Is it ok to offer a breast fed 1 week old baby a pacifier?

Answer 1

It is ok to offer pacifier to baby but not at this age. 1 week is too early. I would wait for atleast another 2-3 weeks to introduce paci.
Make sure of the following before u decide on pacifier use.

1. Proper Breast feeding is established.
2. Give baby pacifier to satisfy its suckling need only.
3. Don't offer paci unless u've breastfed the baby (15-20 mins each breast or until u feel ur breasts are empty).
4. Never offer paci to a hungry baby.
5. Don't over-use paci as ur baby may fulfill all suckling thru paci and refuse breast.
6. Wait until there's no nipple confusion.

So its better to start the use of a paci after u r more used to the breastfeeding pattern/schedule of ur baby. So that u can differentiate b/w hunger and mere suckling need of the baby. Else the baby will be happy by non-nutritive suckling from paci and wudn't like to breastfeed.

You could stop using the paci when the baby is 4 months so that it wudn't be difficult for u to get rid of the binky at a later stage.

Good luck...hope this has helped u :)

Answer 2

No. Babies who suck on artificial nipples (bottles or pacifiers) may have trouble nursing. This risk lessens if the baby is at least 2 months old *and* has been nursing without difficulty for at least 1 month. Moreover, when a baby is still learning to nurse (those same 2 months), she/he needs to have all her/his sucking needs met at the breast. This will help the mother's milk supply regulate to the baby's needs and ensure that the baby is getting enough milk.

Further, recent research has shown that babies who normally get a pacifier are more likely to die of SIDS on a night when they *don't* have a pacifier. Although the risk of SIDS is pretty low for any particular baby (about 1-2 per thousand babies), the risk of losing a whole night's sleep the night you break or lose the last pacifier in the house just before bedtime is pretty high. (This study has been misquoted in the media to say that *all* babies were at higher risk of SIDS unless they had a pacifier, but the actual medical study showed the results as I summarized above.)

Answer 3

Yes, my son had strep B when he was born so he spent 10 days in the hospital. I had been warned not to give him a pacifier and didn't plan to but the nurses did it anyway as a way to calm him and said it wouldn't matter. The doctor wasn't concerned with the breast feeding which didn't work out anyway. He just never seemed to care. He did keep a pacifier until he was 3 when he slept but I didn't care. The dentist said it usually doesn't affect a child's teeth and it didn't. All the research does indicate that a baby using a pacifier lowers the risk of SIDS. I would give a baby a pacifier just to lower the risk of SIDS.

Answer 4

everyone in the world had an opinion on this. The "experts" say to wait until 6 weeks so that the baby doesn't have nipple confusion. Others say you can give a baby a pacifier from day one. The best I can tell you is what I did:

I breastfed my daughter - I waited until she was about two weeks old to give her a pacifier. I was going to wait longer, but she really needed it at that point. She was hard to calm and the sucking calmed and soothed her. Also, everyone says that it is hard to break them of the habit- in my opinion, it is harder to break them of sucking their thumbs. At least you can take a pacifier from them when you are ready. I took it from my daughter when she turned one - before she could fight me on it. We had no problems. Others have waited longer and found creative ways to break the habit (such as a pacifier fairy, cutting the nipple smaller and smaller, etc.). Do what feels best to you and works for you. If you feel your baby needs the pacifier and if it will help you get some rest so you can best take care of your baby. Good luck!

Answer 5

Giving a nursing baby a pacifier before 6 weeks may result in nipple confusion. However, after 6 weeks, they may not ever take a pacifier. The choice is yours. I would wait atleast 3 weeks so that you both get used to breastfeeding before you complicate it with a pacifier. Getting it right is hard enough for both of you, dont make it harder if you can help it!

Answer 6

I think its just fine! Some babies are soothed by the action of sucking. my son loved his pacifier when he was a newborn! thought it was the best thing since the breast! I found this out because when he was upset, I'd put him to the breast and he would happily suck until the milk came through, then he would cry. he then began sucking on my little finger and found that soothing that's when i tried him with a pacifier. worked out a charm! he's 10 months old now and really only uses it to go to sleep with, so i wouldn't worry about it. sucking is a big stress reliever for some babies, so why deny them if it would help?

Answer 7

According to the current research it is OK to offer your baby a pacifier. The research states that a pacifier greatly reduces the chance of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). However, I would get the opinion of a trusted physician and do a search for the information you seek and to see what the research actually states. Good Luck with your new baby! Enjoy.

Answer 8

It could be and it could not be - its a tricky thing some babies will be fine and having pacifiers (and bottles too) will be fine but there is a risk that the pacifier will cause "Nipple confussion" and make it difficult for the baby to breastfeed. The two sucking methods are different and require different muscle control. Proceed with caution.

Answer 9

no. the baby is still really young and adapting to breast feeding. if you give him/her a pacifier they may get nipple confusion and then refuse the breast. it will make breast feeding extremely challenging if they get nipple confusion. i would wait until the baby is at least 1 month old before you offer a pacifier.

Answer 10

I breast feed my son who is now 9mths old and he was given a pacifier when he was only a few days old he now will not suck on a pacifier at all he has not used one sience he was about 4 mths old. He spits em out so I think it it ok. But it really depends on you what you think is ok.