Does your baby cry when you take away the breast/bottle from him but you are sure he is full? It can be his way of telling you that he needs a pacifier to soothe himself.
The newborns are recommended to sleep in free space to ensure their safety in sleep. All the pillows, blankets, and soft toys you bought before your baby’s arrival have to wait out there until he turns one. The only thing that you can offer to your baby for his company is the pacifier. Many babies develop a strong attachment to the pacifier in a short time. There can also be babies who are not fans of pacifiers. But I know you are reading this article because your baby loves his or her pacifier.
The babies literally cry for everything because it is the only way that they can communicate. You have to listen to their cries and understand what each of them means. It is not easy to do but with time you will master it. The cues of hunger and the need for a pacifier will be almost the same because they are seeking something to suck on. This article discusses how to distinguish between your baby’s hunger and the need for a pacifier.
Content
1. How to tell if my baby needs the breast/bottle or the pacifier?
2. Should I unlatch the baby who sucks for comfort?
1. How to tell if my baby needs the breast/bottle or the pacifier?
Observe how he sucks
Watch how your baby sucks. If your baby is latched properly and sucks with effort, it means that he is hungry. He is actually eating to fill up his tummy and not searching for something to soothe him. But if the baby is sucking slow and shallow, he is doing it for his comfort.
If you can hear your baby swallowing milk or see his throat moves as he gulps milk, again there is no doubt that your baby is hungry. But if the baby keeps on sucking without swallowing anything it says you that you need to offer him a pacifier.
Push out the pacifier
You might have noticed that your baby does not like the pacifier much sometimes. He will push it out with his tongue or just use his hands to pull it. The baby shows no interest in taking the pacifier when he is hungry. Who wants to keep sucking something that does not fill the tummy when you are hungry?
If your baby is looking for a comforter, he will try to grab the pacifier with his hands or cry when someone tries to take the pacifier away from him.
Hunger cues
There are cues to pick whether your baby is hungry. Turning the head to sides, looking for the breast, rooting, and putting the tongue out are such cues that communicate the baby’s hunger to you. If your baby shows these signs and sucks onto your breast, you have to understand that he is hungry and not looking for the pacifier.
Sleeps in long stretches
When your baby goes many hours without eating, he will be hungrier in the hours he is up. The baby will sleep for long at night or day and stays up for the rest of the day eating frequently. Even if you think you just filled up his tummy, he might be seeking some milk again to compensate for the hours he did not eat.
Therefore, if you have a baby who sleeps for long stretches without waking up to eat, he is probably crying for milk, not the pacifier.
2. Should I unlatch the baby who sucks for comfort?
It is the common belief that breastfeeding is only to provide the nutrition needed by the baby. But the purposes of breastfeeding run beyond that. Breastfeeding allows the baby to stay close to mom, listen to her heartbeat and grow a stronger bond with her. Therefore, not sucking milk is not a reason to unlatch the baby as soon as you find it out.
Letting your baby suck on the breast for long induce the breastfeeding hormones in your body that will boost your supply. If you have a problem with a low milk supply, it is better to let your baby suck on his as much as he wants. But, if you are uncomfortable and too busy to sit with your baby until he gets done with sucking, then it is fine to unlatch him. You are always free to choose what is good for you and your baby.
