On the advice of my doctor, I signed up for a one-night Breastfeeding Basics course given through Mission Hospital. The instructor preached the benefits of breastfeeding, showed us positions and warned us about the evil perils of letting your newborn use a pacifier. Pacifiers are your competition, she lectured.
After giving birth to beautiful baby Taylor, the lactation consultant stopped by our room to see if we had any questions. I commented about my girl’s never-ending appetite and strong bite, other than that all was peachy keen. Again I was warned to not give her a pacifier and some mumbo jumbo about it would only be pacifying us and not good for her. That night Chris accompanied Taylor to the hospital nursery for her hearing screen, where a nurse, in an attempt to soothe Taylor, placed a gloved finger in her mouth. After feeling the chomp, she asked Chris if we were giving her a pacifier. Chris said no, the lactation consultant told us not to. To which the nurse replied, Yeah, well the lactation consultant goes home and nurses her five year old.
Turns out Taylor LOVES the pacifier and is still a fantastic feeder. She gaining plenty of weight, and between meals we’ll giver her a pacie to chomp on if it looks like she’s about ready to have a melt down. So I guess that makes me a bad breastfeeding mother, huh? Say what you will Le Leche league, but because of our pacifier I was able to take a shower AND blow dry my hair today… so at least I’m a bad breastfeeding mother with shiny hair.
4 comments:
I can't believe they told you not to giver her a pacifier! How crazy! I breast fed Addison for close to a year and she had a pacifier the entire time, add me to the list of bad breast feeding moms!! :) Taylor is adorable!
You will soon find out what some of the smarter people told you when you were prego...there is no book for your child. Whatever makes her happy, can't be bad right? It took me so long to put the books down and just figure out what elliot wanted and needed. You are doing such a fantastic job and your baby is beautiful, healthy,and happy!
Add me to the list too...Ava has since kicked the pacifier but sucks 2 of her fingers...it soothes her and the dr said nothing to worry about yet...Ava need to suck on something all the time it seemed like and I'll tell you one thing...I didnt want her suckin' on me the whole time I was home on leave but we did make it a good 9 months nursing! best of luck!!!
Oh, the breast feeding/pacifier issue is one of many that will be sure to get opinions out of most moms, especially new ones. And each one has a story to share to relate. I believe in "do what feels right.' Every baby is different. You will learn what your baby needs and it may be something other than what the books or the "Breast feeding my 5 year old" nurse say.
By the way-I didn't breast feed and my kids didn't use pacifiers. In fact, when Brady was about a year old, I tried to give him one while I put him to bed. He didn't know what to do with it, chewed on the handle and gave me a funny look. But he's kind of a strange kid. ;)
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