To plug or not to plug?

The great binky debate? Babies are born with the ability to suck which aids them in latching on to a bottle or a breast for feeding. But what about the babies who's desire to suck is greater than the their need to eat. Babies suck as a comforting reflex. There is concern that the use of binkies will hamper the success of breastfeeding and then there are the long term consequences to think about. Habits are never easy to break especially when it's the screaming, sad baby who won't sleep with out the paci.

Who's to say if pacifiers are ok or not. It's definitely a personal decision and each baby will be different. If you research the opinions of the lactation specialists you should find plenty of information to support the fact that pacifiers should not be introduced until after the first month of life and that pacifiers definitely undermine the breastfeeding mother's milk supply. I found many sources that state that the quantity of milk a mother makes in the long-term is largely determined by how well the baby drains the breasts in the first weeks. The following came from http://www.pamf.org/, "For example, the more frequently a baby nurses in the first week, the more prolactin receptors develop in the glandular cells of the breast, and the more milk the mother will make."
SO....lactation aside.....where does the American Academy of Pediatrics stand? From the great academy we get a big 10-4-good buddy. Green light! Here is the link to the AAP and the article on "non-nutrative" sucking. http://www.aap.org/oralhealth/pact/ch8_sect1b.cfm

So....my friends. Where do you stand? All things nice here. I am welcoming the posts and I really do wanna hear what you have to say. I just don't want any hurt feel goods. It really is a personal decision, I for one am a binky mom.