Introducing a dummy

[cocoachannel]

DD is only 17 days old, but very definitely using my breast for comfort as well as feeding. Is this a normal phase for newborns? Is it wise/ too early/ unnecessary to introduce a dummy at this early stage. BFing going well so far.

Are you feeding on demand or starting a routine?
If she's feeding a lot, she may be grazing, therefore not getting a full feed do needing to feed little and often to keep her topped up.

Thanks Jessie. I'm feeding on demand at the moment, so that may be it.

I think its too early to go for the dummy. Feeding isn't established yet. All your dd wants is comfort, and the best source of that is your breast.

Try not to stress at this stage. Feed her when ever and wait for a pattern to emerge.
Think of Tracy Hogg's (Baby Whisperer)routine tool. Eat, Activity, Sleep, You time.

She wakes for a feed. Stays awake for around an hour then gets tired. You can either feed her of to sleep or push her in pram or rocking chair etc. Don't worry about feeding to sleep as when she's older she'll learn to settle herself. Right now sh'e too little.

If you really want to offer her oral comfort other than your breast to get her to sleep you could use a dummy then.
Hope this makes sense?!

It makes perfect sense- thank you.

Different experience here - I used a dummy from 2nd night onwards when my nipples couldn't take the comfort sucking any more. She never learned to keep it in her mouth so it wasn't much good in the day, but in the middle of the night, it would help her drop off without feeding and she'd get off to sleep before it dropped out. Mind you, I introduced a bottle of EBM at 2 weeks and that was fine too. I never had any problems with latch, never got cracked nipples etc, so I felt breastfeeding was well established by 2 weeks.