2021, 12:47 pm

I go with one type and stick with it. Always avent.

Give it when baby is calm and having awake time so that they can explore it when not cranky. And just keep popping back in. Could it be baby isn’t settled properly when they fall asleep and that’s why they wake when it falls out?

amother

Ginger

Wed, Jan 06 2021, 1:11 pm

amother [ Coffee ] wrote:

Do all babies take to it? Mine is always upset that there’s no food on the end of it. Pacis haven’t appealed to my baby at all.

A paci isn't instead of a feeding. It's for when baby is cranky and not hungry. But no, not all babies take a paci.

amother

Slateblue

Wed, Jan 06 2021, 2:31 pm

I used to give the nuk pacifier. That's what my kids liked the most. I did not use the newborn size though cause the nipple is too small and they can't get their grip on it. I always started with the second size. Every baby is unique though as I have a newborn now and he doesn't want the nuk pacifier at all. He only takes the hospital one and only when he's really tired and ready to fall asleep.
I do support giving a paci. These babies are much easier to calm down. Talking from experience with both. Good luck!

amother

Coffee

Wed, Jan 06 2021, 2:35 pm

amother [ Ginger ] wrote:

A paci isn't instead of a feeding. It's for when baby is cranky and not hungry. But no, not all babies take a paci.

Obviously. But my bottle fed baby wanted his plastic nipple to have formula at the end of it