very quickly...

[AngelButton]

hey all. i'm still here. trying to at least read the posts.. Bella has been really fussy today.. lots of poopy diapers (two in one feeding!) and she just wants to eat eat eat all afternoon. i dont mean like an hour between each feeding, i mean she'll stay attached to me if i let her. i dont want her to be hungry, but i feel like she's using me for comfort. i dont want to be her paci, and i dont want to give her one. so dh is walking around with her and she's pretty calm.


im exhausted, have a headache and the ibuprofin i can take every 6 hours isnt helping. ah well, tis the life of a mommy, and i wouldnt trade it for anything.

anyways, i'm reading the posts, jusdt too tired usually to reply to any of them!

[jersey05]

Sounds like you're doing good. It can only get better, right? Please keep us updated since us February girls- at least me- look up to you guys for all your wisdom and advice!

[Tweetyb]

You will be super exhausted over the next 3-4 weeks, but it will be worth it and it will get better. Like in 20 yrs. hehe.

[wintergirl]

Don't worry about replying - just enjoy being a new Mommy and loving your little Bella! I wish I was where you are now, can't wait till it's my turn

[SomedayMommy]

I hear you 100%. Ashley never wants to let go either.

[Dawnttc]

With my first I didn't want to introduce a pacifier b/c I was nervous of nipple confusion. However, she had such a STRONG sucking need. Seriously, she needed to suck constantly and I couldn't be the pacifier. So, I gave her one and we both were happy and she didn't have nipple confusion at all - she continued to nurse very well.

Just thought I'd pass along a positive pacifier with successful nursing story.

[Julie2002]

Originally Posted by Dawnttc

With my first I didn't want to introduce a pacifier b/c I was nervous of nipple confusion. However, she had such a STRONG sucking need. Seriously, she needed to suck constantly and I couldn't be the pacifier. So, I gave her one and we both were happy and she didn't have nipple confusion at all - she continued to nurse very well.

Just thought I'd pass along a positive pacifier with successful nursing story.

FWIW, I talked to my lactation consultant about when to intro a paci (I have a high need sucker too), and she said that the "rules" on this have sort of changed due to the benefits of preventing SIDS. She said nipple confusion is really a concern with bottle nipples. AS LONG as baby is eating well, producing wet & poppy diapers and gaining weight, introing a paci is okay earlier than later. I waited until DD was back to birth weight, and intro'd the paci then! So far, no problems. BUT...there are still those nursing sessions that last for 4 or more hours.

[maven]

we didn't want to use a paci in our home... but after screaming for an hour because nothing was comforting either of them- the paci worked like a little miracle. we only use them when we have too.

my LC & NICU nurses said that the pacis can help prevent SIDS

but the darn things won't stay in their mouths at night time... oh dear!

[smileygirl]

Sounds completely normal for a newborn babe! Preston wasn't happy in the hospital unless he was latched onto me! He's still an extremely frequent nurser, but when he's fussy and I KNOW he's not hungry, I offer the pacifier. He doesn't usually keep it in his mouth for very long, but sometimes it does the trick. All my kids have taken a pacifier or their thumb and it's never interfered with breastfeeding.