Dummies in hospital

Alaura - posted on 11/02/2009

Well being in a town that seems very small, they do have them, but if you decide to breastfeed they don't like you to start them on pacifiers until they have gotten use to breastfeeding....a few months down the rode. The reason they say this is because the baby may become confused if you switch before they understand that they will have to suck differently on a pacifier than your breast. There are so many styles out there that it could become difficult for them. Hope this helps you out.

Christy - posted on 11/02/2009

Yes, in America, they will often give you a "binky" for the babe while in the hospital. I brought my own so he (my son) would use a brand I chose not what they choose. I had read some where that a child will lose the need to pacify (not nourish) themselves by sucking @ 5-6 mos. but by that age the parents/family are conditioned to "plug" the baby everytime they cry. So, fortunately, we had great success using a "binky" in combination w/nursing as many mothers do. He used his bink until 5 mos. & weaned himself from nursing @ 23 mos. Wishing all nursing mothers great success with whatever combination works for them!

Stina - posted on 11/01/2009

The new "wisdom" is that dummies help prevent SIDS. This may be why hospitals are encouraging pacifiers again in the states. I learned this with my recent baby- in my plan, I had it written down that I did not want her to be given a pacifier/bottle/anything but my breast after birth- even with my going in for a C-section. I wanted to see her as soon as I was able so I could nurse her. They respected my request but later, one of the pediatricians kinda tisk tisked my ban of a pacifier for my DD by telling me that they wouldn't hinder breastfeeding and had been shown to prevent sudden infant death syndrome. Can you imagine what a first time mom would have thought?! Oh- well- gee, I need to give my baby a pacifier or she might die in her sleep.

Thankfully, this being my third baby, I knew I could stick to my preconcieved notion that a pacifier may hinder learning a good latch- and I could reject things the doctor might tell me. Especially this one who told me a few years back that raisins are a good source of iron. (he's not the pediatrician I usually see... just the one that was available the day my dd was born)

So yes- hospitals are encouraging thier use... even the packaging of pacifiers advertise that they have been shown to prevent SIDS- however, on a brighter note, all the literature I recieved from WIC discouraged introducing dummies and bottles too early.

Pacifiers aren't all bad though- my son had a complicated birth- needed to be on a ventilator and when it came out, he had lost his sucking reflex- needed to be taught how to suckle again. We used a pacifier to do this. After much work with a OT, we learned how to breastfeed.

My second child had an insatiable desire to suckle to the point that she actually overate. She would pull away only to latch back on since she wanted to suckle more- and then she would throw up A LOT. I was mortified to be purchasing a pacifier for her at the recomendation of her pediatrician to give her after she had nursed on the second side- but it worked and when she was still hungry, she rejected the pacifier.

This third baby is actually my first to never have a pacifier. She did thumb suck for a little while- but at 6 months, she gums her fist a bit and seems to suck her thumb less and less.

Even with two of my three using a dummy for the first few months of their lives, I'm still pretty against them- I prefer to avoid them but admit they have a purpose. Some babies need a pacifier. However. I will never see the purpose of a pacifier much longer than about 6 months. I never pushed a pacifier on my kids- when they spat it out and kept crying, I knew they needed something else. When it fell out at night, I didn't rush to put it back in. They were done with it by about 4 months- stilling my fears of having to summon a binkie fairy to take away thier precious binkie when they reached the toddler years. That's me. Use a Dummie if you absolutely need to- and use it only as needed- then be done with it as soon as possible. And don't take everything the doctors and hospitals tell you to do as gospel.

Nicole - posted on 11/01/2009

Quoting Anna:

Quoting Heather:

Yes, the hospitals do give out pacifiers. I have read the posts and I'm not sure why that's a bad thing. I am currently breastfeeding with no intention to stop, and I use a paci with my baby. I did with my daughter as well.. Babies need to suck. they just do, and it's not a horrible thing. I feel it's only bad when they're allowed to have them until 4 and 5 yrs of age. My daughter gave hers up at 2. As she had a few health problems and was hospitalized at 4 months old that pacifier was an absolute life saver. Not to mention they've actually been proven to reduce the risk of sids in children.

I say, if you want your child to have a pacifier, take on with you. If you don't then that's fine as well.. it's your baby, your decision! :)

Early pacifier use before breastfeeding is well established is associated with problems latching on and effective suckling. Babies use a different kind of suck when they suck on pacifiers and bottle nipples; it's more like a biting suck. When they nurse, their tongue to draw milk from the breast. While not all babies have trouble nursing when they've been given a pacifier as newborns, enough have issues that many lactation consultants advise against early use.

I tell our clients no artificial nipples for the first four weeks and I have a whole lot of time dedicated to no artificial nipples for the first four weeks in my prenatal breastfeeding class because Anna is right, early pacifier use can cause breastfeeding problems.

Eleisha - posted on 11/01/2009

Quoting Karen:

Like anything there are pros and cons to giving a pacifier and I don't think it's right to judge someone if the decision they make is different from yours. In some situations it's the best option.

I am not judging, imn fact i breasfeed and my daughter has a dummy for sleeps.  I am mearly being inquisitive.

Karen - posted on 11/01/2009

Like anything there are pros and cons to giving a pacifier and I don't think it's right to judge someone if the decision they make is different from yours. In some situations it's the best option.

Amy - posted on 10/31/2009

My son takes a pacifier and an occasional bottle of breast milk if I go out. we waited two weeks first.

Amy - posted on 10/31/2009

I am in NY state and my hospital discourages the use of a pacifier for two weeks and the lactation specialists said two to four weeks to introduce a pacifier or bottle if nursing. They were not handing them out.

Dillon - posted on 10/31/2009

Yeah, my son was in the hospital for a week after birth and they gave him a paci. It all ended up okay though. At seven months he breastfeeds like a champ and also take the paci and bottle. Maybe we are just lucky?

Jenifer - posted on 10/31/2009

It must depend a lot on the hospital. I'm in the US. And there was a pacifier there in the post-partum room, but there was never any pressure to use it and it wasn't mentioned. Breastfeeding was encouraged, and the nurses and lactation consultants there were pretty much on-call to come and help me with things like positioning and latch.

Jenifer - posted on 10/31/2009

Quoting Jessica:

Quoting Amy:

Pacifiers help reduce the risk of SIDS, so it is encouraged by a lot of hospital staff.

What's your source on this??  I've never heard of this and I've worked in healthcare for 10+ years.

Here's one meta-analysis:

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cg...

Obviously, it isn't as simple as popping a pacifier in to reduce SIDS, since pacifiers can interrupt breastfeeding, which also redused SIDS. There's no doubt a connection is there - but that still wasn't enough reason for me to offer a pacifier.

Casey - posted on 10/31/2009

I had decided beforehand that I did not want my son having a paci in the hospital, or bottle of water or anything else they used to consider normal, and thought I would have to be prepared to fight nurses over the matter, although I was plesantly surprised that they did neither, and didn't offer to. I had a c-section, so my husband and son were in the nursery while I was in recovery, and I asked my husband if they gave him either and he said no. They were really supportive, so I'm blessed to have delievered there. Doctoros have different opinions about when to give a paci, if you choose to. Mine said to wait until he was 4 weeks old, but I gave him one sooner because he wanted to be at the breast all the time, if not eating, just to soothe, so it was a big help.

Rachel - posted on 10/30/2009

Pacifiers seem pretty normal here in the US. Friends and family thought I was weird for saying I didn't want my son to have one. My sister-in-law bought some for us anyway... /sigh. I don't remember getting one from the hospital, though. My nieces and nephews were still using pacifiers into their threes and fours. And I had to "nicely" remind my mother-in-law not to give my son a pacifier when she watched him a couple times. :)

Jillian - posted on 10/30/2009

my daughter was in the NICU for several days after birth, they offered her the pacifier but she never really took to it. now i have a few for her but she doesn't really use them for sucking, she likes to chew on the hard parts because she is teething

Jessica - posted on 10/30/2009

Quoting Amy:

Pacifiers help reduce the risk of SIDS, so it is encouraged by a lot of hospital staff.

What's your source on this??  I've never heard of this and I've worked in healthcare for 10+ years.

Jessica - posted on 10/30/2009

I was never approached with either of my kids (8 and 1) but I roomed in with both of them, they didn't leave the room without me. I only had one nurse offer to take my oldest to the nursery and I told her to take a long walk. Neither of my girls knows what a paci is for and that's the way I like it. I think it helped me learn their cues better.

Caitelyn - posted on 10/30/2009

I am in VIC - my son was born in Wodonga hospital, and they were pro-breastfeeding - wouldnt help you with bottles at all - thankgod I had decided long before he was born that I would BF. they also preferred us to not use dummies, however my son took to BF really well, except that first night he just wouldnt sleep and I was exhausted, so we gave him a dummy - he took to it (kinda) and switched between his dummy and his thumb until he hit 4mos. then he began teething and fell in love with his dummy for self soothing and chewing on - we also tried both types of dummys - and he loves them both, so i think its safe to say that there is no nipple confusion whatsoever!!!! We also tried to stay within the same brands - he has AVENT bottles, so we use AVENT dummies etc

Eleisha - posted on 10/30/2009

Quoting Jayde:

Hey hun .. thats rare .. im from australia aswell .. Victoria .. and my hospital im going to doesnt seem to mind ..? You should talk to your midwife about it .. i thought that it was ur right and stuff as a mum that you should make that desicion for bubz :)
Jayde xOxx

I am from QLD and I had my daughter in a public hospital and it was there policy (we still had a choice... but they were very clear about their opinions).  My friend had her daughter in a private hospital and they had the same policy.  I also know of 5 other QLD hospitals that have the same policy.  I am not against dummies myself (in fact my daughter has one [for self settling only]), I was just curious.

:)

Jayde - posted on 10/30/2009

Hey hun .. thats rare .. im from australia aswell .. Victoria .. and my hospital im going to doesnt seem to mind ..? You should talk to your midwife about it .. i thought that it was ur right and stuff as a mum that you should make that desicion for bubz :)

Jayde xOxx

Amy - posted on 10/29/2009

Pacifiers help reduce the risk of SIDS, so it is encouraged by a lot of hospital staff.

Amanda - posted on 10/29/2009

The hospital I had my son in encouraged paci use only in premie babies and was pro-breastfeeding. They didn't, however, put you down if you couldn't breastfeed (not my case). I refused giving him bottles and the paci for the first 2 days but ended up giving in to both by day 3 due to him losing almost a pound of weight and being placed in an incubator for bili-light therapy. It was heartbreaking to hear him scream and cry in the incubator because he was alone. The paci helped. I guess I should mention he was 4 weeks early as well and needed to practice sucking anyway. He is now 12 weeks and breastfeeds as well as bottle-feeds with expressed breastmilk. I work as a paramedic and am away for two 24-hour+ shifts a week. He doesn't have nipple confusion...in fact he doesn't care what he gets. However, he likes the bottle better : P Needless to say, the hospital I delivered in didn't give out those formula kits or anything...but did give you some if you asked prior to leaving. I took some just in case since my son needed supplementation by a supplemental nursing system to gain weight for about a week after birth. We're working on the breastfeeding portion with only minor difficulty...part of it was out of my control with having to return to work so early. I feel bottles are worse than pacis with nipple confusion with only my experience to go on.

Michelle - posted on 10/29/2009

I had both of my kids at the same hospital and both times the nurse brought them pacifiers. I never asked for one either time. Both are breastfed. My daughter never really took hers (and to this day rarely if ever uses one). My son fell in love with his and we had to break the habit at 18 months. Neither of my kids had nipple confusion.

Jessica - posted on 10/28/2009

I think that it depends on the hospital the one I had my daughter at strongly suggested against it but they are a pro breastfeeding hospital.

Elle - posted on 10/28/2009

I had 'no pacifiers' in our birthplan and we were never offered one. Later when I tried to introduce one to my daughter she wouldn't have anything to do with it.

Amanda - posted on 10/28/2009

The hospital gave my son his first one without even asking me (not that I minded). In fact they dipped it in sucrose to get him to take it after they did his circumcision.

Michelle - posted on 10/28/2009

I ended up giving our son a paci before we even left the hospital. He had already started to use me as his human paci so I made that choice. By the time he was 3 months he pushed it away and no longer wanted it

Kenda - posted on 10/28/2009

The effects of pacifier use are different for each child. My children didn't/don't have any problem breastfeeding and I use a pacifier regularly.

I think this is yet another area of child rearing that so many mothers are made to feel guilty about when they've usually done nothing wrong.

Tenea - posted on 10/28/2009

The hospitals only give them to you if you tell them you want your child to have one. If you dont want your child to have one you can tell the nurses and they wont give them one. My son is 3 mos and he takes one (when he wants) and is also breastfed. He hasnt had any problems.

Stacy - posted on 10/28/2009

We also have "pacifier-free" hospitals in the US, but when it all comes down to it, it is really the parents choice. My son used a pacifier here and there (he is 12 weeks now and has absolutely no interest in it anymore) and it never interfered with his breastfeeding, but all babies are different. It can "confuse" some babies, so you just have to use your discretion.

Anna - posted on 10/27/2009

Quoting Heather:

Yes, the hospitals do give out pacifiers. I have read the posts and I'm not sure why that's a bad thing. I am currently breastfeeding with no intention to stop, and I use a paci with my baby. I did with my daughter as well.. Babies need to suck. they just do, and it's not a horrible thing. I feel it's only bad when they're allowed to have them until 4 and 5 yrs of age. My daughter gave hers up at 2. As she had a few health problems and was hospitalized at 4 months old that pacifier was an absolute life saver. Not to mention they've actually been proven to reduce the risk of sids in children.

I say, if you want your child to have a pacifier, take on with you. If you don't then that's fine as well.. it's your baby, your decision! :)

Early pacifier use before breastfeeding is well established is associated with problems latching on and effective suckling. Babies use a different kind of suck when they suck on pacifiers and bottle nipples; it's more like a biting suck. When they nurse, their tongue to draw milk from the breast. While not all babies have trouble nursing when they've been given a pacifier as newborns, enough have issues that many lactation consultants advise against early use.

Lucy - posted on 10/27/2009

I live in the UK and it is also advised not to give a dummy for the first month if breastfeeding, however the Docs dont frown upon people who do (TBH though most mums here bottle feed) Im not sure if the hospitals hand them out as my daughter never had and never will have a dummy!

Kathy - posted on 10/27/2009

With my 1st child he was given no formula and no pacifier and only left my side for 2 hours. We were discharged 24 hours after birth. No complications vaginal delivery. We should have went back to that doctor for round 2 because it was quite the opposite. I had an emergency c-section. They knocked me out. Gave my baby formula fought me when I demanded the baby sleep in the room with me. And gave her a pacifier consistently. I felt like I was in a horror movie because all of my wants/needs were stripped from me. The nurses yelled at me for tandem nursing...and told me it was a poor choice to breastfeed in this day and age because of vanity reasons. I was explained that cabbage will reduce the breastmilk and gave so much formula I felt helpless. I was so happy to go home. My baby is still breastfeeding at 22 months but, her first few days were hell.

Jennifer - posted on 10/27/2009

They use one to help soothe my daughter when they were doing a heel prick blood test while she was in the hospital. They didn't give them out at our hospital, but they did absolutely use them as a tool to make their jobs easier.

Tammy - posted on 10/27/2009

I live in Canada and they also will give babies them here. They offered to take my newborn to the nursery because she was crying and they said I needed to get sleep. I said OK as long as you bring her back to nurse in 2 hours and leave her with me. When they brought her back there was a dummy in her bassinet.

Heather - posted on 10/27/2009

Yes, the hospitals do give out pacifiers. I have read the posts and I'm not sure why that's a bad thing. I am currently breastfeeding with no intention to stop, and I use a paci with my baby. I did with my daughter as well.. Babies need to suck. they just do, and it's not a horrible thing. I feel it's only bad when they're allowed to have them until 4 and 5 yrs of age. My daughter gave hers up at 2. As she had a few health problems and was hospitalized at 4 months old that pacifier was an absolute life saver. Not to mention they've actually been proven to reduce the risk of sids in children.



I say, if you want your child to have a pacifier, take on with you. If you don't then that's fine as well.. it's your baby, your decision! :)

Susan - posted on 10/27/2009

When my second child was born five years ago I was guilty of thinking I had breastfeeding down since I had nursed my first child for eighteen months. She didn't sleep for the first 24 hours and wanted (of course!) to nurse for much of that. Hindsight says she wasn't latched properly, but at the time I was tired and my nipples hurt and I conceded to a pacifier. Oh the nipple confusion and downward nursing spiral that ensued. She ended up weening herself from me at about four months, and I forced those four months on her.

I just weened my third daughter at 2 in June because I'm expecting my fourth in two weeks and nursing had become uncomfortable for me. However, I'm suffering pacifier fear. We're planning on a tubal ligation for me, which leaves baby alone with daddy and no nursing. I've explained repeatedly to him I don't want a pacifier anywhere near the baby and I'll be back soon enough... but I am afraid the staff will somehow pressure him into giving baby one. (I know, I know... not enough credit to my husband to resist peer pressure.)

So, a long rambling post to say yes. US hospitals dole out the pacifiers.

Minnie - posted on 10/27/2009

Nope, it's true. It's pretty common as well for babies in hospitals to be given a sly bottle of formula even if the mother wanted to breastfeed, and those lovely black bags with formula samples are distributed in many hospitals. What a great way to start mothers out right.

April - posted on 10/27/2009

i think it's true and has been going on for a long time. i wasn't given one with my son but my mom has told me that the hospital gave her one for me when i was a baby. they actually took the top off of a bottle and gave it to me to use as a paci. and i am forever seeing pictures of my friends' babies with pacis in their mouths in the hospital....