While most who have chosen to reply to me off list have understood and agreed with where I was coming from in my original post, I am disheartened by people who have immediately assumed that just because I herald the praises of a binky in MY world - means that I push them on others.  Remember, I am a board certified lactation consultant and I have been in practice for years.  I also am a trainer for a local Nursing Mothers organization. I do not TELL mothers to use pacifiers - nor do I withhold facts or let them believe that they come without their caveats.  


To address:

" that doesn't mean we should mis-represent the potential impact of pacifiers with so much data available.  It is one thing for a mother to make an informed decision to use a pacifier, it is quite another for lactation professionals to fail to inform mothers of potential risks…"

and

" In any way encouraging someone to do something we did just because in our case it didn't seem to cause any problems is way crossing the line."

I wise lactation consult once taught me about all the useful tools available to help the breastfeeding dyad.  The trick is knowing when to use them.  In MY case - a binky saved my breastfeeding relationship.  I would be remiss as an LC and Birth Doula if I used my personal experience as the primary basis for helping my clients.  Do I share personal experience? - if the situation warrants me to - occasionally.  Do I preach? No. Do I listen? Yes!  When parents ask me about pacifiers - I tell them exactly what you do.... that they are not a good idea, especially in early breastfeeding, that it's a different sucking mechanism, that baby can satisfy their sucking urges on a pacifier and not breastfeed as frequently or as well, that we can see issues with weight gain because parents mistakenly plug their baby when he's truly hungry - etc.etc.etc.  BUT, when I see that dyad - where something has to give... I tell them that many baby's have no problem going back and forth between the breast and a pacifier- and that they should use their best judgment. 

I hope this clarifies the misunderstanding that I am Flag waving BINKY pusher.  But - Long Live the BINKY!

Happy Holidays. 

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