Should I start the paci?

My twins are 2.5 weeks old and I think they both have the hang of breastfeeding (I alternate them, feeding one at the breast and one EBM out of the bottle, then switch for the next feeding). At night, we would like to have some way to keep them more quiet after feedings so that we can get more sleep (they tend to fuss and make little noises for 15-30 mins or so before going back to sleep).

My question is, do y'all think we should introduce the pacifier? I am just a little worried about it because I feel like, after you start there is no going back and then we might have to spend all night putting them back in their mouth or whatever. And if I do, will they then need it all day as well? Am I being paranoid?

As a side comment - on the whole they are VERY good and do not fuss much or cry, if they do it's usually for a reason like gas, dirty diaper, etc. So we don't really "need" the pacifier most times - it would just be nice if it worked to keep them quiet at night...

Thanks!

 

As soon as mine got a good latch I started that paci and never had a problem (around a few days old for me). The paci was very helpful tell they found their thumb. I say go for it.

 

We're a pro pacifier household and have used them since about a couple weeks after birth. I am breastfeeding as well and haven't seen any negative impacts on their feedings.

Just a heads up if you do use pacifiers, they are so little right now they'll probably need someone to hold them in their mouth or to be reinserted very frequently. We used the soothie kind so we could stick our pinky in the hole to hold it in place while we held them. We spent so much time holding them for the first couple months that it didn't bother us to hold the binky too. They got the hang of holding onto the binky themselves after about a month. When we switched to the pacifiers that had the contoured shape we found they held them much better on their own too. Try a few different kinds to see what works.

On a side note, we chose to use pacifiers because we thought it would be easier to break them of the habit versus using their thumb. You can always take away a binky but not their thumbs! There are some studies too that suggest using a pacifier for sleeping at night reduces the risk of SIDS.

Good luck with your decision!

 

If you yank the paci by 4 months, they do not grow attached to it. After 4 months, they start forming emotional/habitual bonds to things. With my older son, we let him have the paci after nursing because it was either the pacifier or me and I was sore. I took it away at 3 months and he never missed it. We are planning on doing the same with the younger ones.

 

I'm a pro-pacifier mama too. All my kids were given them in the hospital usually after the first few breastfeeding sessions and I've never had a problem with them latching on.

I also prefer it to a thumb, for the same reason as Lisa&Lonnie, because I can take a paci away but you can't take a thumb away.

As for taking it away around/before 4 months, I can't imagine doing that. My oldest ds gave his up at age 2, my oldest dd was a little more stubborn and had her's until 2.5. I'll let the twins help me decide when they are ready to give them up. My oldest dd needed that extra comfort from it, she was easily overwhelmed in new situations and among lots of people, and she would just cry and cry from stress until we'd give her the paci (we call it a sucky). But of course you gotta do what's right/comfy for you!

 

At such a young age they may let it fall out more than you expect at night and you may not get the sleep you're wanting. On the other hand they may do great with it. My DD was a paci baby and loved it! DS gave it up around 3 months on his own. I took DD's paci away at 6 months and after two days she didn't miss it and learned to self-soothe. So if you want, introduce it, just have a plan as to when you want to take it away and stick to it. Good luck!

 

We tried to use pacis but neither of the girl really liked it. So around 2 mnths we stopped pushing. Neither girl ever really sucked her thumb but Jessy sucks her 2 middle fingers every once and a whiel

 

I am a big fan of pacis. Both of my LOs use them. DD loves hers and just learned to put it in by herself, which is great for me! I am a breastfeeding mom and we used pacis from their births. We never had any problems with nipple confusion. My babies were both really fussy for the first 3 months. The pacis really helped to calm them. It did get a bit annoying having to reinsert pacis at night, but my babies slept in a co-sleeper right next to me, so it wasn't too bad.

 

I am a big fan of sleep. :lol: So, I would give it a try!

 

I started using pacis when my girls were 4 months old and it helped them STTN. They only use pacis for going to sleep and if they wake up in the middle of the night, I put them back in. this rarely happens and they are 6,5 months old. they can go to sleep without them as well and they have started figuring out how to put them back by themselves in the mornings. They like to play with them in the mornings.

 

My guys had poor latches, so I decided not to give them a pacifier for the first 3-4 weeks. Then after that, I let my DH try to give them one, but I didn't really want them to take it so I never offered. In the end they just spit them out, and my DH stopped trying.
Anyways, now DH and I are on the same page (Thanks to some friends of ours who abused the pacifier.), we don't like them and won't introduce them if we have any more kids.

I'm glad they didn't take them; it wasn't a habit I wanted to break later, and I didn't want to go in and reinsert pacifiers all night long (like a friend of mine did). (Not that my guys were ever good sleepers )

In the end, it's your decision; a lot of people love them.

 

i say go for it if there are no ill reasons why no too.

my boys are complete opposites, one is an excellent eater so we don't mind giving him his paci although since nothing comes out of it he spits it right back out and continues crying.

my oldest, by 30seconds, loves his paci but it makes him a poor eating with the bottles. he falls asleep in between feeds if he has his paci before a meal time so we try not to give it to him unless he's already ate, not going to throw up and ample time inbetween the next feed.

i think you just have to go by how well they eat during meals and how well they latch on.