My 3 month old had a hard time taking the pacifier. We have tried several different types and sizes. He sucks it and likes sucking on it but spits it out within minutes, when he spits it out he then cries. I have held it in his mouth and he has fallen asleep - BUT I can't sit and hold it forever! so I gave up on the pacifier... He was fine without it, he is now sucking on his fingers, trying to suck on his thumb to sooth himself. He at times has slightly woken-up and sucked on his fingers to fall back asleep. Is it better for a baby to suck on a pacifier rather then his fingers? If so, any suggestions on getting him to take the pacifier? My thought is that you can eventually take the pacifier away, he will always have his fingers to suck on which is not good!
I also think he is starting to teeth, any soothing suggestions for early teething bloomer?
This site is wonderful and I have learned so much from the other mothers! Thank you for your time, suggestions and sharing your experiences!
Doctors say that using a pacifier actually reduces the risks of SIDS. The thing about a pacifier is that eventually they can find it themselves in the crib and you don't have to worry about it. You can break the habit whenever you want. It is much harder to break thumb sucking and having there thumb in there mouth can lead to more germs going in their mouth
Hi R.! Our babies share the same birthday! My little girl does not like the pacifier either. Why bother when she knows she gets the human pacifier!! She sucks on her fists and chews on her thumb as she too is teething. In the end, I am glad she wants to suck on her hands, that guarantees no battles of getting rid of a pacifier when she is older. I bought some teething rings but she cannot hold them, EXPECT THIS GREAT TOY CALLED MANHATTAN WINKEL. She can hold it and put it in her mouth. I bought mine at Babies R us, and I am sure you can get one online. Good luck!
Hi R.,
I have two girls and one is a paci junkie and the other a thumb hugger :) Personally I like the paci better because I can limit its use and give it boundaries…her blankie and paci always stay in her bed unless we are going for a long car ride. The thumb on the other hand is always there and available when needed which is nice at such a young age, but I find that she, now three, is sick more often too. I don’t know if you can change their preference once they have discovered one they like however. I also notice such differences in my two girls that have proven over time why the thumb is best for one and the paci for the other. Both can be weaned when the time is right and whatever at this point keeps him soothed and you sane I would be thankful for!
Best of luck!
They pick which thing they want to suck on. You can't choose it for them. If he's not into the pacifier you won't be able to make him take it. Let him suck on his thumb/fingers. Worry about removing them later. It will make your life a lot easier now.
Both of my kids had a pacifier and it was easy to get rid of. I like you had the same worry about being able to get rid of the pacifier but not the thumb. So it did work for me. As far as teething, I used Hyland's Teething tablets. My son didn't need them, but my daughter did. They worked for me and I suggested them to the daycare provider for her daughter. She also said that they worked great. So it is somehtning you can look into. Good luck and enjoy your little one.
Hi There! We never did the pacifier. I heard horror stories of other moms who woke to screaming babies in the middle of the night because it would come out of their mouths and they were too young to find it and pop it back in...having to get up every 20 minutes to get it back in. Aaaaahh!!! So, my kids sucked their thumbs. It too has it's drawbacks...like sore cracked skin or having a difficult time breaking the habit. But baby teeth are remarkable little things. If their front teeth are sticking out a little due to sucking, once the habit is broken, the teeth usually move back into place. And don't quote me, but it seems like if kids need major ortho work when they are older, they probably would have needed it anyway, not just because they were thumb suckers.
I dunno...if you use the pacifier, I'd avoid using it at sleep time and maybe just during the day to help with fussiness.
As for teething...I always used a little baby orojel to help sooth at bed/nap times. If the pain seemed to be really bad I'd use a little Tylenol. It's so hard to tell when the teeth are coming in. They break through the gums and then the gums swell up and the teeth have to break through again. So, once you see the teeth, they've gone through the hard part. You'll start to learn how he acts when a tooth is coming in, though.
Good luck!
R.,
If he is starting to suck on his fingers/hand, encourage him to do that. He won't always want to suck on them so don't worry about that now- he's way too young. If you haven't tried the original binky by playtex, it worked pretty well for me-my son did that too.
Good luck!
Molly
Try dipping the pacifier in a bit of fruit juice (or sugar-water if there is a history of food allergies in your family), then letting it dry on there before you give it to him. Because breast milk is so sweet, babies are predisposed toward sweet things.
Hi R.!
The Binky is not actually a necessary part of babyhood. Some babies want it, some don't, and that is ok.
The pacifier was designed to allow a baby to comfort suck without mom breastfeeding or trying to hold the bottle for a baby who doesn't actually want to eat. It's a convenience for mom, that's for sure! Some babies will comfort themselves in other ways however, and as they get older they depend on comfort sucking less and less. In fact, when a child is about 4 months old, they have lost most of the newborn reflexes and have started getting more control over their bodies. The need for comfort sucking past 4 months declines as they learn to roll over, reach and grasp, and as they become more aware of their environments.
Sucking on his thumb/fingers is what calms him at the moment, but it won't always be so. Most children outgrow it before their first birthday.
Also, if he is teething, his mouth hurts. Talk to your pediatrician about giving him tylenol when he's uncomfortable. In the mean time, by some teethers. They go in the freezer give the baby something cold to gum. The coldness helps numb the gums so they don't hurt so bad during teething.
Good luck, and enjoy your baby! :)
Hi R.,
My daughter didn't take to a pacifier but would suck her thumb. It is a great self-soothing tool that you shouldn't discourage. Paige stopped sucking her thumb after a few months but chews/sucks on a corner of her "night-night" when tired or upset. Don't worry about breaking a thumb sucking habit later, you have plenty of time to worry about later, if at all.
As to teething, my daughter was also early and once her teeth started erupting she didn't stop until all 20 were in. The very first ones and the first molars are the most painful. A frozen washcloth during the day works well, as does OralGel. Just make sure to use a small amount on a Q-tip as you don't want him to swallow it. I ended up giving a little Tylenol before bed when it was really bad. The pain from teething is NOT as terrible as you might think, and once the teeth break through the gums it isn't painful at all. The biggest concern is to avoid causing a night waking habit because of it. I HIGHLY recommend reading "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth to understand biological sleep rhythms. When it comes to understanding sleep, I would trust no other.
Sincerely,
L.
