# Baby wants to suck ALL THE TIME



## RomanGoddess (Mar 16, 2006)

He is four weeks old, nurses well, and when not nursing wants to suck pretty much all the time. I try to nurse as often as I can, even if he is not hungry, but it is impossible for me to have him at the breast 24/7. I can't eat meals, take a shower, or read a book to my 4 year old. Plus, the volume of milk that comes out of my breast isn't enough when I nurse him all the time and he ends up tugging and twisting and turning when he IS hungry and can't get anything out because there nothing in there other than what my breast is producing and trickling out at that moment because nothing is being stored.

He doesn't like the pacifier that much but LOVES my pinky finger. This doesn't give me much more liberty but it beats having him at the breast all the time. I keep hearing that pacifier can harm breastfeeding. Does the same hold true for the pinky finger? Dr. Sears suggests offering the pinky finger instead of the pacifier to avoid nipple confusion so I am assuming that it is somewhat better.

He sometimes manages to find his own fingers and suck on them but doesn't have the coordination to hold them in his mouth long enough. My mother is here and wants to get him more used to the pacifier. I hesitate on this because I really don't want a pacibaby. My first found her thumb at three months and I found that the thumb was really the best solution.

Anyway, apologies for the rambling thoughts. Just wanted to get this off my chest. Anyone have solutions or advice?


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## SandraS (Jan 18, 2007)

No advice but a lot of sympathy. My non-stop sucker is now 17 months old, and I'm still a human pacifier - fortunately, only at night now, but it was during the day for quite a while. Out of four, she's the only one that refused a pacifier, and I regret - the only regret I've ever had! - not forcing on onto her! LOL! Anyways, sending hugs your way. I don't remember when the daytime sucking waned, but it did... and I have a toddler the same age as yours and she suffered for it too. Daddy had to give her extra love every night to make up for mama not being 100% there for her. *sniffle*


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## javilu (Oct 20, 2007)

my son is the same way...or, was. he found his hands a couple weeks ago and it helps a lot. hang in there!


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## RomanGoddess (Mar 16, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *puffnstuff* 
my son is the same way...or, was. he found his hands a couple weeks ago and it helps a lot. hang in there!

So looks like I have another 2 months before he finds his fingers or thumb.


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## madeofstardust (Mar 20, 2008)

My 6 mo is the same way. It hasn't improved and she refuses to take a pacifier. She just looks at me like, "yeah right, I know you have the real thing!"


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## Jude-a-buddies-mom (Aug 25, 2004)

My ds is 8 weeks and we introduced a paci around 4 weeks. I think between 4-6 weeks is a good time if they are not having any latching problems, nipple confusion should not be a problem. My ds really wants his thumb and we are just using the paci to get him over the hump over this next month until he can coordinate with his thumb better, my oldest ds got going on his thumb well at 11 weeks. It took us a little bit to find a paci that was acceptable for him. He does not like to use my breasts to meet his sucking needs, when he gets the milk he wants he is done with them. We use the paci at pretty limited times and he won't always take it but it has helped, hang in there.


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## evening start (Jun 2, 2008)

I haven't actually tried this, but my mom said that with us she used a "sugar teat" made by tying a few raisins into the corner of a clean cloth diaper and having us suck on that (there was also some mention of dipping it in brandy during teething







). I finally gave in and gave a pacifier to my three week old yesterday because I needed some time with him off the nipple. Since I was already weaning him off a nipple shield I decided it wouldn't add too much to the confusion (it actually seems to be helping his latch because he is sucking better and creating a stronger seal). He does okay with it as long as someone is holding him, but won't take it otherwise. This way someone else (usually Daddy) can help soothe his sucking needs if I need a break. I hope you find something that works for both of you.


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## Kelly1101 (Oct 9, 2008)

We haven't done an actual paci w/ emma yet - 5 weeks old- but man does she love a pinkie finger. I think that as long as bf is going well, it won't cause nipple confusion. remember that your partner has a pinkie too- so you can take a shower and eat once in a while


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## bodhitree (May 12, 2008)

Have you tried different kinds of pacis? My 6 wk old hates the Nuk type ones, but she loves Soothies. I know you're hesitant about relying too much on a paci, but you will burn out if you are constantly nursing and/or having your finger in lo's mouth. You gotta do what you gotta do! If you aren't able to eat meals or take a shower, things are way too far out of balance.


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## Theoretica (Feb 2, 2008)

Both of my girls were like this, have you tried giving your tiny one your bottom lip? It gives your boobs a break, plus makes for great photo opportunities









Mine never took a paci either







But we're at 13 months and nursing strong







:


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## BellaClaudia (Aug 1, 2008)

I am sure you know all there is to know about nursing but maybe he is just not getting enough milk?

my dd would do that when my milk level was not high and she surely enough was able to jump it to the next level after such an extended bunch nursings as in nursing all the time for some time like in many days and then it would be abundant and then she would level.. then in some time seh would do it again.. once my period got back around 6 months as we introduced solids my supply went down and so she would kick it back regularly.. I noticed that around periods my milk supply would be less so she wold nurse and nruse to jump it.. and also during growth spurts more nursings..

but since she is so tinny I would say she is working on the supply and demand.. and she just might have more demand at the moment then supply?

it is really important to double check the latching to make sure she is getting it right.. just making sure that lots of the aureola is inside the mouth and not just tip 

and also.. I can think of.. try to keep her on one breast as long as humanly possible before switching because some babies and moms would do
breast swinging and so baby gets only low fat milk and never gets sattissfied..

hugs


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## littlebabydoll (May 15, 2008)

I'll trade you babies! I miss comfort sucking. It was leisurely.

A four week old is right around growth spurt time. They seem to suckle you more to ready your milk supply for a growth spurt a few days before.

Ask your husband if he can get you food? Keep a supply by you nursing chair. Your lucky at that age you can still eat over the baby.

Just shower when baby naps if you can put him down in a swing or chair.


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## momofadella (Mar 19, 2009)

My dd was like this too in the beginning, and still like this at times and she's 9 months. I think one of the best things I did in the beginning was to nurse her when she wanted to nurse...which was ALL THE TIME. That allowed me to establish a great milk supply early on, which set me up for a geat nursing relationship, as I've never ever had to worry about supply issues. Try to avoid setting limits so early on. Your baby knows what she needs and the only way you'll ever be able to satisfy her milk needs is if you listen to your baby. Also, the twisting and tugging is a sure sure sign of a growth spurt. My dd would always get extra fussy at the breast and even squeeze it to make the milk come out faster when she was going through a growth spurt. Also, another sure sign of a growth spurt is that your baby leads you to believe you don't have enough milk...but you will if you just nurse. Hang in there and nurse often, I bet you'll find that you're engorged in a few days from her increasing your milk supply. As far as your eating goes...I would always try to have easy to grab snacks available so that I could grab it quick and munch while she was nursing. Good luck and hang in there


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