*Eyes and experience with Pacifiers/3mo

[FPT23]

Helloooooo

I'm adding this post to see if I get any moms with experience on pacifiers.

Currently my 3mo (13wks) ) is easily PD for naps but needs the pacifier. As soon as I give it to him he knows to just shut his eyes, as I gently pat him or caress his head (depends his preference that day )

He's never took long naps after probably the first month. I know they are developmental but I'm starting to feel he's needing the paci to be able to possibly transition cycles. Resettling after he wakes is also pretty easy; just give him the paci and repeat the above and he just knows what to do. He typically drops the paci or we remove it after about 10/15 mins and he's fine without it. He never takes 30 min naps (unless it's the end of the day) and he's just notorious for 45 mins. I don't mind the naps as I can resettle. He's also gone over an hour (after resettling) or wakes at the hour without the paci. He also sleeps all night (7-8 hour stretches) without the paci. My concern is I won't be able to have long naps as he may be depending on the paci? I'm aware of SIDS guidelines but he's never slept with it the whole time- so it doesn't apply I don't feel, if I were to remove.

My question is, should I remove the paci? I would prefer to do it now and suffer a few bad naps (since he doesn't long nap anyway) as opposed to removing at say 4-5 months when naps might be better? Has anyone had experience with paci's in this way? He only uses it to "doze" off... On occassions if he drops sooner or we remove too early, he will wake before the 20 mins and need it back in, which is why I'm wondering if he's become dependent and won't extend naps b/c of it? But then I would hate to take something of comfort to him if it's not a hinderance on his naps and it's developmental (as I know they are) ...I guess, to remove sooner than later? That is the question

[deb]

Josie did this - when she stirred at 45 minutes, she would spit out the paci and that was it, game over. I started going in at the 40-minute mark and as soon as she stirred and spit it out, I replugged it before she woke fully enough to notice. After a few days of that she was able to sleep thru on her own. Might be worth a try.

[FPT23]

Oh very interesting Deb! Thank you!

But the thing is, he spits it out way before then. Prob on his own before the 20 mark and he has on occassion napped over the hour without it? Yk? So I was curious...

How old was your LO? How long with the paci? Did it affect your naps or did it eventually lengthen on their own with age as naps got longer? Would she continue with the paci as in she would not spit it out anymore?

See I can extend/resettle the naps fairly easy once I go in before he fully gets upset. But he spits it out way before. I hope this makes sense

Thank you!

[deb]

Ah, your situation is a bit different from ours. Mine would (around the 3-month mark) stir at 45 minutes on the dot, stretch, and her paci would fall out, at which point she'd get distressed and wake up. If I could get in there and re-plug her before she noticed, we were golden. You could probably still try that, just be ready at the 45-minute mark and as he stirs and starts to suck and finds it missing, it can magically just be there.

For us I think it was maybe 3-5 days (it's kind of a haze - she's 14YO now! LOL) and she was sleeping thru on her own - one day I was exhausted and slept thru the 45-minute mark - and so did she!

[FPT23]

Ohhhh ok she's a big girl now!

Did you ever wean the paci or was it ever an issue for you from then on? With naps? (If you can remember!)I just wonder if I'm causing more of a problem than helping... But it works so I'm also in the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" ....

I know the short naps are developmental and I don't mind resettling and such... But I'm wondering if it will always be this way because OF the paci... Kwim?

I would just love some pointers-- my first never took a paci but this LO from the start and STILL has a strong sucking reflux.

[deb]

DD1 we paci-weaned around 7 months.  By then it was interfering with night sleep. Longest 3 nights of my life, but then it got better.

DD2 was a tougher nut to crack. She learned to replug herself so we bought a dozen of the things and she'd grope till she found one. LOL  Finally weaned her around 2-1/2 yo.

[Tabathagucci]

Hi there!  With my first we just spent a lot of time replugging until he learned on his own around 5/6 months.  I then put 5 pacis in his crib every night (he only used it for sleep) and at 2.5 years he made the choice to give it up on his own (with some guidance and incentive of course).

[FPT23]

Deb, thx for your input! See the thing is, when I resettle he can go past an hour and at times has gone over an hour nap too without it. As in, he "can" transition without it. He's never slept w it all night or naps with it in his mouth. Just to settle... But I see that as he gets older, as soon as the paci goes in he just "knows" or associates it w/ sleep now, yk? But it's a short nap age too so I'm rather thinking it's easiest and prb faster, to remove now. Also naps are all short, kwim? I'm wondering if the way he uses it, it's considered a prop... It's something I would prefer to stop earlier... Before it does cause issues and it's harder. I've never used a paci so I was looking for experience ....but I would hate to remove it and it was never an issue too. Hmm pondering.....

Tabathagucci, thanks for your input! Was it similar to my situation? Or did your first have it in the whole time too? Was it affecting your naps or could he do long naps ??

[Tabathagucci]

My first took short naps and would not resettle ever really. Even with the paci.  I can't remember if he kept it in the whole time or not sorry! He eventually took longer naps although always needed less sleep than most babies his age.  I think at age 1 we started getting longer naps here and there and at 18 months or so it got longer 1.5-2 hours in one nap.  At 4.5 he still naps tho when needed and his total sleep is about 10.5-11 hours so it all worked out eventually!  I guess I'd say don't worry too much about it, but I am with my 3 month old!  LOL

[FPT23]

I'm just always wondering if the paci is the issue here but at this age the short naps is normal too. Personally I'm not a fan of the paci but with BFing it's the only break he would give me sometimes haha