When did your baby start sleeping through the nigh

[dvroxy]

I had problems with MacKenzie waking herself up when she would have the falling reflex. She hated the swaddle, but when I got really good at it (like super tight so she couldn't bust out) she started sleeping through the night instantly. When they are swaddled, they can't self soothe, so that is where the paci comes in. Madeline won't take a paci, but is just an easier baby in general. Maddie has never fought the swaddle, but if I don't swaddle her for a nap or for bedtime, she won't stay asleep. That was what I got the most out of the happiest baby on the block. Swaddle, swaddle, swaddle. Been a lifesaver for me for sure. It doesn't help sleeping through the night per say, but it did help us get her to sleep much quicker.

[moonstone523]

Let's talk about a paci. Yay or nay?

[sara76]

Oct 20, 2012 20:16:31 GMT -5 moonstone523 said:

Let's talk about a paci. Yay or nay?

In the hospital the nurse took her to the nursery for 2 hours so I could rest and I told her it was ok to give her a paci if she needed it. She sucked on that thing the whole 2 hours for the nurse (in a swaddle, the stinker). She would never take it for the rest of us though. There actually were a few nights when I'd put her in her crib exhausted and fighting sleep, and if I physically held it there by keeping my finger inside it ( the Soother ones) and let her bite on my finger, she would fall asleep in 10 or so minutes and then instantly spit it out, but she was asleep and that's all that matters. Those were the triumphant nights. Her grandma was always with a paci in her hand when she had the baby, but it had to be an active thing. The instant you take your finger out, it's on the floor, and grandma finally gave up. In my rested pre mom life I said no paci. In mom life sometimes I would see pics of my friends babies with them and feel jealous that their babies took them. I'm all for whatever works to get them to sleep. If they have that strong need to suck, fulfill it. That being said, I'm glad now that she doesn't take it, but during the really tired early days I would have paid her to. I've found that bribery doesn't work at this age though.

[mrsmew]

Sara, I feel you on the paci thing. Ellie would never take one. We bought all different kinds to try but she just would not even entertain the idea. Not that she didn't want to suck, of course - if I let her, she would literally stay on the boob for HOURS. But try to give her a paci? INSULTING.

Now we give them to her to play with. She holds them by the nipple like it's a handle and chews on the edges. Whatevs. At least she's getting some use out of them, I suppose.

Moon, if it works, I say go for it. If Ellie would have taken them, my plan was to only use them when she was sleeping, because I didn't want her to be a kid who has the thing constantly in her mouth, even during awake time. Of course, babies don't care about our plans!

[moonstone523]

I don't even know when to give her one or why? Explain. Is it safe for them to sleep with them?

[jen812]

Oct 21, 2012 8:24:47 GMT -5 moonstone523 said:

I don't even know when to give her one or why? Explain. Is it safe for them to sleep with them?

There are claims that a paci at bedtime helps prevent SIDS. Take it FWIW.

There was a small window of time when D would take a paci after his bottle/nursing, but before he fell asleep. It worked for a little while.

Now, he wants nothing to do with them.

[tashaandsage]

Both of mine used a pacifier from birth until 3-4 months, when they both completely lost interest. They used them primarily for nighttime or naps, or I'd use them to soothe when say, they began crying in line at the grocery store. I found them really helpful in the beginning, but I have to admit I'm grateful they outgrew them pretty quickly. My pedi assured they are very safe to use while sleeping, and as Jen said, I've read they help prevent SIDS when used while sleeping. I chose to use them initially because babies have a need to suck. I never had any breast feeding issues due to the use of one.

As for my personal experience with swaddling- my baby that loved being swaddled was the one who didn't sleep through the night for a year, and my hater of the swaddle (we gave up on it after the first week or two) was sleeping 10+ hours at 8 weeks. Whether that's unusual or not, just pointing out that swaddling doesn't necessarily equal great night sleeper or the other way around for everyone.

[sara76]

Not sure if there's a right time or way to offer the paci. I think it's just for their comfort so whenever they need comforting? Lol I'm no help.

But Mrsmew, A does exactly the same thing, she was terribly insulted by it as an infant but would spend hours on the boob, and now we can get a little bit of our paci moneys worth by letting her chew on the sides of it. She has no clue what you're really supposed to do with it and when I show her she's all like "ewww" but then in the meantime she would put a bug in her mouth if I'd let her.

[amellis2]

I the girls still take a paci but only when they are sleeping. Also, I think you are supposed to wait until at least 6 weeks to offer a paci to avoid nipple confusion. Some babies take a paci and never want the boob ever again.

[mrsshawanab]

Blake turns 5 months tomorrow and has NEVER slept through the night. In fact he barely sleeps at night. He only wants to be held. The second I put him down in his pack n play in our room or his crib in his room, he is instantly awake OR he wakes up after 10 minutes when he flinches (and we can't swaddle him bc he's rolling over now). I've been reading article after article, after article.. mostly around 2-4 am when I'm up with him. Tried tons of different ideas including Ferber. Nothing has worked. Also, I don't drink coffee. I am in a total panic about what will happen when I go b ack to working full time in January. I hope and pray some kind of magical switch turns and he starts sleeping. He is SO awesome during the day, and such a joy, but at night he just. won't. sleep. without me holding him.
So anyway.. if you ever go through this as Sammy gets older, just holla at your girl bc I will totally get it.

[Xyz]

One time on Christmas eve she slept all night. I woke up convinced she was dead. Hasn't happened again since. She is 18 months. Sorry. But I'm also a sucker and lack any sembelense of willpower at 2 am.

[mrsjenrn]

I have recently learned that there is really no such thing as nipple confusion. Babies like to suck, and they will suck on anything. I didn't give Zoe a paci until she was 4 weeks or so (bc of nipple confusion, lol!) ,and it was about a month before she started to really like it. I gave it to her because sometimes it was the only thing that would take the edge off when she just didn't seem settled. I couldn't wear her because of her hips. I also gave it to her because it supposedly decreases the risk of SIDS, but I have also recently learned that there is an increased risk of SIDS if your baby usually takes a pacifier and you forget to give it to them one night. If you normally don't give one to your baby, then they don't have an increased risk of SIDS. I hope that makes sense. Basically, no one knows WTF causes SIDS, so just do what you feel is best for your baby.
You're already breastfeeding, which is pretty awesome for a lot of reasons, including SIDS prevention. Co sleeping also reduces the risk, even though the media likes to scare us away from it. People get scared and leave their beds and end up sleeping on the couch with their baby, which is just about the worst thing you can possibly do.

[moonstone523]

Okay so the pacifier... She totally does start to cry every time I'm checking out somewhere. I assume she is hungry, and normally I'm right but if I gave her a pacifier could it potentially stop the meltdown?

And Shawna- I hope your boy gets the back to work memo and starts sleeping through the night. I would definitely be cosleeping if that was still going on.

[mrsjenrn]

It will probably keep the meltdown at bay. I am sure you know this already, but if by some small chance you (or someone else) doesn't), never replace a feeding with a paci. Obviously if you're going to check out quick and feed her right away, that's ok, but I wouldn't make her go long.

[moonstone523]

Oct 21, 2012 21:06:01 GMT -5 mrsjenrn said:

It will probably keep the meltdown at bay. I am sure you know this already, but if by some small chance you (or someone else) doesn't), never replace a feeding with a paci. Obviously if you're going to check out quick and feed her right away, that's ok, but I wouldn't make her go long.

I would never do that. I'm just trying to understand why/how to use a pacifier. Man I pull over the second I hear a cry when out to feed Sammy.

[mrsjenrn]

I figured you wouldnt. When she was very little I just gave it to her as needed and didn't keep it in her mouth all the time, just enough to get her settled.

[moonstone523]

So I tried to give one to her this AM and she like gagged on it. Paci fail.

[mrsshawanab]

The nurse at the hospital actually gave B a pacifier to calm him down and he was like 1 day old. We use it as others have said.. to soothe him when we are out or when he is fussy but not hungry, etc. Sometimes he wants it when he naps and sometimes he spits it out and sleeps without it.

[moonstone523]

So Sammy won't take a paci but she will gladly suck on my finger for soothing. Ha. That's not convenient.

[sara76]

Will she suck on her own fingers? A would get her entire fist in there sometimes. Until she was able to get to her feet

[mrsjenrn]

Oct 22, 2012 11:09:04 GMT -5 moonstone523 said:

So I tried to give one to her this AM and she like gagged on it. Paci fail.

LOL! Zoe spit hers out when we gave it to her and gave me this look like "WTF is that?" Ha ha! Now she loves her binkies! I am trying to wean her from BFing though, so I don;t want to traumatize her too much all at one! I can't bring myself to take them away now.

[mrsmew]

Ellie wouldn't take a paci, but by 4 months was a thumb-sucking machine. I know that probably seems like a long way off, but when it happened, it was a MIRACLE. She can now put herself to sleep with no problem (at night, at least) thanks to that wonderful, wonderful thumb.

[loskadoodle]

Wow I missed a good thread!!

D still doesn't sttn and its gotten worse unfortunately. He was down to only getting up once around 230-330 but now its 1130, 230 and 530. Last night we let him WIO (Whine it out) at 1130 and he went back to sleep. I know he's not really hungry then but wakes himself up and once he is too awake, he won't go back to sleep without the boob, even with the paci. He does eat and basically falls asleep on the boob and I put him back in bed. I have always fed him on demand though. I am ok with him getting up to eat if he is hungry but i think him getting up right now is just routine and I need to try to change that! I am back to work and most days I am fine. Your body gets used to getting up to feed them. The new 1130 wake up has been killing me though cuz I am not used to that at all, hence why I am trying to wean that one ASAP!

As for the paci, we have given him one since he was in the hospital. He loves it. He really only gets it when he is getting tired though, and pretty much takes it for all naps and before bed but spits it out as soon as he falls asleep. I carry one with us at all times when we are out though! Babies natural reflex is to suck for comfort so thats where the paci comes in.

When do you go back to work?

[mskateb]

Baby Lily will cut you if you take her paci away.

Seriously, though, she took to the binkie from the start. If she was hungry, and I mistakenly gave her a paci instead, she corrected me. Sometimes it was all she needed, but as others have noted, not all babies like 'em.

[moonstone523]

Samantha took the paci for 20 min today and I could pack a closet. It was heavenly.

[moonstone523]

Oct 23, 2012 12:21:50 GMT -5 mskateb said:

Baby Lily will cut you if you take her paci away.

Seriously, though, she took to the binkie from the start. If she was hungry, and I mistakenly gave her a paci instead, she corrected me. Sometimes it was all she needed, but as others have noted, not all babies like 'em.

Precious. She has a bottle and two binkies. Adorable.

[lovethesun]

DS has had a paci since around 4 weeks old. Like MsJen I was scared to death of nipple confusion so I was not going to do a paci or bottle for at least 4-6 weeks as instructed in our class. Well that could make one go insane! Finally my mom told me it was crazy to make him cry and not let him sooth himself with a paci so just give him one. Dont moms always know best?!?! He never had issues with nipple confusion. I am however going to start weaning him away from the paci after we get back from a cruise in December just because I think its time. He does not have one at daycare except for nap time and does fine. I try to limit how much he uses it but there are just sometimes when I just pop it in as it quiets/calms him down.

If Sammy doesnt like it, I wouldnt force it as its just one thing to get rid of. However I guess its easier to get rid of than a thumb if she sucked that instead. There is no right or wrong anwser here but whatever makes your life a little easier and keeps you both sane, I say go with that choice. Your doing great so far!!!

[moonstone523]

Loksa- I go back to work the week of Christmas. Kinda crappy/ kinda perfect timing. No one will be working and I'll get paid for all the holidays.

[babybchbum]

T used a paci but never became addicted to it. If he saw it he wanted it but if it was out of site he didn't go looking for it. He self weaned and quit taking the paci within 24 hrs of one another.