The Bible says...
just kidding!
I wanted to know what your experience has been w/ pacifiers.
Ds#1 didn't care for them much. Ds#2 loves them.
But, there was a time when the thing kept falling out of his mouth and waking him up. It was frustrating. Of course, now he is old enough that that isn't an issue and it has its advantages.
just trying to figure out what I'll do with the next baby.
do you use them or not?

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LOL.

My kids ALL had binkies. With the exception of my almost 3 year old, all of my kids were done with them by the time they turned 2.(my now 5 year old was a year old. He quit using them on his own, never really had an interest in them, only when he slept at night,) I have to admit, I have completely babied my baby and haven't been as quick to make him grow up. He is our last baby and, well, I'm trying to keep him that way for a while. The binky will be gone though in a few months. I already let go of the crib. I'm slowly letting him grow up, but it's really hard.

Not sure if that helped you. As with anything you do, you have to do what you are comfortable with and what works for you. All kids are different. I say, if you can get through the first few months without one, more power to you. For me, they were a MUST have. Pacifier is right.

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"Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged." -- Ronald Reagan

One of those things where your opinion changes over the years and according to the kid LOL With Gwen, I was adimently against the use of pacifiers, mainly b/c I was breastfeeding. Looking back, I am glad I felt that way, esp as a new, bfing mom. I don't think she ever needed one either. Same with Daisy, she never seemed to need it and I was bfing so I didn't want to use one. Both also found their thumbs early on. Gabriel was different. Even though I was bfing, I was secure enough in my other experiences that I knew when he needed to nurse and when he just wanted to 'suck' something. He simply could NOT find his thumb and he would scream and scream, he also had reflux. Since I'd been so against them I didn't want to use one, but at the same time, with hubby being deployed, 2 other kids to care for I had to do something. I think I had one from a baby shower, so in a desperate attempt to get some quiet and sleep I gave it to him and he was happy as pie. Hubby wasn't too happy when I told him, when he called, only b/c I'd said I'd never used one and he thought I was only "giving in" but once I explained it all too him he totally understood. Gabe only used it til about 6 months then wouldn't take it anymore.

With ALL that said, lol I think it's a kid by kid thing. I don't start out planning to use one but I'm not as opposed at all costs to it either like I originally was, each child is different. I still only use it as a last resort. The only thing I dispise is seeing a parent like a walmart or something keep trying to force their child to take it and the child keeps spitting it out. I hate that, one of my peeves I guess. If I offer it and the kid doesn't want it, then there is probably something else they need, which is why I try it as a last resort.

That was funny about the Bible intro.. Skylar is a pacifier addict unfortunately, and that's something we've talked about what we'll do to wean her off. I would love it if she lost interest in it before two but personally I can't imagine that happening! She ideally likes to have two at bedtime, she'll have one in her hands and one in her mouth and alternate between the two every few minutes. She knows where we keep them so sometimes at home she'll walk over to the area and ask for them. We were trying to be only naptime/bedtime paci users here but with the recent flood of molars she seems to be getting, her desire for the paci has shot up (plus it sort of helped to keep her from gnawing at every visible thing in sight with her teething pain!!). Then the baby is coming at the end of the month so I'm thinking hopefully the baby won't want it so much and I can wean Skylar from it with no temptation from the baby either!
I was the same about being adamant not even introducing it as I also was breastfeeding - I was set at not introducing it before 12 weeks but one night when she was 2 weeks old, she was crying and I tried every method I could think of and finally found a pacifier and tried it, and she conked out like a light!! So began the paci use.. I'd appreciate weaning tips, it will be an exhausting couple of nights for us when we do as she cries if it falls out until she can find them!

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lol I heard that from SO many parents, about it falling out and them crying to find it, I think that also turned me off to them initially. Even though thumbs are harder to "wean" off of, I was so glad in the beginning they could find that themselves It's one of those pros/cons. I see a lot of pros/cons with the thumb but at the same time I see just as many with the pacifier. Thankfully Gabe was never one to cry when he lost his. He seemed to just use it to get to sleep. This baby we'll play it by ear.

Just a funny little story from my life......
My DD, was a thumb sucker from the beginning, I have an ultrasound pict. with her sucking her thumb! She is 4 and still sucking her thumb(which I am not to happy about, but I don't know what to do.) Anyway, DS came a long, and didn't suck his thumb. He wanted the paci. Which, was okay, bcause, I just planned on using it for a little while, which I did. By 9m, he was off of it. (all I did to get him off of it was to cut the nipple off of it and then I gave it to him and then he didn't want itanymore, I will have to say that that really worked to get him off.) Had nothing for 6m, then about a week before we went on Vaca. and he started sucking his thumb, and hasn't stopped since, he is now 3yr, 4 m. I truly believe that bcause sissy sucks her thumb, that is why he did. My friends laugh at me bcause my DD has gotten other kids to suck their thumbs as well.