I have begun to explain to moms that pacifiers were invented for bottle fed
babies.

Feeding at the breast provides a much more involved suckling experinece for
the baby.  It is complex and involves the tongue and lips and cheeks and
gums, all in a synchronized pattern.  Babies' sucking needs are very well
satisfied at the breast.  When babies breastfeed they can alter their
sucking style after they are full, to comfort and soothe at the breast
(nutritive to non-nutritive suckle).  They can get the sucking that they
need and want without overfeeding.

Babies who drink from a bottle suck differently, more like sucking through a
straw.  They often get full before their need to suck is satisfied.  The
bottle delivers liquids at the same rate the whole time the baby sucks, so
they cannot suck without getting more food.  They may need more sucking time
after their bellies are full, thus the pacifier.

Mothers were here first, so - pacifiers are mother substitutes; mothers are
not pacifier substitutes.

Barb Berges BS, RN, IBCLC
Rochester, New York

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html