How do you use pacifiers with your newborn, if you do?

Kimberly - posted on 02/13/2009

We gave our baby a pacifier the night she was born. We never had a problem with nipple confusion until she had a bottle.

Christy - posted on 02/12/2009

we didn't because I felt like if she wanted to suck, I might as well feed her since she was tiny when she was born.

Alison - posted on 02/11/2009

Quoting Jen:

I talked to our pediatrician and he said that some babies need more "non-nutritive sucking" than others.

Our pediatrician said the same thing, when I wasn't too sure about using a pacifier.  She said they basically have a sucking mechanism where its comforting to them.

Our 3 month old only takes the green Soothie pacifier that we got from the hospital.  We'll usually give it to him after a feeding and right at bed (but we won't put it back in once it falls out).  I'll also give it to him if he's fussy and I know I've met all his other needs. 

He used to love it, but I think he's trying to wean himself off the pacifier a bit.  He'll spit it out or take it out to play with it...that way he can coo and vocalize more.  Which I love!

Jen - posted on 02/11/2009

I hate pacifiers. I think they make babies look dumb, all plugged up. However, for the first month of his life, my little guy wanted to suck constantly. I fell asleep with my finger in his mouth so many times that I am developing carpal tunnel from the weird angle my wrist was at. I talked to our pediatrician and he said that some babies need more "non-nutritive sucking" than others. So we got a pacifier for him at about six weeks. He wouldn't take the first two "models", but once we found one that he liked (Gerber Nuk), it's been MAGIC. He sleeps better/longer/deeper and manages car rides much better. I certainly don't want him to have it into adulthood (heh), but I'm taking each day as it comes. He's four months old right now, and although I certainly don't force it on him, I'm not trying to take it away either.

Nicole - posted on 02/10/2009

my daughter had the pacifer just shortly after a week. i only give it to her after she is done feeding only because after she is done feeding she will just sleep on my breast and when i move her she wake up so her pacifer sooths her and helps her fall asleep again;. now she is 3 months and loves it and it gives me a full night of sleep.

Lea - posted on 02/10/2009

DS has one but only seems to use it after a feed or just before he gets too cranky once asleep he spits it out.

Marie - posted on 02/09/2009

I use it whenever he is fussy and it's not yet time to eat. Get the right one though, not just a cheap one. But, since they spit it out on accident often and can't put it back into there mouth (which they do on accident) you are always putting it back in. My trick was to hold it in his mouth for a few seconds until he got a strong suck and then it was ok after that.

Safia - posted on 02/09/2009

I was told by my mom and MIL to never use it, and by my friends that it was a life saver hahaha. So I researched it, and basically used it so he can go to sleep, or to delay a feeding when I put him on schedule.

I think mot breasfed babies don't really like pacifiers that much. My son is now 4 and half months, and hasn't used one for 3 weeks (learned to sleep on his own)

I wouls say tho, if he drops the pacifier, don't put it back in his mouth. If he falls asleep, take it out, so he doesn't get addicted... but even if he does, if it works for you and gives you some peaceful time, just go for it!

best of luck!

Lorilynne - posted on 02/09/2009

They always say to wait until breastfeeding is well established to eliminate nipple confusion and to make sure you don't compromise your supply very early on.  My daughter never wanted a pacifier until I realized they came in sizes (doh!) so she got one at about 2 months and stopped using it when she discovered her fingers around 4 months.  I would pop it in whenever she got fussy and she didn't seem hungry.  With my son, I used the pacifier from the very beginning.  Being as he was my second child, I was much more confident in my ability to tell when he was hungry and when he just wanted soothing.  If he was hungry, he would just spit it out.  I pretty much only used it after he finished feeding, I would just pop it in as he pulled off the breast so he would continue to sleep.  If he was fussy when we were out and about, I would use it then as well but when he was around four months old, I started phasing it out.  I only offered it during naps and bedtime if he wouldn't go to sleep without it.  Then I cut it out at nap time, if it popped out and he woke up I would let him fuss for a bit without it and see if he could get back to sleep on his own.  Once he mastered that, I cut it out at bedtime.  He's about five and half months now and we don't even have any in the house anymore.  He may or may not be a thumb sucker, he hasn't seemed to make up his mind yet.  I just knew that I had to phase it out before he got too used to it, it was a handy tool in infancy but I didn't want it to go beyond that.  My nephew is three and he still always has it in his mouth.

Patricia - posted on 02/09/2009

I struggled with this for a while.  I was told to wait to introduce a pacifier until breastfeeding was well established. Well, we went on a road trip at 4 weeks and we used it then.  I use it only when I really think Elliott needs it.  If he is fussy or sometimes at night after a feeding to get him to fall asleep.  If he is content, I just let him be.  No need to use it if he doesn't need it, in my opinion.  My niece was addicted to a p-fier until she was almost 3.  They had to say the "Binky Fairy" was coming to take all binkys away and give them to babies who needed them in exchange for a gift.