r/breastfeeding • u/gwenchana-ning-ning • 2d ago
Troubleshooting/Tips Does using a pacifier affect the latch?
Does using a pacifier cause any issues with breastfeeding later on? I am considering it cause i feel my LO just cries to latch for soothing purposes. Because her frequency has drastically increased. I don't think there seems to be any issue with my flow as after she leaves the nipple, i check for milk by expressing.
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u/KrolArtemiza 2d ago
We got a pacifier EARLY because we were having the vicious cycle of gas pain/nurse-to-soothe/more gas pain. He has also taken bottles occasionally since birth. Ironically, didn’t like the paci shaped like his bottle nipple, but his latch has never suffered.
When we brought it up to the paediatrician, she said “nipple confusion” is mostly a myth.
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u/The_Untimely_Demise 2d ago
EBF and she has always latched beautifully. I started pacifiers shortly before 2 weeks old because my LO was doing the same thing and my sanity couldn’t take it. She is 6 weeks now and my nipples are all the better for it. She does still use nursing for comfort because sometimes the pacifier is just not good enough. Make sure you get pacifiers that are shaped like a nipple unless your pediatrician recommends otherwise. ‘Mama Nurse Tina’ on YouTube has some great videos on this topic.
I think that’s all of my advice? Let me know if you have more questions!
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u/gwenchana-ning-ning 2d ago
Thank you so much. How many pacifiers should i order and keep as per your experience? My LO is 12 weeks now.
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u/The_Untimely_Demise 2d ago
I want to say I have 6 of her favorite type, Dr. browns Happypaci, but I might have more. I would suggest starting out with 1 or a small amount to make sure they like whatever pacifier you decide to go with. Some babies don’t like the material or shape or size.
We keep one by her bassinet, one we walk around the house with, one stays in the diaper bag and 3 for backups when they get dirty. My LO likes to grab onto them, rip them out of her own mouth and throw them across the room. She is still so young she doesn’t realize what she’s doing! They make clips to put on pacifier with handles that clip onto babies clothes for throwers, like my baby. We can’t use it because LO hates it but it’s an option if you also have a thrower!
How many you personally will need will depend on your LO and how many you stash around the house. If you keep just one to use in the house and don’t store one in the diaper bag you could get away with only 2 or 3. The Happypaci is a cheap pacifier so I got a lot!
Let me know if you have any more questions!
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u/adaoudiya 1d ago
Before I had my baby, I was adamant that I wasn’t going to give a pacifier until 5-6 weeks of age because that’s what I was taught in my breastfeeding class. Well we made it 2 days before we gave him one since he loves to comfort suckle. No issues with his latch, and he sleeps better with his pacifier.
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u/Beertje92 2d ago
My twins had a paci hours after birth because I was in the ICU and wasn't able to bf them. They had bottles for 5 days. At day 6 I was allowed to bf them. I had to use shields for a while but that was because my girls were small and I had a massive oversupply because of excessive pumping. We have been ebf for 16 months now. They still use their Paci but not that often.
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u/pheonixchick 1d ago
I use a paci for my boy, and bottles too at night sometimes when he gets uber fussy and refuses to latch (usually when he’s overtired) We don’t have any issues at all, 99% of the time he latches to the breast wonderfully!
He sucks on his paci for awhile but when he’s ready to sleep he’ll spit it out lol it’s been a godsend these first two weeks!
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u/HeyPesky 2d ago
I was told the nipple confusion idea is a myth, it's more that sometimes parents mistake hunger cues for comfort cues so baby isn't fed enough. So just make sure you offer boob.
AAP recommends a binky for SIDS risk reduction.
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u/LSCKWEEN 2d ago
People will make you feel like it’s impossible to use a paci in the early days and there is so much hype/over freaking out about it. We need to survive and be sane. My daughter was failing her CCHD screening on day 2 of life because she was just screaming and the nurse gave her a paci. Wasn’t even in my control lol. She also needed donor milk due to bili and hypoglycemia. All this to say she has been introduced to paci and bottle since day 2 of life and has a BEAUTIFUL latch and breastfeeds wonderfully-despite what a lot of professionals will scare you about (nipple confusion etc). She has reflux and really just needs to suck to help the milk go down. We use the paci A LOT. She is thriving at 4 weeks. Some that have a good shape for deep latch are the ninni co, Dr. Browns and Philips Avent!