What to use to comfort a breastfed baby?

[Solsticethefloatinghome]

My LO is EBF and I really don’t want to give him a dummy. He’s 4 months old and sometimes uses my boob for comfort especially to nap. Sometimes it’s just not possible to give him my boob for comfort and he gets really distressed in the car when I’m driving. He screams and screams and sometimes I pull over and comfort him but sometimes that’s just not possible. Is there something that other mums use that I haven’t thought of that might comfort him when I can’t?
it absolutely breaks my heart and it’s so hard to focus on driving when he’s absolutely screaming, I want him to be able to go on a car journey without becoming so distressed

We had to do regular stops and really weigh up if the journey was necessary at that age. They grow out of it around 8 months in our experience as then they can play with things to distract themselves.

mine has a jelly cat teddy thing that his nan bought him that he’s taken a liking too. He holds it to go to sleep. It looks like this

My youngest loved the Sophie la Giraffe teethers. You can probably get a less expensive one but it was so nice. We had one which was shaped like a deer (I always forget the official name, but it was a Sophie branded one). He even used it as his comfort toy when he started nursery, that was a bit of a pain as we went through about four of them in the end because he chewed the ears off, dragged them through the sandpit and went through a phase of chucking it out of the buggy (hence, maybe pick a cheaper one!!)

All the kids have also liked the Lamaze toys in the car. Lots to keep them interested there.

I ebf ds until he was 2 and I was very careful about how often it was used but a dummy was a lifesaver for us. I saved it for bedtime after a good nurse (removed once he fell asleep) or car journeys. Tbh if it's distracting you from driving then it's important you're both safe in the car.

What is your concern around introducing a dummy? Some shapes are better for the development of teeth and i spoke with a dentist before introducing (ds teeth are great) if that's your worry.

Alternatively you could try a fidget toy type of thing but tbh I liked being able to watch ds with a toy incase he choked on something.

Also though, agree that they just go through a phase of hating the car at that age. It's not necessarily because they are looking for comfort. I think they just freak out because they don't understand what's happening and they can't see you. We used to sing nursery rhymes to them (so you don't need any brain power for it) and that would help.

Also just to say some babies really really hate going in the car and it's really tough. It's not necessarily anything you're doing. Plus there is a difference between a child being upset and you being there with them, talking to them and singing and offering reassurance than crying alone in a room and noone responding.

thank you for all your help, I think I will try a few different toys to distract him but I do think it’s a bit of a phase. He has some toys on his car chair but they’ve been the same for a while so maybe I’ll swap them round. I do try nursery rhymes and sometimes they help but I think he’s also just getting to this phase where he cries because he just can’t see me. It’s so hard. I feel so emotional hearing him screaming.
he had a Sophie, which he does love and I’ve never given it to him in the car so I will definitely try that too!
it puts me off going anywhere because I find it so stressful. I have a headache and feel like just crying with him by the time we arrive! Mum guilt is such a real thing isn’t it!

We didn’t use a car so it was a lot easier. If I was on my way back from somewhere and he needed feeding I could stop. Mostly a feed and stint in the buggy would make him sleep. No dummy here either.

Do you have to use a car?

I guess I could cut down on using the car too. I do love walking but sometimes the weather is rubbish! 😂 🌧️

Different car seat. A friend had the same problem and bought a different car seat and problem solved....

My son (also 4 months and EBF) holds a little Paddington bear comforter. He also likes a muslin but I’m a bit more wary about that covering his face while I’m driving because I’m not yet confident enough that he would know to take it off his face to breathe.

The frida teether is amazing as it is harder for them to drop :)

I feel like this is a really good solution but if it doesn’t make any difference a new car seat is quite expensive. It’s definitely a gamble 🤔

I think I will just try over the next few weeks to offer him different things whilst in the car. Hopefully soon he will have a favourite comforter 🤞🏻🤞🏻

I always gave DD a book to flick through.
Otherwise if she was really tired,white noise, audiobook or just some music)