Quote:
Originally Posted by Bryanna
Hi KD,
Glad to read that your daughters surgery is over and hopefully all will continue to go well for her!
I just wanted to mention something about pacifiers. All babies are born with a strong instinct to suck. They not only suck for nourishment, but also for comfort. Sucking on their hand was a part of their in utero life and it's natural for babies to want to continue that because it helps them deal with a constantly changing environment. It also helps them calm down and lets them sleep peacefully. Nook pacifiers are shaped very much like a mothers nipple and they do not cause any impairment in the natural growth of the childs mouth, teeth or jaw so long as they are not used past the age of 4 or 5. The time to start to wean a child from a pacifier or his thumb is when he has stopped breastfeeding and his main diet is solid food. At that same time, the child becomes so preoccupied with other things, that he no longer needs that suckling comfort that he did when he was a baby.
New moms tend to worry too much about the future what if's........... my friend who is a long time pediatric nurse practitioner always says to her new moms.......... if you think your baby will be weaned from this by the time they are 21, what are you worried about? In other words, it's ok, it's satisfying a natural healthy urge for your baby, it's not going to hurt them and it will not last forever.
All the best to you and your family!!
Bryanna
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Thank you so much, Bryanna, for the well wishes and kind words!
Also, thank you for commenting in regards to my eldest and the difficulties she's having as well. I'm worried about her and feel that the difficulties with breastfeeding is causing for what I see as a pretty significant postpartum depression developing.
Even with ALL the difficulties they're having (her and baby), she REFUSES to consider a pacifier. My aunt, who breastfed six babies and taught breastfeeding classes even recommended it as a need for him and she will not consider it.
I've tried to explain so much and what I feel, based on experience, his need is and that all babies are different there. She, for instance, wouldn't take one the first time and I tried...hard. My youngest? They gave it to her in the hospital (when I didn't have plans on it at all), and she was very dependent on it from the get-go because it was a clear need even to the nurses.
She's an absolutely giving, devoted, wonderful mother. She's just always had clear maps of her plans and followed them to the "T". The difficulty with a new baby is that it's not just "her plans" anymore...this wonderful little creature will add more joy than she can imagine, but throw many a wrench into her predetermined plans of outcomes.
I wish so much that she would be a bit more flexible because I see her struggling so much right now.
I feel guilty because I can't be much for her right now....certainly nothing what I'd like to be.
Thank you so much, again.
KD