Thought this article was interesting - http://healthland.time.com/2012/04/30/bring-back-the-binky-study-finds-pacifiers-actually-boost-breast-feeding/
What has been your exeriences with breastfeeding and binkies?
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Wow, that's fascinating. Makes me kind of wonder where the recommendation came from to restrict use of pacifiers until breastfeeding is established - was it pulled out of thin air, or were there actually studies proving it was beneficial?
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I think it all goes back to the nipple confusion theory. But in my experience, neither of my boys had issues going back and forth between the bottle and breastfeeding. We had to supplement for the first few weeks. My pediatrician said she doesn't quite believe in the nipple confusion theory either.
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That's really interesting. Before LO was born, I was not planning on having the pacifier be a big part of her life. We had few we received as gifts, but weren't really planning on using them. At the hospital, my favorite nurse asked if they could give LO a paci when they did her heel stick. She said it helped calm babies going through something stressful/painful. I gave the immediate thumbs up.
Since then, LO takes/wants the paci right before going to sleep (though not always) and when she's stuck and bored - like in the car seat. Since she started day care, I think they give it to her more, but I'm OK with that if it makes her feel happy.
I have had no problems with nipple confusion or breastfeeding from the paci. I had a HUGE problem in the hospital when an idiot PA told me I needed to supplment. We gave her some forumula with the nipple provided by the hospital. It appears that it was fast flow nipple, and I spent the next four hours in tears trying to get my baby to latch and put forth the correct sucking effort. A little off topic, but something to consider for the hospital bag may be a bottle with a newborn/slow flow nipple just in case.
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Hmm I think it's really hard to say without knowing other aspects of their intake/output requirements. I know our hospital really pushes for atleast 6 dirty/wet diapers and if a baby isn't meeting that they push supplementing... finding out it's normal for 1 wet/1 dirty for a 1 day old & 2 wet/2dirty for a 2 days old our hospitals protocol regardless of pacifier use/not would result in less breastfeeding.
From my understanding the recommendation to delay isn't just b/c of nipple confusion but for supply establishment (being totally dependent upon supply/demand) AND to avoid laziness at the breast, which can have alot more detriment to long term breastfeeding than nipple confusion and does happen (you can read about nursing strikes & early weaning of babies that go from bottle to breast).
Also, the recommendation TO use binkis in reduces SIDS was for ff babies as their sleep cycles generally differ from a bf baby that wakes to nurse due to smelling their momma & being on her breathing cycle (from my understanding on the recommendation to co-sleep).
I know we didn't have "alot" of nipple confusion BUT it would take P a couple sucks/tries to get back on the breast after using a binki simply because the mechanics of sucking *is* different. Had we not had the feeding issues we had & comfort sucking was an option, we would've never used a binki... my breast was designed to nourish AND comfort my baby so why would I use something synthetic to do so?
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@runsyellowlites: Good points about supply and demand!
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My baby had extreme nipple confusion, and just would not go back and forth. I think it's pretty obvious when it happens, and if it isn't, go for it.
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@runsyellowlites: that's what I had read, too - about establishing supply -
When my friend's preemie was in the NICU she had a pacifier to help her suck reflex until she was able to come out and breastfeed.
I would give DS a pacifier after he had fed before "bedtime". We nursed throughout the night and co-slept but I would always start him out in bed for his long stretch. After 4 months or so he dropped the pacifier in favor of his thumb. He still sucks his thumb when he's sleepy/sleeping at 17 months. I won't discourage it at this age.
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I don't believe in nipple confusion. I think of it more as nipple preference, and I just made sure that my breastfed baby just preferred the breast... Which wasn't a problem because the only thing she really wanted was the breast.
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I haven't read the article but as far as binkies and breastfeeding go, I think giving A a soothie was the only thing that allowed us *to* breastfeed. It took 20 days of bottle feeding before he breastfed, and using the soothie on day 18 allowed him to strengthen his suck and "practice" to get ready for the breast. I am thrilled we tried one. On our own it probably would have taken way longer.
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