Is a pacifier good for your baby?
Dear Dr. Donya,
Thank you for your quick response to my previous questions. Now I want to ask you what you think about pacifiers for babies? I want to give one to my daughter to soothe her when she has a bad day.
And I have a question on breastfeeding. Do you suggest feeding on demand or creating a schedule? My daughter rarely sucks for more than 10 minutes and mostly on one breast only. This makes her hungry very quickly. How can I push her to feed longer?
Thank you.
-- Pauline
Answer:
Dear Pauline,
I have nothing against pacifiers. They are useful for many babies because of the comfort they get from sucking. You can try giving your daughter a pacifier, but I recommend weaning her from it at 3 to 4 months.
Theoretically you should breast-feed on demand, which will be often in the first three months but after that your daughter will feed less.
You say your baby rarely sucks for more than 10 minutes and mostly on one breast. How is your milk production? You did not mention it so I assume you still have plenty. Remember that anxiety, emotion and being tired can decrease milk production; if your daughter is waking up every hour I can imagine your fatigue, so in your case you may try to extend the time between feeding (start with 1.5 to two hours and then increase it). If your daughter wakes up crying check her diaper, then turn on music, sing some songs or walk with her before you feed her.
If she waits longer than an hour before feeding without being fussy she will suck longer the next time. Your baby will suck as much as she wants, when she stops you can change to the other breast and try to stimulate her sucking reflex by putting your finger at the crease of her mouth and gently stroking her cheek laterally toward her ear.
In order to check that she is eating enough check her weight; if she is gaining weight she is eating enough. Thanks for writing and keep those questions coming. Good luck.
-- Dr. Donya
Question:
Dear Dr. Donya,
Your article in The Jakarta Post about problems with breastfeeding was useful.
I have a 2-month-old girl. Since I have returned to work, I use a bottle to feed her. But in your column you say this will confuse the baby. I think this has happened to my baby. Now she sometimes refuses if I try to breastfeed her.
Is it okay to use a spoon to feed her like you suggested in your column since she is only 2 months old? What kind of formula is best? I give her S26 formula; I wish I can use only my breast milk but it doesn't seem enough. How to solve this problem?
Thank you.
-- Emil
Answer:
Dear Emil,
Your baby is lucky because you are still feeding her breast milk. To produce enough milk, your breast needs frequent sucking and you have to eat nutritious foods and drink plenty of water.
In the evening before preparing the next day's bottles, drink plenty of water and use a warm damp cloth on your breasts to warm them. This can help and if you still do not produce enough milk, you can give her breast milk in the morning and the evening, as it is better than none.
You can spoon feed the baby, no problem. All formulas are similar. Picking the right one really depends on which one your baby likes; if she drinks and gains weight, has good bowel movements, sleeps well and plays well that is the formula to use.
-- Dr. Donya