My son is almost three months old and loves to breastfeed for comfort. He has been exclusively breastfed from birth and rarely will take his pacifier. I am concerned about how he is going to comfort himself when I have to return to work. Has anyone encountered this and have any suggestions?
2006-12-14 23:58:03 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Comfort nursing creates secure and attached children. All three of my kids comfort nursed.
When you return to work, he'll have to develop an attachment to his caregiver and they'll figure out something else that works. If you massage his back or rock him while you nurse, he may associate those actions with you as well and that may help when you are apart. He might also begin to suck his on fingers (my middle daughter did) as a way of self comforting.
ETA:
CHERI S is wrong. Comfort sucking is a very different rhythm than actually eating and moms who are really in tune with their nurslings CAN tell the difference. Comfort sucking is often described as "flutter sucking" because that's how it feels. It's a totally different sensation and you usually also don't hear them swallowing when they comfort nurse as they are not "milking" the breast in the same way they do when they actively nurse for nutrition.
DO NOT put him on a schedule. Watch the BABY and NOT the clock. Scheduling him could lead to supply problems.
2006-12-15 00:07:29 · answer #1 · answered by momma2mingbu 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
My son did the same thing and I remember feeling the same way. I remember dropping him off at daycare and just knowing that I was going to get a phone call that he was inconsolable. I would literally have to breastfeed him for hours in the evenings becuase he would not take a pacifier and would scream bloody murder if i tried to do anything else.
When he was three months old i returned to work and pumped to keep up my milk supply and also to provide milk for him for daycare. He went to daycare and formed a great bond with his provider there. (He still makes a point of giving her a hug every day before we leave). At night we hunkered down together and nursed. As he got older, he became interested in more things and I was able to wean him bit by bit until he nursed for under an hour and then was able to go asleep.
I had a slight problem with him taking a bottle, but found that he liked the Playtex Nursers. We tried about four different kinds, which I recommend. Also, make sure someone else gives him a bottle at first. Otherwise he's going to pick up on your smell and want to nurse.
My son is now 15 1/2 months old and has been weaned for about a month and a half. You'll know when it's right for both of you.
2006-12-15 08:50:29 · answer #2 · answered by eastcoastwahine 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should hold your baby for comfort, not feed your baby for comfort. Eating habits start young. Eating is for survival. Too many people are obese these days because they eat for comfort. Don't start a bad habit early.
I breastfed 6 children. They are now 5-17. Some took pacifiers, some didn't. None took one after 4 months of age. How do you know it is for comfort that he is nursing? If he's sucking, he's nursing. Learn to do this.......nurse him, make sure he's dry, warm, etc, then lie him down or put him in his swing, etc and let him learn to just sit and stare at the world and learn his world. Don't pick him up every time he makes a squeak. If he's truly screaming uncontrollably then of course pick him up and reassure him then let him go back to looking at his mobile, whatever you have to entertain himself with. AT three months of age you shouldn't have to nurse him again for a couple of hours or more, so don't. Get him on a nursing schedule. Ask your ped how often he should nurse and go from there but if you plan to go back to work and he will be bottle fed then you'd better start pumping and you'd better start him on a bottle 30 days prior to make sure he will accept it. Have dad subsititute a bottle feeding with your breast milk once a day. Don't just do this cold turkey or you will regret it and tick baby off. I nursed until mine were 6 months old. After the teeth came in and I got bit, I stopped.
2006-12-15 08:14:11 · answer #3 · answered by CHERI S 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
No matter what, it's going to be hard to get him to take the bottle once he has breast feed for so long. I had this problem with all three of my children. I don't think comfort breast feeding will cause him any future problems. I would do this also for my children. Especially when they were hurting, tummy ache etc. That would be the only way to stop them from crying, and you know you hate to hear them cry. Also... they usually act as though they are hungry when they want to comfort feed... you don't always know that they are not actually hungry... why take the change of letting your baby be hungry???
2006-12-15 08:09:48 · answer #4 · answered by Angel 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm a daycare provider and I have watched, and watch now children that are breast fed....The babies and the moms absolutely share a special bond and I think they should absolutely comfort their baby with breast feeding.....When in my care, the babies are comforted by my holding them, playing with them, making goofy faces at them.....etc !!! The babies, even the youngest ones, know the difference between their moms and myself and they can absolutely be happy and content when in my care. Often when the moms come in and the children see or hear them...they will cry for the comfort that only mom can give......Hang onto that special bond as long as you can !!! It won't be long before you're just "mom the taxi driver" !!!!
2006-12-15 08:48:22 · answer #5 · answered by Angie S 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You will have to ween him away from it. If you don't you will have a lot harder time weening him off breast milk later. Went throw this with my son. My wife had a hard time getting him weened.
2006-12-15 08:07:20 · answer #6 · answered by Beast 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
stay home until he starts school your husband should support his family
2006-12-15 08:06:31 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 3⤋
no
2006-12-15 08:06:06 · answer #8 · answered by Jasmine chandler 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋