is introducing a pacifier at all a good idea?

@sh419ob I held out with my first for a month due to similar concerns and I regretted it. He wanted to cluster feed on me for HOURS every evening and my nipples were raw and so painful. He was basically using me as a pacifier.

Immediately introduced it with my second and had no issues with breastfeeding or nipple confusion (my first didn’t have any issues either).

I will warn it’s important to get them off it between 9-12 mos, otherwise it really starts to impact their jaw and teeth development.
 
@sh419ob My baby had a tongue tie and couldn’t keep a pacifier in her mouth without it falling out due to the tie. After the tie revision at 2M and healing, we introduced it again but only after a feed (I was an EPer not by choice) — and if it was clear she wasn’t still hungry.

It wasn’t long before she started refusing the pacifier. At 4M we started going arms out in the Snoo and she started sucking on her thumb instead. This was fine with us — no need to fish out a pacifier in the middle of the night if it’s fallen out. She would suck on her thumb too it seemed whenever she was a little overstimulated (walking through the grocery store, big crowds, etc.). But at around 8M she has stopped thumb sucking too.

IMO, if a pacifier can help reduce crying, and those increased cortisol levels that come along with crying — I’m all for it. We all love a happy baby.
 
@sh419ob Gave my son the jolly pop pacis before we took him home from the hospital. Switched to the breastlike Tommy tippee ones. He has no problems on breast, bottle, or pacifier. He's 7 months now, babbling and shoving everything else in his mouth when he's awake.
 
@sh419ob I hadn’t given him a pacifier until our first doctors appointment (morning after we discharged from hospital) and our pediatrician said that we’re neglecting his need to self soothe. After that we’ve introduced it but he (8months) only takes it at wind down right before bed!
 
@sh419ob We only use it for naps / bed now at 21mo but used to also use it for the car.
Will also use it for extreme times like long distance travel or requirement to stay in the pram for an extended period too.

They are very useful and I don’t see the negatives at all with allowing them opportunities for comfort.

Personally think 6 weeks is overkill in terms of waiting..
 
@sh419ob It reduces SIDS. My baby was introduced dsy 2 in the hospital to help sooth her during the newborn photo shoot. She ended up with jaundice and the pacifier helped her grow a stronger latch/sickle once I gave it to her more. She was so tired from being jaundice we had trouble feeding. Now she has zero confusion, EBF and latches like a champ :) good luck you’re going to do great!
 
Oh! I should also note our pediatrician mentioned babies have a need for non nutritive sucking and will often suck their hands to sooth. Our baby finds her thumb and has since the womb so we knew a pacifier would be introduced to prevent thumb sucking! Sorry so long lol
 
@leeblessings No you’re good! This is fantastic information to have on hand, especially the non nutritive sucking. I thought non nutritive sucking was an effect of breastfeeding so to know it’s an entirely separate need is fascinating!
 
@neostarwcc Same with mine. Tried offering it to him once or twice at 3 months but he never took it. Additionally he still doesn’t take bottles so not sure if there’s any connection but we just assume he doesn’t like the taste of the silicone in his mouth.
 
@sh419ob No studies to offer, just personal experience. I think the main “risk” with introducing the paci too early, is that baby and boob need to establish milk production. When baby is at the boob, she is communicating how much milk she needs and at what time, so using the pacifier too much in the beginning can affect the milk supply. That being said, sometimes the lactating parent needs to rest, and using a pacifier allows that to happen. My baby only took a paci between 0-2 months, but it was pretty useful when I needed an extra hour of sleep or rest, for my partner or mom to be able to settle him/put him to sleep. He unfortunately decided he didn’t like any of the 10000 pacis we offered after that, but it would have been pretty useful for car rides as well.
 
@sh419ob So with a lot of these more low stakes parenting decisions it’s hard to know without a crystal ball.

I put off paci intro because it took us a long time to establish breastfeeding. My baby used it a little but was never wild about it and he probably lost interest before one. He sometimes chews on things a bit but he hasn’t had any of the negative effects of prolonged paci use.

So for me, no regrets. However I was never a big thumb sucker or paci user as a baby. Maybe he would have never been into it? I don’t know.

If I can give some new mom advice I would tell you not to agonize over this kind of thing! While there may be an ideal answer it’s unknowable for your child in advance. And it won’t be a big problem if you make the “wrong” (less ideal) choice.

Congrats :)
 
@sh419ob Our LO was sucking constantly. In his sleep, when he was awake ALL THE TIME. Cried a lot his first couple nights home and I was planning to wait on the paci too because of BF. My mom said”he wants a pacifier” and I was so tired that I just tried it. He was probably 4or 5days old. He loved it and still loves it. 7mo now and he doesn’t NEED it to sleep but does prefer it. Helps with so much it’s unbelievable.
 
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