Need advice -- comfort sucking

Hi Everyone,

I'm looking for some help/advice on comfort sucking. My daughter is
nearly 4 months old and exclusively on breastmilk. I pump weekdays
while at work and she gets the breast at night and weekends. It works
well for both of us, except for a 90 minute period in the early
morning when she's home alone with my husband after I've left for
work.

Before leaving for work, I breastfeed her and put her back to sleep.
But she seems to sense when I've left and wakes up soon after. No
matter what my husband does, she won't settle and is soon screaming.
For an hour and a half. She doesn't stop until she's in the car going
to the babysitter and falls asleep.

I strongly believe that the problem is her need for comfort sucking,
which she does at my breast. I've tried nearly every pacifier out
there and she refuses them. She doesn't cry at the babysitter's like
she does with my husband and I suspect that's because she's in a
completely different environment and she knows Mommy (and her breasts)
aren't right around the corner.

My husband is at his wit's end in the mornings. And her need for
comfort sucking is increasing, she and I co-sleep and from about 2am
on, she wants to suck nearly all the time.

My last resort is to change my work schedule but I was hoping to get
some advice I could try before that. Should I refuse to allow her
comfort sucking, insisting that the breast is for food only? Should
I, as soon as she stops feeding and starts sucking, pull her off and
give her a pacifier?

-Steph

Your husband could try his pinky. I know that may sound weird, but some
babies like the pinky for some reason. I think you have to turn your pinky
the other way around though.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)

wrote in message
...
Hi Everyone,

I'm looking for some help/advice on comfort sucking. My daughter is
nearly 4 months old and exclusively on breastmilk. I pump weekdays
while at work and she gets the breast at night and weekends. It works
well for both of us, except for a 90 minute period in the early
morning when she's home alone with my husband after I've left for
work.

Before leaving for work, I breastfeed her and put her back to sleep.
But she seems to sense when I've left and wakes up soon after. No
matter what my husband does, she won't settle and is soon screaming.
For an hour and a half. She doesn't stop until she's in the car going
to the babysitter and falls asleep.

I strongly believe that the problem is her need for comfort sucking,
which she does at my breast. I've tried nearly every pacifier out
there and she refuses them. She doesn't cry at the babysitter's like
she does with my husband and I suspect that's because she's in a
completely different environment and she knows Mommy (and her breasts)
aren't right around the corner.

My husband is at his wit's end in the mornings. And her need for
comfort sucking is increasing, she and I co-sleep and from about 2am
on, she wants to suck nearly all the time.

My last resort is to change my work schedule but I was hoping to get
some advice I could try before that. Should I refuse to allow her
comfort sucking, insisting that the breast is for food only? Should
I, as soon as she stops feeding and starts sucking, pull her off and
give her a pacifier?

-Steph

wrote in message
...
Hi Everyone,

I'm looking for some help/advice on comfort sucking. My daughter is
nearly 4 months old and exclusively on breastmilk. I pump weekdays
while at work and she gets the breast at night and weekends. It works
well for both of us, except for a 90 minute period in the early
morning when she's home alone with my husband after I've left for
work.

Before leaving for work, I breastfeed her and put her back to sleep.
But she seems to sense when I've left and wakes up soon after. No
matter what my husband does, she won't settle and is soon screaming.
For an hour and a half. She doesn't stop until she's in the car going
to the babysitter and falls asleep.

Sue's idea of a pinky (nail side down) is a good one. You could also
change the routine a little bit so that after your last breastfeed you give
her directly to your husband rather then back to bed. Not sure if that will
help but might be worth a shot.

Does she nurse a lot in the mornings you are home? If she is hungry he
could give her a few ounces of milk.


--
Nikki, mama to
Hunter 4/99
Luke 4/01
Brock 4/06
Ben 4/06

Thank you very much for the responses! To let you know, we did try
changing the routine, with me feeding DD and then handing her off to
DH when she was awake. That has worked well, it must have been too
jolting to her to wake up to find Mommy completely gone.

And DH is using his pinky to let her suck.

Thanks again!
-Steph