I would like to chime in here with a personal observation. I have nursed two
children for three/four years each, and am now nursing #3, 11 weeks. She had
a very weak suck at the beginning, and I had to pump some and finger/syringe
feed to supplement for five weeks, after she lost a pound by week 1. She
never had formula or a bottle, I am happy to say. I had no epidural or
anything but an IV (Strep B) during my labor/delivery with a midwife (in a
hospital), so this was not the issue. I was also five days "late" with her.
She was 7 lb. 1 oz at birth. I did have some pain meds for the first two days
after the birth.
She is nursing well now, and is about 9 lbs. or so. (Normal for my petite,
slow gainers, ok with her ped) And, I have occasionally used a pacifier! I
know, I know, I almost can't believe I wrote that! Now, let me explain. I
have not used a pacifier to replace a feeding. I also did not start the
pacifier use until she had been happily nursing for a few weeks. I *have*
used it to get her to stop screaming incessantly in the carseat as we go down
the road. I nurse before we go somewhere, then she still screams, and I mean
Screams, for at least 10-15 minutes of the ride. We have one car, so I am
taking my dh to/from work in PA some days, and cannot stop to nurse again.
Also, it doesn't matter, she still screams anyway. I am trying not to crash,
and my other kids can't take the radio *any* louder. So she sucks on the
pacifier for a few minutes and then falls asleep and spits it out. It has
served a purpose. I also have used it when we visit my grandmother, once a
week or so, so that she can actually hold my baby without her screaming. It
is easy to say that she may hold her when she is older, but my grandmother is
80 this year, and may not be around. I have used it when I *cannot* nurse,
usually, and it hasn't seemed to cause a problem. Anyone seeing me carrying
my crying baby out of church, and holding a pacifier, would not know how
strong an advocate for breastfeeding I am! This is my point. The pacifier
itself is not the culprit. It is the way in which it is used. I have chosen
this time to use it as the tool that it is, in situations I have found no
other solution for. My daughter, who started out with sucking problems, is
not affected by this use, and continues to nurse well. So well, in fact, that
this is the longest I have ever gone without a cycle after birth. So I am
happy, she is happy, and I have some more personal experience to add to the
pot.
Just wanted to share my own experience, after reading some of the comments
here. You never know the reasons behind someone's actions unless you ask. It
is so hard not to jump to your own conclusions. I catch myself doing this all
the time, and now I am better at stopping and giving the benefit of the doubt.
Leocea in MD
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