When did you introduce a pacifier and/or bottle? And why? Was there any nipple confusion?
When DS was born 2+ years ago they gave him a pacifier in the hospital and we never had any trouble EBF. He gave it up on his own around 6 months. This time, no one offered one to DD and I'm unsure about when/if I should give her one. She had already surpassed her birth weight at her first pedi appointment at 4 days old, if that makes a difference.
pomegranate / 3858 posts
I think for a pacifier, we waited till about 2 months (except for giving her one on the way home from the hospital). I was paranoid about nipple confusion, but it never happened. We gave her a bottle a couple of times a month starting around the same time, but never had any issues (in fact, she would never take the bottle from me - only dad or my mom - she knew what she wanted!).
kiwi / 567 posts
We let him have a pacifier in the hospital on the second day. I needed a break from a painful latch and the lactation consultant took a "gotta do what you gotta do" approach, which I'm grateful for. It didn't cause any problems, and he now only wants it infrequently at 4 months.
On advice of lactation consultant we introduced a bottle at 3 weeks. I'm going back to work and we wanted to ensure he didn't reject it. No issues whatsoever with nipple confusion. They recommended we use Dr. Brown's preemie nipples--the baby has to suck harder, reducing risk of bottle preference-- but I misplaced them and we ended up using a level 1 and it was fine.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
We introduced one after the 2 week growth spurt just because my nipples couldn't take it anymore!! And we introduced a bottle between 3 and 4 weeks. Xander was totally fine going back and forth between though, so we never had any issues.
pomegranate / 3601 posts
We introduced a pacifier around a week old and a bottle one or two days later due to some seriously bloody nipples (oh the joys of early breastfeeding). We used a Medela Calma Nipple in the hopes of keeping the confusion to a minium and actually stuck with those until he weaned. He never had any problems going from bottle or pacifier to breast.
We introduced the pacifier because it was easier soothing him with a pacifier than without. He loved being able to suck on it. Also - but this is just my feeling - I felt that since he knew the feel/touch of silicone by the time we introduced a bottle that he didn't mind it and took to the bottle easily.
pineapple / 12566 posts
We introduced at about 4 weeks with DS and 2 with DD. DS had a ton of bf issues, so I was reluctant to do it, but I was also tired of being a human pacifier. As far as I could tell there was no nipple confusion. He gave it up completely by 6 months. I gave one to DD because she puked all the time and it helped keep things down a bit more. But she never liked it much and was totally done with it by 3ish months.
honeydew / 7235 posts
We introduced a bottle at around 4 weeks old? We did one here and there. Had a struggle at 4 months to do more bottles but it worked out! DS never took to the paci, but we did try giving him one at 2 and 3 weeks old.... Never had any issues going back to the breast.
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts
Three weeks! No issues. He got them sparingly. Never had issues switching back from either.
cherry / 206 posts
Bottle at 1 week. Paci at hospital. He dropped then paci on his own at about 2 months. We never experienced any nipple confusion !
honeydew / 7504 posts
Ummm....12 hours? It was definitely within a day of being born. He also had one bottle in the NICU before he breastfed. He got at least one bottle a day starting around 5 or 6 weeks, and then went to daycare at 11 weeks so was getting 3 or 4 bottles a day. And he used a paci for all sleep and soothing, and we weaned that around 15 months (I think). Never had any issues with nipple confusion. Perfect latch from the first time until we weaned at 14 months.
hostess / wonderful watermelon / 39513 posts
Day 2 for bottle and 3 for pacifier for both. No confusion issues.
pomelo / 5720 posts
Thanks everyone! Looks like I can break out the pacifiers/bottles and sterilize them this week! 
I have already pumped a few times due to engorgement so maybe I'll try a bottle in a week or two.
cantaloupe / 6692 posts
Pacifier on day 3 and we experimented with a bottle at 3 weeks. He was taking them daily at 7 weeks at daycare.
watermelon / 14206 posts
M was introduced at 3 weeks, because I ended up in the hospital for gallstones in my pancreas. My mom had to watch him and give him formula and a pacifier. We went back to EBF after it was all over, but the pacifier stayed. Now, at 6.5 months, he uses it only at night, and he uses it instead of nursing for MOTN wake ups. I just hope I can get it away from him soon, so that he won't need anything at night.
eggplant / 11408 posts
Paci in the hospital, and bottle within a week. I pumped from the beginning, due to latch issues. We used a dropper at first but a bottle really soon afterwards. As soon as my milk came in, I think?
coconut / 8472 posts
I don't remember when we started the pacifier, but I know he got a bottle a day 4 due to my milk not coming in yet. We never had any nipple confusion. Personally I feel like if baby gets both from the start then that's all they're used to. I think it's more trouble to wait too long and then they refuse bottles/pacifiers.
papaya / 10560 posts
Neither of my kids took pacis. Introduced bottle at 10 weeks to get ready for daycare.
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