I was scared in the beginning to introduce a pacifier. Much to my mother in laws dismay, I initially refused because establishing breastfeeding was more important to me. Once I felt she had a good latch, I let her try a paci. But she didn't like it. She sucked on her hands from the beginning, so we assumed she would be a thumb sucker.
I noticed one day that she wasn't soothing herself with the sucking, it was only a hunger sign. So I tried another type of paci. She took it and sucked away. She couldn't hold it in her mouth long, but she seemed to enjoy it. So for Christmas I bought her a wabbanub. Hoping that the extra weight could help her hold it in her mouth. Mostly at night, when trying to go to bed.
She took to the lamb ok, at times. Its mostly a suck, suck, spit out. Suck, suck, spit out. Repeat, repeat, repeat, type thing. One day we noticed that she couldn't get the paci part to her mouth, so she sucked on the lambs ear. I guess the softness, and the flatness did the trick. We began to wonder if she would just rather suck on a blanket.
Just lately, she's rediscovered her hands. She will shove her fist in her mouth and slobber away on it. At times, a finger will poke out, or a thumb. She doesn't suck on it long, but I can tell its all about comfort and not hunger.
Last night I went to the jar of pacis (because I've bought every brand trying to see what she would take) and pulled out the Nuk. After working it in her mouth for a while, she finally took it and sucked away. She cuddled with me in the chair. It was the first time in a long time that she wasn't fussy in the evenings. She was content with letting me sit in the chair and relax.
She didn't want to sleep with the paci, but I think it helped soothe her enough to get her through till bed time. I know plenty of parents have told me they wish they had never given their kids one, and I might be that way, but I just want her to find a way to comfort herself. She's a relatively happy baby. Especially in the mornings, but in the evenings she can be a really handle. The last thing I want is for our only quality time of the day be hard on both of us.
I'm excited to see how she does with the Nuk this evening. I attached a strap to it and left it with her at daycare. I am hoping that she will try it more during the day, therefore utilizing it more in the evenings. We shall see.
This is all a learning experience by trial and error. Gene told me the other day that it seems so natural to me. I told him its not, I just don't give up. If something doesn't work, I try something else. If that doesn't work, try again. I don't have all the answers. A lot of times he will ask me what to do with her when she's crying and fussy and nothing is working. I don't know what to say to do because I really don't. You just have to be creative. Even if that means waddling around the house, or sitting on the bed rocking back and forth at a rapid speed. She's not a doll baby, she's a human. (and pretty darn cute too).
No comments:
Post a Comment