Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Pacifiers? Yay or Nay?
Here is an interesting post about pacis: http://blacktating.blogspot.com/2009/10/you-are-not-pacifier.html What do you think? Yay or nay? Do they go with bottle feeding for additional sucking comfort? I was waiting 4-6 weeks with Claire to intro one, but by that time, she wouldn't ever take one! Sometimes I think it would have been super-nice to get a break once in a while, but it's kind of scary how huge the link is with pacis directly causing mastitis (a breast infection) in the mom because the baby sucks at the paci rather than the mom and never completely drains the breast tissue. Pacis (like nipple shields) also are linked to earlier weaning. I don't know...ultimately, like all these other things...are a very personal choice made by each family.
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3 comments:
I was adament that Nathan not get a pacifier until he was at least a month old and at that point he wouldn't take one. And that kid wanted to nurse constantly. He nursed for a long time, every time and I really wished he would have taken one, just for a break b/c I was miserable. He would have comfort nursed for HOURS!
With Katelyn, I introduced the pacifier very early on, and she loved it. She is still a phenomenal nurser, and she is very fast. As soon as her tummy is full, she does not want anything to do with my boobs! She will not comfort nurse. If any milk is coming out and she's not hungry, she gets furious. We use the paci to help her get to sleep, and to calm her down in the car. I've also used it when she is tired and fussy and we're out and about somewhere and she cant/wont fall asleep. I try to not give it to her unless it is a neccesity.
With Nathan, I had several plugged ducts, but I never had mastitis. With Katelyn, I've had mastitis 3 times. I don't know if you can blame the paci, although it may be a contributing factor. You can also blame the fact that I'm constantly chasing a toddler around and I'm not getting as much rest and I'm more stressed out. Also, 2 of the times when I got mastitis, someone else in the house was also sick which can be a factor as well.
So, I guess my feelings about the pacifier are YAY! for the most part. It has made my life w/ a newborn and a toddler much easier. I'm still exclusively breastfeeding and it is much easier this time around. I also feel much less resentment about breastfeeding this time.
sorry for the novel! :)
like you said, it's a personal choice. For me and my family, the paci has been great. :)
I think my comment may have been longer than your post. haha!
I was against pacifiers originally, but when Ari would comfort suck for hours and cry when she wasn't latched on, I tried them with her at like 4-6 weeks. It was too late. I was her pacifier for 14 months. I hated it.
So this time I introduced the pacifier RIGHT AWAY. As soon as I was sure Greta knew how to latch and she was comfort sucking, I brought in the pacifier AND the pumped bottle (sorry, LLL recommendations. I wasn't waiting after my experience last time). She eats great, is gaining tons of weight, drains me great, etc. She takes the pacifier only a couple times a day for maybe 10-20 minutes at a time before she zonks out. Usually she nurses from me, but sometimes I draw the line. It's really really nice to have this option in public and it kept her calm at the grocery store today when she got upset.
So, I'm really happy with pacifiers even though I used to be against them. I didn't want to feel trapped by nursing like I felt last time and my experience is already so much better.
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