Advice on dummies while breastfeeding please

[rwllgoodchild]

Luke is 4 weeks old tomorrow and for the past week he has done nothing but scream the place down all the time. The last two days he hasn't had much sleep through the day either.

My Mum and MIL have suggested trying him with a dummy as I have tried everything to calm/settle him. I really don't want to give him a dummy but the main reason for this is all the info on 'nipple confusion'

So I was wondering whether any of you ladies are successfully breastfeeding while using a dummy?

Any help/advice is greatly appreciated

Thanks xx

 

[confused87com]

i breastfeed and use a dummy. I hate it but feel i have little choice. As he was prem he had one to promote sucking, but learned to breastfeed well. I tried to take it off him which he didnt mind, but he has reflux and i have found his dummy hellps, so i suppose it is here to stay!

 

[nullaby]

We use the nuk pacifiers. The green smoothie the hospital gave us made him be lazy and not open his mouth wide enough and suck shallow which i guess is nipple confusion. Lol

 

[rwllgoodchild]

Thanks, we have bought some of the MAM dummies for newborns but they're still in the package in a cupboard. Guess i should get them out and sterilised then... xx

 

[Mya209]

I'd be interested to hear more peoples experiences of this as I'm confused about dummys too. She hasn't really needed one at only two weeks old but if she wants feeding she'll scream until boob is in her mouth which is often really hard if out shopping etc as u can't just stop and feed there and then. I was wondering if a dummy might help. I don't really want to though!

 

[TigerLady]

Both my kids used them when they were little. They also both rejected them by about 3-4 months. However, up until then, they were a life saver!

I just made sure BF was well established and LO was gaining weight well. Then I offered them. Never had nipple confusion.

 

[T-Bex]

Bethan has never had a dummy, so can't help from personal experience. But, from what I've read, the 'nipple confusion' issue is just in the early days - as long as breastfeeding is successfully established, you should be ok to introduce a dummy. There are a few babies at my breastfeeding group with a dummy, so it obviously can be done. Perhaps give it another couple of weeks, and then introduce it, just to make sure he's really got the hang of 'This is a nipple. This is a dummy - There is a difference'

 

[luckyme225]

My LO loves to comfort suck all the time so we've given a pacifier from day 3 to help sooth him. I have an oversupply so letting him suck 24/7 on my breast would only cause more problems. No nipple confusion here luckily. We use gumdrop pacifiers.

 

[cheese lover]

we use MAM pacifiers here. We started giving her a bottle at 4 weeks in preparation for my return to work so we waited until then to start giving her a pacifier. It's been a lifesaver to get her to settle at night and for naps. She is a big comfort sucker. I try not to use it in place of feeding her but in place of the comfort sucking.