Removing pacifier to help BF issues?

[ENMS]

So DD has had many BF difficulties and because of that I really struggle with supply.

I've been working really hard to make BF work and I think it is time to do what I have been avoiding for a long Time - re moving the pacifier.

Just looking for BTDT is it likely that at 4 months removing the paci would help BF?

I'd rather not have to so it as she loves the paci and she is just starting to fall asleep independently with the paci. But if there is really a chance it Will improve things i will do it!

[Bella89]

I think there is a solid chance it will improve when you remove it.
It was a first thing our ped told me. Paci is fine as long as there are no feeding issues. It might be several things: LO prefers the shape of a paci and sucks it better, her muscles get tired easily from all the paci sucking...
Do you use paci for sleep only?
Do you take it out or she spits it out?

[ENMS]

Thanks for your response We introduced the paci at a time when BF was going fairly well but it is so up and down. Honestly I can't see a direct link with the paci but as you say, I think we would be better off to try without I will at least know.

Paci has only been used for sleep for the past 3 weeks or so (since the 4m sleep regression!) but she has become quite attached to it. She does not really spit it out anymore she keeps it in the whole time. It is interesting what you say about muscles getting tired from all the paci sucking. Outside of sleep she gets it mostly when out and about, or during the dinnertime rush while I get the other 2 fed and ready for bed!

*deep breath* let's do this! hopefully it's a rough few days and then it'll get better!

[Bella89]

Don't get me wrong, my DS is 8.8 months and we still use paci for sleep, but if he does not spit it out I take it out after 5 min.
Maybe you could try that for starters? Limit it rather then take it away? I.e. tell your baby that the paci thays in the crib. That's also what I did- I thought my baby that there is no pacifier outside the crib, when he is not sleeping.
That worked for us, but it's individual:/
Let me know how everything goes and if I can help some more
Keeping my fingers crosssed.

[Bella89]

I don't know why I didn't ask before... Is she on EASY? How many feedings do you have during the day/night?Could you write down your routine?

[ENMS]

Thank you, that is a great suggestion! I will try to limit it first and see how that goes.

She is on EASY except we've been busy recently so we usually do only one nap at home, so it messes up her routine a little bit. Here's how today went:

NF 12:30AM
NF 4:15AM
WU 7:20
E 8:00
S 8:50-9:40 (crib)
E 11:15
S 12:20-13:00 (carrier)
E 2:15
S 3:20-5:00 (crib)
E 5:30
E 6:45 (she gets a 4 oz bottle of EBM at BT)
S 7:30

She gets both sides at every E and drinks for maybe 10 minutes. She is a distracted baby. I can't really stretch her to 4h feeds yet. When we are home and I am hoping for a long nap, she gets a top-up before her naps as her A time is approximately 2h.

[becj86]

Is it a latch issue you're having? Just wondering - for DS, it actually helped (says the LC) with his latch but I know paci can cause issues too. Given she's so attached to it so quickly and not spitting it out, could she be a bit fluxy? That could be a reason for poor feeding too, yk?

[Bella89]

I was thinking that maybe she's a snacker, but easy for me looks good. You obviously know what you're doing:)
It's difficult to feed in a quiet environment when you're busy too:/ Is she getting distracted or bored?
I think limition or removing paci will help. She will need her sucking time and will not give up on boobies that quickly
Good luck!

[weaver]

Yes as Bec says - the soother/paci can be a real mainstay for refluxy babies, does she have any difficulty there?

My LO1 has a soother from I think day 3! He really needed it, but we only ever used it for sleep. BF til 17 mos too, so it's definitely possible. 

[ENMS]

We don't think it is a latch issue but it's been a month since we haven't seen the LC so I'm thinking of getting her to come next week just to be on the safe side! The issues we have are mainly transferring milk and weight gain. She gains fine so long as I supplement her with EBM. If I don't pump twice a day my supply dips a lot. She had a tongue tie and lip tie which were clipped early on but what it appears is that she's not Learning how to use her tongue and muscles properly so her suck is weak (despite being no restriction according to our leading TT Dr, chiro and osteo).

Reflux is a possibility I've come to consider in the last week or so. But if she does have reflux, it's definitely very mild as she is a very happy baby. She spits up a lot though and sometimes I do feel like she's in discomfort during the feed - but not after. I've been trying to burp her more often to see if it helps.

She is a distracted baby. That's partially why we're keeping the bottle at BT because the older kids are home from 4PM so it gets difficult for her to get a good feed from then on. The rest of the day I try to feed her in a dark room when she wakes from naps as much as possible.

She's been a sucky baby since being born but we held off on the pacifier until 6 weeks because of the tongue tie.