Oh different rules, and a typical set of things simply cannot exist. Therefore, ask your medical institution what things you can take with you and leave at home. At 30 weeks (at multiple pregnancy- in 28), provided that the woman was seen in the antenatal clinic, an exchange card is issued. In addition, when entering the maternity hospital, you must have a passport, pension insurance certificate, medical insurance policy, birth certificate. You can buy something for yourself at the pharmacy. You will need: disposable underwear, pads, preferably postpartum, soap, wet wipes, toothpaste, toothbrush, face cream, cream to prevent cracked nipples, bra for mothers, disposable breast pads, sombrero pads may be useful (for inverted nipples), glycerin-based laxative suppositories or herbal laxative, hemorrhoid remedy, chapstick .Ask if you can take things with you, such as a robe, slippers, nightgowns. All maternity hospitals have their own rules; if you are allowed to take clothes with you, give preference to comfortable robes, low-cut shirts, and shoes that are easy to wash. It's good if things are made from cotton fabric. Take socks, two or three pairs are enough, two towels. Don't forget to take napkins. Buy scanwords, you can take books, magazines, candies or cookies, clean water. You may be allowed to bring a kettle or boiler, then don’t forget tea and sugar. Prepare a camera and mobile phone in advance. You need to take a comb and a mirror; they are often not available in the wards. You will need face lotion, cotton swabs, deodorant (preferably without a strong odor), and a hair tie. Take plastic bags for garbage and used , toilet paper. Disposable toilet seat covers will come in handy. They usually ask you to bring diapers to care for your baby. Buy a small pack to test your baby's reaction to the chosen brand. If no rashes appear, you can continue using it. Usually a package of 24-27 pieces is enough for 5-7 days. Also buy a pair of cotton vests, a pair of flannel fabric, a cap, rompers size 55-62 cm. Diapers are often given out at the maternity hospital. Don't forget to buy a set of clothes for discharge. Some maternity hospitals do not allow you to cut newborns' nails yourself, so buy special mittens to prevent your baby from scratching himself. You can buy a set of disposable diapers if the maternity hospital is warm enough. You may need formula, but this is at the discretion of each mother. Since there is no milk yet in the first days after birth, colostrum is produced instead, doctors and nurses from the children's department can offer supplementary feeding. If this is not part of your plans, feel free to refuse and breastfeed only. If you agree, buy a formula in advance from any pharmacy in accordance with the child’s age and a bottle with a slow flow nipple. You can purchase pacifiers if you wish. One of the provisions of the WHO/UNICEF Declaration on Supporting Breastfeeding of Infants is the requirement not to give anything to newborns as supplementary feeding or drink. Except for vital medical reasons.
A pacifier is an integral attribute and companion of most newborns. There are different opinions about its use. Many parents give a pacifier to their baby because it calms him down. It is important for them to know from what time the child needs it and how to use it correctly. When can you give a pacifier to a newborn? Let's try to figure it out.
Does a baby need a pacifier?
Sucking is one of the first reflexes of a newborn baby. Thus, he gets food and calms down. The baby calmly falls asleep and satisfies his needs for communication.
The question: “When should you give a pacifier to a newborn and is it worth giving it at all?” causes a lot of controversy. Pediatricians, experienced parents, and grandparents provide different and sometimes conflicting information about the pacifier. Young mothers sometimes simply get lost in this stream of opinions and reviews.
Advantages and Disadvantages
When can you give a pacifier? Proponents of pacifier training have the following arguments:
- a pacifier distracts the baby from worries and health problems;
- the pacifier satisfies the sucking reflex of the newborn;
- it has a calming effect, thanks to which the baby sleeps longer and more soundly;
- gets rid of bad habit suck fingers;
- prevents the swallowing of excess air and helps the digestive system digest food;
- the baby needs non-nutritive sucking, especially when he is scared or tired: the pacifier gives the baby a feeling of security and confidence;
- A pacifier is given to a child during bathing to prevent him from swallowing water.
Many doctors and specialists note that the use of pacifiers does not affect the progress of breastfeeding at all. And in some cases it is simply necessary.
Opponents of pacifier training have their own opinion:
- the use of a pacifier provokes infection due to improper care;
- with prolonged use, the child may develop an incorrect bite;
- a pacifier can lead to a baby's refusal to breastfeed.
Parents must determine for themselves whether the baby needs a pacifier. And if the decision is positive, proceed to training.
Compatibility of pacifier and breastfeeding
When can you give a pacifier to a newborn? Young mothers are initially concerned about the difference between the shape female breast and nipples. Therefore, to establish breastfeeding, pediatricians recommend not giving a pacifier to a baby in the first weeks after birth. After all, he needs to get used to the nipple, and not to the pacifier.
If the mother initially accustoms the baby to the pacifier, he will latch onto the breast incorrectly, which will lead to cracks on the breast and problems with the baby’s tummy. In addition, he may completely refuse breastfeeding.
When sucking a pacifier, a baby uses only 2 jaw muscles, and when feeding with milk - 24.
However, the mother should not completely give up the pacifier if the following difficult situations arise.
- Mother and baby are in a crowded place.
- If a woman is sick and cannot breastfeed her baby for some time.
- Cracks have appeared on the nipples, so longer breaks are needed between feedings.
- Mom needs to leave for a certain time, but the baby refuses to stay with dad or other loved ones.
Among other things, a pacifier is needed if the baby overeats. An immature digestive system cannot cope with the volume of food eaten. Sucking movements soothe the baby, relieving discomfort.
Is a pacifier necessary in the maternity hospital?
Is it possible to give a pacifier to a newborn in the maternity hospital? Pediatricians do not recommend accustoming a baby to a pacifier during the period of establishing the lactation process. The first days after birth belong to this time.
The more often a young mother feeds her baby, the more milk she produces. If you abuse the pacifier, lactation will stop altogether. Although sometimes they take pacifiers just in case. After all, the baby may behave restlessly and constantly demand the breast. But she may not be able to withstand such a load and will start to get sick. In such a situation, you can calm the child down and give him a pacifier.
Proper care of a pacifier in the maternity hospital
If the parents decide to take the pacifier to the maternity hospital, then it must be constantly treated so as not to expose the newborn to infection while he is immune system very weak. Modern maternity hospitals have all the conditions to provide the necessary care for nipples and bottles.
You can ask nurses to dip the pacifier in a special disinfectant solution or place it in a sterilizer. You can douse the pacifier with boiling water, which is in the public domain.
Many mothers always try to disinfect their pacifier. Sterilization is a useful procedure, but going to extremes is not recommended. After all, keeping a baby in greenhouse conditions is extremely harmful.
However, all nipples must be clean because they are a breeding ground for germs. They are attracted to the nutritious milk environment, where they begin to multiply quickly. Due to the fact that the baby's immune system is weak, it can be negatively affected by bacteria and viruses.
Which pacifier is best for a newborn?
The pharmacy has a huge selection of pacifiers. There are several criteria for their selection.
When can you give a pacifier to a newborn? Before you start accustoming your baby to a pacifier, a young mother needs to decide on its size, design and shape.
The materials from which the nipples are made are as follows:
- rubber: pacifiers wear out quickly and cause diathesis on the face;
- silicone: nipples are hypoallergenic and not subject to deformation, they are easy to handle and dirt practically does not stick to them;
- latex: pacifiers are very soft, so newborns like them, but with constant boiling they quickly fail because they are deformed (and although latex is natural material, it can cause allergies in infants).
When choosing a pacifier, parents need to pay attention to its shape.
- Classic. Narrow at the base, but widening at the top, the same on all sides. The pacifier can be given on either side. Although experts warn that it can lead to the formation of an incorrect bite.
- Anatomical. The pacifier best suits the anatomy of the gums. It is similar to the mother's nipple and prevents the swallowing of air during feeding.
- Orthodontic form. It is designed keeping baby's palate in mind. The nipple of the nipple is slanted, and one side is flattened. This pacifier looks like a drop and is easiest for your baby to hold in his mouth.
From what age can you give a pacifier to a newborn? Nipples are distinguished by the age of the child, and they are divided as follows:
- size No. 1 - from several days and weeks after birth to six months;
- size No. 2 - from 6 months to 12-18 months;
- size No. 3 - for children over one and a half years old.
The size should increase with the age of the child and taking into account his special physiological or individual characteristics.
How to accustom a baby to a pacifier
From when can you give a pacifier to a newborn? It is best to do this starting 5-6 weeks after the baby is born. Until this time, he should not be accustomed to the pacifier; this is done so that he gets used to the breast.
After the parents are convinced that the baby has learned this and the mother has no problems with lactation, they can give him a pacifier.
It is necessary to train carefully so as not to overdo it. Giving a pacifier is necessary in cases where you cannot do without it. During walks on the street and sleep, the pacifier will become a necessary assistant for the baby.
And special training to a pacifier so that the mother can go about her business is unacceptable. As a result, the baby will confuse the nipple and breast. The baby will become malnourished, and the mother’s lactation will be disrupted. After all, fewer and fewer signals for milk production will come.
If parents decide that the baby needs a pacifier, then before purchasing it is necessary to pay attention to the size of the product, shape and material.
At what age can you give a pacifier to a newborn? If the baby is 4-5 weeks old, then you can accustom him to the pacifier as follows. The baby is picked up as if feeding, but given a pacifier. They do this when the child is not hungry.
Pediatrician's opinion
From what day can you give a pacifier to a newborn? The famous pediatrician Komarovsky does not prohibit the use of a pacifier. After all, it is necessary to satisfy the sucking reflex. The most natural form of this is breastfeeding. If the mother can feed the baby on demand, then the need for a pacifier will disappear. If the child has not had time to satisfy the sucking instinct, then a pacifier will come to his aid.
According to the doctor, using a pacifier thoughtlessly is not recommended. If the baby can do without it and has a normal and not excessive sucking reflex, then a pacifier is not needed.
When can you give a pacifier to a newborn? To prevent teaching it from becoming a nightmare for parents and children, you need to remember the following.
- A pacifier should not be given in all cases, but only when necessary.
- Offering a pacifier every time a baby cries is not a good idea. We need to find out the reason for the tears.
- The pacifier should be discarded if the child does not want to take it. It is best to postpone training for a while.
- If parents use a pacifier only for sleeping, then it is necessary to choose a special model.
- If the baby is sucking on the breast as a pacifier, you should make sure that he is latching onto the nipple correctly. If he does everything right and eats up, but does not tear himself away from his mother to satisfy his instincts, then in this case it is best to occupy him with a pacifier.
You should never pacify an irritated or hungry baby.
Conclusion
From what months can a newborn be given a pacifier? Whether or not to accustom a child to a pacifier is a personal matter for parents. After all, many children grew up without a pacifier. If a newborn stubbornly refuses a pacifier, then there is no need to insist, focusing on other people's children. But if the baby is worried, and the pacifier allows him to fall asleep, then in this case it is absolutely necessary. At the same time, it is better to give it from the second month of the baby’s life.
Elena Zhabinskaya
Hello, dear readers, Lena Zhabinskaya is with you today with the discussion topic of whether a newborn needs a pacifier when breastfeeding.
The question is relevant and not simple. On the one side, crying baby, which is convenient to calm with a pacifier, on the other hand, there are horror stories about an incorrect bite and the baby’s refusal to breastfeed because of the pacifier. Is this true or is it a myth, and what should be guided by the question of whether it is possible to give a pacifier or not, we will find out today.
In order to understand whether your little one needs a pacifier, you need to understand the main purpose of its use.
Nature has endowed babies with a sucking reflex. Thanks to him, they can find mother's breast and get milk from it. This is a natural instinct aimed at preventing the baby from dying of hunger.
Meanwhile, in some infants this reflex is overdeveloped. To such an extent that they want to suck even when they are completely full.
Such a child is able to hang on his mother’s breast around the clock and suckle without swallowing. Only in this state does he feel calm and good. But as soon as the mother moves away, the baby begins to burst into tears, forcing the exhausted woman to again take him in her arms and breastfeed.
Is this a familiar situation? But just in this main goal pacifiers. It is needed in order to satisfy the sucking reflex of a well-fed, dry and healthy baby, while allowing mom to go about her business, home, dad, rest, older children, and you never know what she has to do. modern woman! Everyone is satisfied and happy.
When not to give
Meanwhile, there are situations when you cannot give a pacifier:
- Newborn period. From the point of view of medical science, a newborn is considered to be a baby between the ages of birth and 28 days.
This ban is quite simple to explain. Now the formation and normalization of lactation is taking place. The woman’s body learns to produce the required amount of milk, mother and baby get used to each other.
It has been scientifically proven that stimulation of the mother's breast by the baby during sucking is the most powerful stimulator of milk production.
Consequently, it is during this period, when it is vital to successfully establish natural feeding, that all the baby’s efforts should be directed exclusively at the mother’s breast. This is the main goal and task of both.
While the newborn is awake, it is optimal for him to be near the mother's breast. This is not at all difficult to achieve, since right now the babies sleep a lot of time, and putting them to the breast the rest of the time is not at all burdensome for the mother.
- If the mother has problems with the amount of milk.
At any age of the child, if a woman’s body produces an insufficient amount of milk, or a period of lactation crisis has begun, it is worth using all the strength of the baby’s sucking reflex to suck on the mother’s breast.
As we have already noted, this is the main way to stimulate lactation. Read about other ways to increase milk production.
Is it even worth teaching
So, everything is fine with natural feeding, lactation has improved, and you are wondering: is it even worth teaching your child a pacifier?
There is no need to do this on purpose. If your child grows up calm, eats when it is convenient for you and him, sleeps, plays, does not cause you any inconvenience, and you are perplexed at what moments to give a pacifier, you can only be congratulated!
And there really are such children - those who grow up safely, knowing nothing but their mother’s breast, but at the same time not causing inconvenience to their mother by sucking on her around the clock.
Thus, giving a pacifier to a baby for the sake of its very fact and because other children seem to be with it is not worth it. Your child doesn’t need it – and that’s very good.
It’s another matter when the baby’s temperament is too active and the sucking reflex is overdeveloped. Let's talk about this below.
When is a pacifier needed?
We have already found out that not everyone needs a pacifier and not always. It is optimal if the little one spends as little time as possible with it in his mouth.
But be that as it may, its use is completely justified, and the benefits are obvious in the following cases.
This list is far from exhaustive, and you may well add to it at your own discretion.
Experts' opinions
The vast majority of modern pediatricians will agree that a pacifier can be used, with the exception of the neonatal period and provided that the mother does not have problems with lactation.
There is a myth that a child, after being introduced to a pacifier, refuses to breastfeed, since the pacifier is easier to suck on than the breast. There is a substitution of concepts here. If you start periodically offering food from a bottle to a breastfed baby, then there really is such a risk. And it is explained simply.
A child is also a person, looking for easy ways, and milk flows from the nipple much easier than it is extracted from the breast. Therefore, he will demand the food that is easier to obtain. But in the process of sucking a pacifier, the baby does not get satiated; he still receives food only from the breast and nowhere else. Therefore, a healthy, hungry baby will never refuse to breastfeed because he sucked on a pacifier.
The opinions of dentists on this issue are divided. Some representatives believe that excessive and prolonged sucking of a pacifier can affect the formation of a bite. Regarding this objection, let's appeal to common sense.
In the days of our parents, no one cared about rules natural feeding, and almost all the dolls grew up with pacifiers in their mouths. Are there many people you know today who have a frankly incorrect bite? I'm sure not - I don't know a single person like that.
Another objection from dentists concerns the increased risk of dental caries. But - attention - this risk increases when you systematically use a dirty item. In the case of regular, proper disinfection of the pacifier, the risk of developing caries is exactly the same as without it.
Now comes the fun part. Some individual psychologists are ardent opponents of the use of pacifiers. They are echoed by consultants breastfeeding who elevated breastfeeding to the rank of religion.
These comrades call pacifiers “rubber surrogates” and “mom substitutes.” A woman, they are sure, is obliged to provide the child with round-the-clock warmth from her body and access to the breast. Otherwise, she is a lazy person and not a mother. Is the child crying? Is it really difficult - they aggressively ask - to take him in your arms and give him love? If this is not done, the baby will feel abandoned and will grow up restless and unloved.
I don't know which air and fairy tale world those who give such advice live. Maybe living around the clock with a child in your arms and a tit in your mouth is possible if you have a personal maid, cook and laundress at home, and there is no husband or older children. It is also advisable not to be in public places and on the streets in winter. Then - yes, you can devote yourself entirely to serving the baby.
But most mothers live in the real world, in which you need to have time to clean, wash, cook, get yourself in order, run to the store, manicure, pedicure, fitness, meet your older child, help him do his homework, take him to classes, meet your husband, chat with my husband at night.
If the price of all this is the fact that the baby will spend some time interacting with a rubber pacifier instead of his mother during the day, it is reasonable to pay it and live a normal life, thinking not only about the baby, but also about yourself and the rest of the family.
How to choose the right one
A young mother can literally feel dizzy from all the variety of choices on store shelves. Which pacifier is better to choose and how not to get lost in the assortment? So they differ:
- By age.
The size of the pacifier itself varies depending on the age of the baby. Typically these are 0 to 6 months, 6 to 12 months, and 12 to 18 months.
Naturally, you need to pay attention to this when purchasing, because a nipple the size of a one-year-old baby will not fit a one-month-old baby.
- According to the material.
Modern nipples are made of silicone or latex. The difference between them is not critical, but is as follows.
Latex pacifiers are usually yellow in color, softer and more pleasant to the touch, and are more difficult to bite through. However, they wear out faster and are more susceptible to deformation, damage from boiling, etc. These nipples should be changed every 2-3 weeks of use.
Products made from silicone are usually transparent, harder and more durable to the touch. They are easier to bite through, so after the baby teethes, it is recommended to stop using them and switch to latex ones. Silicone pacifiers are more durable and wear-resistant; they need to be changed every 1.5 months.
- According to the form.
The imagination of modern pacifier manufacturers is truly limitless. On the shelves you can find classic round nipples, flat orthodontic nipples, droplet-shaped nipples and those simulating a female nipple.
Some mothers recommend purchasing several and letting the baby choose the shape. For me, you should immediately try a pacifier of the correct shape, which, according to the manufacturer, will reduce negative consequences its use and will definitely not affect the bite, that is, special orthodontic treatment.
Thus, you will put a bold cross on your conscience - that you purchased a safe and high-quality mother substitute. If your baby has no choice, he will suck on the nipple you give him and that is what he will eventually get used to, no matter what shape it is. So let it be the correct orthodontic shape.
Although - I repeat - this is more to reassure the mother, since entire generations of children who grew up on the most ordinary round nipples do not have massive problems with bite.
- There are also pacifiers that are completely silicone or with a silicone ring.
They do not cause any inconvenience to the baby while falling asleep, when they fall out of the mouth and the baby turns on them and lays his cheek on them.
- Glow in the dark, night.
Such pacifiers absorb daylight, as if charging with it, and glow at night for a certain time, which makes it easy to find them in bed.
Additionally, do not forget to purchase a special case for the pacifier (if it does not come with its own cap) and a clothespin.
The clothespin is attached to the baby's pacifier and clothes, as a result of which it does not get lost or fall on the floor in public places. It is strictly prohibited to use a homemade cord or ribbon for the same purposes, or to hang a pacifier around a baby’s neck due to the risk of suffocation.
How to properly care for your pacifier
After this, sterilize in a way convenient for you:
- In a special sterilizer for bottles and nipples.
- Boil water in a saucepan for a couple of minutes.
- In a double boiler for 2-3 minutes after the water boils.
As an express method, you can use boiling water straight from the kettle. But this must be done very carefully so as not to get burned, and carefully, turning the pacifier under the stream from all sides and angles.
What do you think about the use of pacifiers, which one did you have? personal experience, share it with doubting mommies and with me.
Almost all questions related to caring for a newborn do not have a clear answer. Both among specialists - neonatologists, pediatricians - and among mothers, fathers, grandparents, there are many different opinions regarding this or that aspect of baby care, its upbringing and development. Therefore, young and inexperienced mothers are often lost in the flow of conflicting information from relatives, doctors and friends. One of these controversial issues remains the issue of accustoming a child to a pacifier. At what age can a child be given a pacifier and should it be given at all? How often should I use it? Doesn't it do any harm? Let's figure it out.
Pros and cons
Both supporters of pacifier training and opponents have arguments in this regard.
Proponents see positives in the fact that the pacifier:
- Distracts from worries or illness.
- Satisfies the baby's sucking reflex.
- Calms, resulting in the baby sleeping sounder and longer.
- Eliminates the bad habit of thumb sucking.
- Prevents the swallowing of excess air and helps the intestines ease the process of passing gases.
Opponents believe that the pacifier:
- Provokes infection if not properly cared for.
- May cause malocclusion in infants with frequent use.
- It can provoke rejection of the baby from the mother's breast and disruption of lactation in the mother.
Are pacifiers and breastfeeding compatible?
Does a newborn need a pacifier when breastfeeding - one of frequently asked questions that pediatricians hear from inexperienced mothers. To answer this correctly, you need to remember that the shape of the pacifier and the mother's breast are different. Since immediately after the birth of the baby it is very important to establish breastfeeding and accustom the baby to the correct latch on the breast, you should not give the newborn a pacifier: let him get used to the shape of the nipple, not the nipple. If the mother first accustoms the baby to a pacifier, he will begin to latch onto the breast incorrectly when feeding, which can lead to painful cracks in the mother’s nipples and tummy problems in the baby. Moreover, the baby may refuse the breast altogether in favor of a pacifier.
When sucking a pacifier, only two jaw muscles of a toddler are used, while when feeding with milk - twenty-four.
But you shouldn’t give up the pacifier completely; it should definitely be kept on hand to resolve certain situations when:
- mother and baby are in a crowded place;
- the mother has been poisoned or is very ill, and the child cannot be breastfed;
- Painful cracks have formed on the nipples, and breaks between feedings are required;
- the mother needs to leave for a while, but the child refuses to stay with the person replacing her.
In addition, a pacifier is needed if the child often overeats. The immature digestive system does not always cope with the amount of food eaten, and sucking movements soothe the baby, relieving the feeling of discomfort.
Should I take a pacifier to the maternity hospital?
Pediatricians do not recommend accustoming a child to a pacifier during the period of establishing lactation, which is precisely the first days in the maternity hospital after the baby is born. The more often a mother feeds her baby, the more milk she produces, and if the pacifier is abused in the maternity hospital, lactation may stop altogether. However, you can take a pacifier with you “just in case.” All babies are different, and if suddenly your baby turns out to be restless and constantly demands the breast, then soon she will not be able to withstand such a load and will begin to hurt. At such moments, to give her a break and calm the child, a pacifier should be at hand.
If you decide to take a pacifier to the maternity hospital, do not forget to treat it so as not to infect the newborn, who still has a weak immune system. Modern maternity hospitals have all the conditions to provide care for bottles and nipples. You can contact the nurses at the post, who will dip the pacifier in a special disinfectant solution or place it in a sterilizer (just don’t visit too often, use the pacifier if necessary). Or you can simply pour boiling water over the pacifier (kettles with hot water are always available in the kitchen).
A very controversial issue that worries most young mothers is whether it is necessary to sterilize the pacifier. Sterilization is definitely useful procedure, but one should not go to extremes. Some mothers are of the opinion that sterilization is not necessary, and keeping the baby in greenhouse conditions will only harm him. If you are also a supporter of this position, then you should remember that the nipple is a favorable place for the accumulation of microbes: they are attracted by the nutritious milk environment, where they begin to multiply rapidly. Since the newborn’s body is very vulnerable, a dirty pacifier is open door for various bacteria and viruses.
Another point of view - maintaining cleanliness by all means and sterilizing every item of the newborn and every centimeter in the house - is also not correct. Studies have shown that children who were kept perfectly clean for the first year of life are more likely to have allergic reactions to dust, animal hair, etc. A reasonable solution for mom is to choose a middle ground.
Sterilizing baby pacifiers at home is much easier than in the maternity hospital. Most often, the pacifier is simply washed under running warm water with soap and doused with boiling water or hot steam - this is a reliable and time-tested way to care for baby’s accessories. Silicone pacifiers tolerate boiling well for five minutes, but latex pacifiers should preferably be sterilized by steam, and if absolutely necessary, boil for no longer than two minutes.
In addition, nowadays caring mothers are increasingly using such a device as a sterilizer. This is a container-like container with a lid that allows you to quickly get rid of all germs (suitable not only for pacifiers, but also for bottles and small rubber toys). It’s convenient to take it with you on a walk (there are portable devices for one item) or to another crowded place, and of course, it will become a lifesaver in everyday life.
The range of sterilizers is wide, but conventionally they are all divided into three categories:
- steam;
- chemical (disinfect nipples with a baby-safe solution);
- ultraviolet.
The sterilizer has many advantages: it saves mother’s time, is a great help in crowded places, and you can store a pacifier in it until the moment when the little one needs it. And most importantly, it prolongs the life of your favorite pacifiers due to careful care: during sterilization, microcracks and product shape deformation are not formed.
After sterilization, the product remains clean for about half an hour. If the child is still sleeping and will not need a pacifier soon, the issue of proper storage of pacifiers will be relevant.
There are very convenient models that have a cap that tightly covers the pacifier spout. Also, some manufacturers have provided compact containers that are sold complete with a pacifier. If there is no such device, the accessory should be stored in a closed, clean container.
Regular sterilization and proper storage will increase the life of the pacifier, but do not forget that the latex pacifier needs to be replaced every two to three weeks, and the silicone pacifier at least once every two months.
Is it possible to specially train a newborn toddler to use a pacifier?
It's possible, but be careful. The main thing in this matter is not to overdo it. Accustom your baby to a pacifier, but only for those cases when it is impossible to do without it. If during daytime sleep you decide to take your baby for a walk outside, then in this case the pacifier will act as an assistant, as it will calm you down. crying baby and will ensure sound and long sleep.
But special accustoming to a pacifier in order to calmly do household chores risks the fact that the child will begin to confuse the pacifier and the breast. The result will be malnutrition in the baby and impaired lactation in the mother, since fewer and fewer signals for milk production will be received. In addition, a baby who is addicted to a pacifier will more easily put up with an overfilled diaper, which will lead to diaper rash on the skin.
According to experts, optimal age for accustoming to the pacifier - three to four weeks from birth. Accustom one month old baby it is quite easy to relate to the nipple during this period, since lactation has already been established, but the child has not yet formed a strong attachment to the breast.
If you decide that you need a pacifier as an assistant and that the time has come to accustom your baby to it, then before purchasing, pay attention, first of all, to the size of the product, then to its shape and material of manufacture.
If your baby is already more than four to five weeks old, then you can accustom him to a pacifier in the following way: take the baby in the same position as when feeding, but offer the pacifier rather than the breast. This should be done when the baby is already fed.
You should not abuse the pacifier after the baby is six months old, as this may result in a delay in the child’s development.
If your baby refuses to take a pacifier, try giving him a pacifier immediately after feeding. And if this is the first acquaintance with a pacifier, then you should offer the baby two or three products different shapes and definitely the right size.
It often happens that the baby takes the pacifier, but immediately spits it out. In this case, gently move the pacifier different sides in the child’s mouth: most likely, it got under the baby’s tongue. In a few moments he will find a suitable position for her and make friends with the new device.
In a situation where a child has chewed his favorite pacifier (or it has become unusable) and refuses to take a new one, you should buy a new pacifier of the same shape and from the same material as the old one. If you still cannot accustom your child to a new pacifier, then watch him for two or three days: perhaps your baby has decided to part with the pacifier for good.
To ensure that pacifier training does not become a nightmare for both parents and babies, you should remember a few important points:
- The pacifier should not be given in all cases, but only when necessary.
- You should not offer your baby a pacifier every time he cries: in this case, you need to find out the cause of the tears.
- Do not insist on a pacifier if, despite everything, the child does not take it even after several attempts. Set aside the training process for a while and try again later.
Never try to pacify a hungry or irritated baby!
- If you give your baby a pacifier for a restful sleep, choose models specially designed for this purpose: these usually have a ring folding and a “butterfly” shaped tip. With this accessory you can sleep all night.
- If your baby is sucking on the breast as a pacifier, you should make sure that he is latching onto the nipple correctly. If the baby takes the breast correctly and eats, but still does not tear himself away from his mother for a long time for his own comfort, then it would be wiser to occupy him with a pacifier to give the breast a rest until the next feeding.
In conclusion, we note that at all times, some children grew up with pacifiers, others without them. To accustom or not to accustom is decided by mothers and fathers and, of course, the most important member of the family: the child. If a baby stubbornly refuses a pacifier, then you should not rely on other people’s children and force him to teach it. But if the baby does not let his mother go even a step, behaves restlessly, and the pacifier helps him to comfort himself or fall asleep, then both parties - both the parents and the baby - will only benefit from its use.
We hope you will agree to learn from the mistakes of others. After all, this list is compiled from the experience of many women who put, as it turned out, completely useless things in their maternity hospital bag.
1. Products prohibited for a nursing mother and perishable foods
Anything that is not included in the nurse’s diet in the first weeks of the baby’s life, i.e. foods that can cause allergies or colic, should not be taken with you to the maternity hospital, since you will not be able to eat them anyway. Also avoid perishable dairy products. In the first days after the birth of your baby, the quality of your nutrition should be the highest; you can only consume the freshest dairy products, which your loved ones should give to you every day. The same goes for meat dishes.
In general, taking food with you is not the best best idea- It’s unlikely that you’ll want to have a snack during contractions, but postpartum department always provide for women dietary nutrition, and your husband will be able to give you whatever he wants. Just warn him that he must check the list of permitted foods, so don’t let him give his beloved wife chocolates and exotic fruits, no matter how much he wants to please you.
2. Postpartum bandage
Yes, it definitely is useful thing and it is quite possible that your doctor will recommend that you wear it. But in the first days you are unlikely to need it, especially if you are expecting C-section– after the operation, wearing a bandage is prohibited. It’s better to take the space in your bag that you allocated for him with an extra pair of changes of underwear - you’ll need more of it than usual.
3. Breast pump
This clever device is only needed in emergency cases, when the baby and mother are separated and you need to express milk to feed him from a bottle. In most modern Ukrainian maternity hospitals, mother and child stay together. In the first days of milk coming in, even if you have to slightly pump the breast (which is generally not welcome, nature itself must regulate the amount of milk produced), this must be done with your hands.
Otherwise, with the help of a breast pump, you can “decease” your hyperlactation, and this is by no means good for either the mother or the child. Sometimes curtailing excess milk production can be more difficult than increasing lactation.
With hyperlactation, the mother constantly experiences painful sensations from the expansion of her breasts and runs the risk of getting mastitis, and the baby, firstly, does not receive the richer “hind milk”, and secondly, may simply refuse the breast, as he drinks from a hard, hot, inflamed “dish” “It’s difficult and uncomfortable for him.
4. Pacifier
Modern lactation consultants see it as a universal evil, and in some maternity hospitals it is banned. The fact is that the baby sucks a pacifier completely differently from his mother’s breast. And its use can lead to the so-called “nipple confusion”, due to which the child will begin to suck on his mother’s breast like a pacifier (including biting). This will lead not only to abrasions of the mother’s nipples, but also to ineffective sucking of milk, as a result of which the baby will regularly not receive enough milk.
This is especially dangerous in the first days of milk coming in - the baby is just learning how to suck it out correctly, so don’t confuse the baby.
5. A complete large and varied set of children's cosmetics
As practice shows, most of these tools are not useful. Especially if they were all bought in large bottles. We advise you to limit yourself to products in small trial packaging. Minimum required: baby cream, oil and sudocrem (or any diaper rash cream).
6. Cotton swabs
This applies to both special cotton swabs with ear restraints for babies and regular ones. What are you going to use to clean your child? Ears? Nose? You will be surprised, but a newborn’s nasal passages are so narrow that a stick simply won’t fit through there. In the first days and even weeks after birth, nose care is carried out using the thinnest flagella twisted from ordinary cotton wool. And babies’ ears can only be wiped from the outside, so a simple piece of cotton wool will do.
7. Medicines
A priori, a nursing mother, and especially in the first days of a baby’s life, is recommended to do without any pharmaceutical drugs. The exception is those medications that you cannot live without and which you are forced to take constantly (insulin by injection for patients with diabetes or hormone replacement therapy, which a woman takes for life after a pituitary gland injury, as well as sprays that relieve asthma attacks, etc.)
If this is your case, warn your medical staff that your life depends on taking your medications regularly. Naturally, you should discuss with your doctor in advance the regimen of taking such medications after the birth of your baby.
All other medications that you may need can be easily purchased at the pharmacy located in the maternity hospital itself.
8. Cream for body modeling after childbirth
We certainly admire your desire to remain a woman and take care of yourself always and everywhere. But, believe me, in the first days after the birth of the baby you will definitely not have time for it. Moreover, you will most likely spend 2–3 days in the maternity hospital. Beauty can wait, and when you arrive home you can use this magical cream. So buy it in advance, just don’t put it in your hospital bag.
9. Deodorant sprays, perfumes and something else
This is especially true if after giving birth you find yourself not in an individual ward, but with neighbors. Strong perfume odors can disturb them. And your baby needs the natural scent of his mother, not latest news from Dolce & Gabbana. Newborns may be allergic to perfumes. The same applies to aromatic oils. Believe me, you can do without this for a couple of days in the maternity hospital.
Doctors generally do not recommend taking decorative cosmetics and perfumes to the maternity hospital. And for body care, the same milk and oil that you chose for your baby will suit you.
And, of course, the smells of hairsprays, nail polishes and removers are inappropriate in a maternity hospital room.
The same applies to jewelry. It is advisable to leave them at home in a box. The maximum that is permissible is a pectoral cross and wedding ring, if you feel uncomfortable without their “support”.
10. Aroma lamps and smoking sticks
For the same reasons as perfumes and cosmetics in sprays. This can lead to allergies, insomnia and constant crying of the baby, as well as a scandal with the maternity hospital staff and roommates.
