Introducing Pacifier...need your thoughts

[@llli*elizabethr]

I think I need your help getting over this mental block I have about pacifiers. It's not that I think they are bad at all, it's just that I thought we wouldn't need to use one. Now that I'm considering it, I need your thoughts and opinions.

DD is 3m 2w and we ebf which has been going great. I have to go back to work in 2 weeks so we hired a nanny who has started this week. Normally DD nurses for comfort, so it's been really hard this last week transitioning with the nanny. For example I don't know how long to let her try to comfort DD before "giving in" and nursing her. The nanny is great at trying lots of things, change diaper, distract with toys etc, but there are just some times when the only thing DD wants is to nurse. So I'm wondering if we introduce a pacifier it might help DD learn to calm down without me.

I really love comfort nursing, so using a pacifier would be only for when she is not with me, like if she is with the nanny or even DH. (I ran to the store for 20 min the other day right after nursing and came back to a screaming baby DH could not calm )

Any thoughts, suggestions? Is this something you think might help? I don't want to have to use a pacifier, but if it will help DD I'm game. Also, I don't even know where to start when buying one. Are there different kinds? Anything I should look for?

[@llli*mommy2lilah]

I'm not sure where you would get a pacifier in Brazil. Do you guys have baby item stores?

My best friend is from Fortaleza.

I would give the pacifier a try, it might help. How's she doing with the bottles?

[@llli*elizabethr]

Yes, lots of baby stores, just not a lot of options, however there are a few "high end" stores that have some imported stuff, like I found a Dr. Brown bottle. Not that she is taking a bottle yet. The nanny was able to offer out a few times and calm her down in between tries, which I see as an improvement.

Oh and the other thing I forgot to mention is that she is getting better at sucking on her own fist. She can't keep it there that well yet, but she is improving a lot in the last week, so part of me wants to hold off and see if her own hand will work instead.

[@llli*lllmeg]

My oldest was a screamer in the car and I tried like mad to get him to take a pacifier (which he did not) but I never thought about even considering it with my second. As long as mom (and nanny) remembers it is a tool primarily for adult convenience (or sanity) and not something that a baby actually needs, I think it will be used judiciously enough that it will not become an issue, especially if its used only when you are not home. But its hard to say, and I understand not wanting baby to become to attached to a paci.

Other tips that may help your nanny-bottle feeding the breastfed baby http://www.llli.org/docs/00000000000...astfedbaby.pdf
and general ideas for entertaining/soothing baby: http://www.llli.org/docs/00000000000...ybabyideas.pdf and

http://www.llli.org/docs/00000000000...t_partners.pdf