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Soother for breastfeed baby

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  • 15-09-2020 10:37am
    #1
    annoyedgal
    Registered Users Posts: 769 ✭✭✭


    Due no 3 in a few weeks and thinking of trying a soother this time. First two never took one and really could only ever be settled by me. Needed to be fed to sleep for naps and nightime. Would love to have a means for dad or granny to settle this one or have a means to help them sleep other than feeding.
    However I'm wondering if a soother would really make a difference or is it just another thing to wean them from. I'd love to hear from others who brestfed and found them useful or not. Looking for a recommendation for a type of soother for a breastfed baby, also advice on when to introduce it. Thanks in advance!


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    #2
    shesty
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,894 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    I breastfed for a few weeks, but couldn't manage long term due to other issues.All 3 had soothers - we found them a godsend.I actually only read this this morning....

    https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/parenting/why-soothers-stir-up-strong-emotions-1.4348562?mode=amp

    It is very much personal preference.Mine all needed a bit of encouragement to use them but at the end of the day, newborns need to suck.That is why breastfed babies feed to sleep, the sucking action relaxes them...you are their soother, essentially!!With ours, the soother was just for sleeping, we never allowed them to go around with one in their mouth all day.You do go through a period at nights where it can fall out, baby will waken after a while and you could be in and out to put it back.It wasn't something that bothered us massively.Same for the weaning, we didn't make a huge deal out of it (still have 1 to wean off it!).

    Tbh, if it's your third and you think it might help, try it out.I don't know how old your other 2 are, but anything that helps through those first few months is ok with me!My third got a bottle at "bedtime" (so between 7 and 9) every night because I just couldn't cope with bedtime for the other 2 and endless cluster feeding at that time.Midwives will let you do what suits by then too, I found.


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    #3
    drunkmonkey
    Registered Users Posts: 28,119 ✭✭✭✭drunkmonkey


    No don't do it, worst thing you can do, don't start them on a soother. You'll live to regret it, let them babble and sleep all night rather than wake up screaming looking for one.


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    #4
    fits
    Registered Users Posts: 13,271 ✭✭✭✭fits


    As far as I remember we liked the MAM ones. Its trial and error though.


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    #5
    mp3guy
    Registered Users Posts: 3,956 ✭✭✭mp3guy


    You'll find for and against opinions here OP, you'll have to make up your own mind based on all the information you can gather.

    Our public health nurse told us on her first visit that "they" actually recommend the use of soothers now.

    The HSE's official stance is given here https://www2.hse.ie/file-library/child-health/my-child-0-to-2-years-book.pdf, page 35
    Soothers
    Try not to give your baby a soother, dummy or dodie until breastfeeding is established,
    usually when your baby is 1 month old.
    Using soothers has been shown to reduce the amount of breast milk your body makes.
    It may interfere with your baby attaching correctly onto your breast.

    Pages 99, 137 and 204 also have more recommendations.

    Perhaps the most interesting piece of information is;
    Giving your baby a soother when they are being put down to sleep may reduce the risk
    of cot death. Wait until breastfeeding is well-established before introducing a soother (see
    page 35).

    No opinions here, just relaying the official recommendations and statements from the HSE.


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    #6
    iamwhoiam
    Registered Users Posts: 16,098 ✭✭✭✭iamwhoiam


    drunkmonkey wrote: »
    No don't do it, worst thing you can do, don't start them on a soother. You'll live to regret it, let them babble and sleep all night rather than wake up screaming looking for one.

    I had three and three grandchildren and never once lived to regret it . They were a godsend actually .


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    #7
    annoyedgal
    Registered Users Posts: 769 ✭✭✭annoyedgal


    Thanks everyone, have read all the pros and cons and I'm not in anyway against soothers.
    I suppose I'd love to hear from someone that tried one on one baby and not the other and found it made life a lot easier but i suppose it's down to the individual baby too.
    We had a hard time with no 2 and settling her. I spent months up and down the stairs to settle her and it nearly broke me to be honest! Suppose I'm hoping if the soother worked we could take turns at least.
    That's good advice about just using for sleeping. Thanks all


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    #8
    jlm29
    Registered Users Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭jlm29


    My eldest took a soother but none of the other three would entertain it. I didn’t try overly hard though, it’s easier at the other end when I didn’t have to get rid of it.

    I’ve seen bibs soothers and nattursutten recommenced for bf babies


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    #9
    Cameoette
    Registered Users Posts: 271 ✭✭Cameoette


    annoyedgal wrote: »
    Thanks everyone, have read all the pros and cons and I'm not in anyway against soothers.
    I suppose I'd love to hear from someone that tried one on one baby and not the other and found it made life a lot easier but i suppose it's down to the individual baby too.
    We had a hard time with no 2 and settling her. I spent months up and down the stairs to settle her and it nearly broke me to be honest! Suppose I'm hoping if the soother worked we could take turns at least.
    That's good advice about just using for sleeping. Thanks all

    2 kids here and third one will be here by end of week.

    First kid loved soother, took it off her at 3. She just had it for naps and night time.
    Kid 2 wouldn’t take one at first. So didn’t push it. 8 weeks old he is hospitalised for a kidney infection and as he was hooked up to so many things and had lumbar puncture they were keen for him to try one again. I didn’t mind as anything to comfort him was a good thing in my eyes. He is now 2, still has soother. I don’t mind at all. He gets severe eczema and again, a soother is a comfort.

    Kid 3 I’ll be giving her a soother if she wants it.

    I breastfed both kids for over a year. I didn’t find it interfered in any way with this. In early days I was careful when I was building up supply as I guess I didn’t want to miss hunger cues.

    In my experience I did think it helped settle them after feeds.


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    #10
    tobdom
    Registered Users Posts: 510 ✭✭✭tobdom


    Our 1st had one and loved it, worked well for her, but we weaned her off it and replaced with her thumb around 4 months.... she's 4 now and still sucks her thumb, and we're trying to coax her (gradually) to stop now. At least they can't 'lose' their thumbs. 2nd & 3rd never had one, they didn't really take to them and we weren't committed to it as we were aware of the weaning off down the road..... Whatever works for you & yours!

    Not taking a pop at any previous posters, but more so some of the content that was linked... I wouldn't place any faith in an article that references a 'study' and opinions of a soother manufacuturer.... and I'm actually flabbergasted that references have been made (particularly by the HSE) to soothers reducing the risk of SIDS "Despite the fact we don’t know the mechanisms which cause SIDS".... there isn't enough known about it, or detail given as to how/why soothers might help reduce the risjk, and to me seems like the kind of thing that makes it's way into 'public conciousness' via some hard work/marketing/lobbying by those with vested interests (manufacturers).

    From digging a bit deeper, here's some quotes for context "The reduced risk was, however, found in combination with other factors, such as mothers who were older, married, non-smoking, and breastfeeding, and mothers who had received adequate prenatal care." and "though the causes of the disorder and how pacifiers help protect against it remain poorly understood."


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    #11
    Digs
    Registered Users Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭Digs


    All 3 of mine have had soothers. Absolute godsend. Zero regrets. In fact I worked hard for #2 and #3 to take one. Weaned my first two when they were two off them with I would say only 2 full days of hassle and then they totally forgot about them. Youngest will be 2 in November and I’ll wean her off it then. Currently she only has it for nighttime and naps. We’ve never had a big issue with them falling out a night, if we did it was so mild I just don’t remember.

    All of mine were breastfed also and I gave them the soother early on. In fact my 3rd had to have phototherapy after birth and the midwives suggested we use a soother to settle her as she couldn’t be taken from the incubator, only during specific times to feed her. I couldn’t hold her in between which was a killer so I was so glad for the extra comfort for her from the soother.

    ETA: we had no issues at all with nipple confusion, the lactation consultations were very encouraging there. As for brand, all of mine took to different ones. Went through a few with the second girl and she settled on Avent. Third girl had the MAM ones, she started off with the nicu ones you put your finger through in the hospital!


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    #12
    shesty
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,894 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    They often will give them to the babies in the NICU - I do know a midwife that said it is better to give them a soother than to have them screaming for long periods, raising their heart levels etc to dangerous levels (especially for those particular babies) - anything that keeps them calm is a good thing in there.


    Very much personal opinion OP.


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