I suspect since the original inquiry was from a hospital based LC that the
questions of why fingers are not a problem if pacifiers are may have been
based on PARENTAL fingers used to calm a fussy newborn.  If this is so then
my feelings are:

A parental finger is more OK than a pacifier
1)because it is more temporary (long and short term)
2)because it is skin not latex, plastic or whatever nitra/nitro whatever
that these things are made of
3)because it is attached to a parent who then remains attached to the
infant.

In a positive sense:
1)it may be used as a calming bridge to move baby from distress to quiet
alert to breastfeeding
 or
2)it may be used to elicit a sucking action from a too sleepy baby who may
need to eat but not "know it" yet - again a bridge to breastfeeding
 in other words it may help bring the baby in a state suitable for feeding.

BUT sometimes it is still not a good idea
1)if mommy has very flat, short, inverted or non erectile nipples as baby
may imprint on a long, hard sensation that s/he won't get at the breast
2)if breastfeeding has not been initiated yet
3)if breastfeeding is not going well
4)if it is used to delay breastfeeding, especially if it is anything more
than perhaps to delay while mommy makes a potty stop, in other words, if it
is used to schedule the baby.

Carla (who helped one mom use her finger to calm a distraught baby today and
helped another mom to use her finger to wake her sleepy baby a few days ago
in hospital)

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