How do I get my baby to take a soother?

[FranticallyPeaceful]

Sooo, this is my third DC and I’ve never given my first two a pacifier/soother/dummy (never sure what to call them) but this time around I have two children life is far more hectic than it was when the eldest two were babies and ANYWAY I really want to give my baby a soother to try and buy myself some time not holding him so I can get things done, but he won’t take one.

We’ve tried five different types now, and he doesn’t like any of them. Won’t accept them at all. He kind of just screws up his face, or smiles, or chews it a bit.. but whatever he does he won’t suck it! He just pushes it out. I’ve tried wiggling them and all sorts and nothing seems to work. I’ve spent hours collectively trying but he won’t take one.

Should I just forget it and leave it? Or is there anything I’m not thinking of? Or is there any special brand for exclusively breastfed babies?

Whatever the hype, no, so special brands and, sometimes, some babies just don't....

Yeah maybe you’re right. He’s 12 weeks old so I’ve probably left it too late

But this also means I can’t ever give him a bottle, and we have a long trip ahead of us soon (where I’m driving) and I really wanted to pump and bottle it so DP could give him some

All three of mine took bottles of expressed milk but not one of them would accept a dummy. It was just how they were made.

But we did give them bottles of expressed milk from around 4 weeks, to be fair.

Cherry dummies. The horrible cheap brown bulb ugly looking ones. Mine would take them when all else failed.

Some babies just don't like them. I probably wouldn't push it. 2 of my siblings hated them, but one loved them. There might be something else he'd prefer like a comforter blanket thing or a mobile above his cot/pram

My EBF DD refused a dummy at first so I dipped the dummy in gripe water for the first few days until she got the hang of sucking it and then stopped the gripe water.