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She got a paci in her first month because the pediatrician noticed her need to SUCK. It did not affect our poor breastfeeding relationship we had at the time. I often wonder if the paci actually HELPED us get on the right track with breastfeeding, as odd as that sounds....

She got it around a week old and it didn't change a thing. She's almost 5 months and loves her pacifier! Still ebf and she lets me know when it's not the binky that she wants

I want to add that I also think the pacifier helped breastfeeding in a way for the first few weeks. It was frustrating with both of us trying to learn the ropes of breastfeeding and she would get really worked up. When she was worked up when she was that little, she couldn't focus enough to latch. The pacifier would calm her down enough for her to be able to properly focus and latch on properly.

My 2 girls that I breastfed both got pacifiers from the get go and it didn't effect BFing at all. My 2nd had to suck all the time, my LO came so fast she was pretty mucusy and sucking helped clear it out of her throat/airway so we gave her one.

@BelugaBean: completely agree! It is not fun to latch an upset baby-talk about a piranha.

my LO isn't really into the pacifier, but we gave him one early to try... never had problems with breastfeeding.

We gave DS a pacifier for the car ride home from the hospital...and then he completely refused it until he hit about 6 months. Now he takes it, but more for something to chew on than a soother.

Our LO got a pacifier as soon as he was home from the hospital I think, and it didn't affect his breastfeeding. Otherwise he would try to use me as a pacifier, and that wasn't good at all! My LC actually suggested using Soothies, since they're shaped like a nipple, but he got started on the orthodontic-style pacifier (that's slanted a little), and I like the idea of a pacifier that might not affect his teeth/bite, so I stuck with ours.

There isn't an option for our scenario. LO got pacifiers in the hospital and rejected them all (a mam, an orthodontic one, and two or three other types) . We got home and offered a soothie, which he also rejected. From the start, he only wanted mama. He will take the soothie for a couple of minutes if I'm no home, but then spits it out forcefully (all others cause him to make a disgusted face and get an immediate spit out). We've tried at least 6 different types, all rejected. He nurses like a champ, though, and just started occasionally sucking on his hands.

We waited until 4-5 weeks for a pacifier or bottle. We had a bit of a rough start with bfing, and I didn't want to jeopardize anything there. She'll happily take a pacifier, and bfing is now a cinch. I also think waiting forced us to develop a wider set of soothing techniques than if we'd resorted to a pacifier right away, which I've found a helpful and unforeseen bonus.

@Adira: I waited a couple weeks because I got the same advice, and by the time I introduced the pacifier at 3 weeks she completely rejected it and never took to it! With my next one I might introduce the pacifier sooner.

@Adira: Not judging, but why do you want to introduce a pacifier? For soothing? Just Curious

I was in the "anti-pacifier' camp, because I feel a baby should be comforted by its mother/caregiver during the day vs having a paci shoved in their mouth...plus I had heard it interfered with BFing.

We held out, but after about a month he was soo fussy at night and kept waking, my opinion changed a little bit and I decided to try and introduce one at night to help him sleep.

Well LO had other ideas and won't take one anyway.

@Adira: He's currently 8 weeks, so I we're still early. He's not attached to me at the breast all day, but I still feed him on demand whenever I notice hunger cues. He eats every 1.5-2 hours most days, but his feeding sessions aren't usually very long and he's starting to stretch the intervals out. I guess he's just a snacker.

I heard all of that too and decided I wouldn't introduce it... until my child wouldn't stay asleep longer than an hour without a boob in his mouth. So around 2-3 weeks old I caved and allowed DH to give him the paci so that I could sleep for 2-3 hour stretches. It didn't negatively affect breastfeeding however we picked up BF pretty easily and it was fairly established by then anyhow.

@Adira: I won't be going back for a few months, which is part of why I'm not too worried about it. If I were going back soon, I may try harder to get him to take the paci. FWIW, I doubt it would have hurt our breastfeeding relationship - we had an easy time once my milk came in.

I waited until after he was 4 weeks to introduce the paci. It didn't negatively affect BFing. My DH and I were wondering why didn't give it to him sooner. Then he stopped taking it but didn't seem to want to comfort nurse anymore than before.

We gave DS the soothie a few weeks in b/c he is definitely one that NEEDS to suck. He has been fine going from boob to bottle to paci. I just went back to work a week ago and he's had no issues. We just actually switched from the soothie to the "normal" pacis and I have to say, I want to open mouth kiss these pacifiers. He has been able to sleep much better with the change b/c I think it's easier for him to keep it in his mouth. I may regret it some day if it's hard to take the paci away from him but if it's not that, he constantly is putting his whole hands (yes both of them) in his mouth anyways.

This thread is making me feel so much better! DS is not quite 3 days old and has been home for only 24hours...and we broke down and offered a paci last night because he literally would not leave the breast for even a few minutes all through the night last night and seemed to be getting (is this even possible?!) overly full on colostrum with a faily large spot up. Milk isn't in yet...but he's a vigorous nurser and Ididn't know how my nipples and were going to survive otherwise! Diaper changes have also become a lot more manageable.

Has anyone else had this experience with their EBF infant?