Premature baby and dummy/pacifier use?

[Miket]

Hi

My wife and I have our baby boy has been moved into a smaller local neonate special care unit today where they are using a dummy/pacifier during feeding (fed via NG tube into his stomach), and to calm him down when he's distressed. We are uncertain about this because when he was in a large NICU (for nearly 3 weeks after his birth), they didn't use dummies at all.

It's our first baby and we're uncertain about using a dummy so soon - will it affect his later breast feeding? Will he need a dummy more frequently to keep him calm?

Or, as I suspect, are we getting concerned about nothing?!

Miket

It is normal for prem babies to be given dummies, if anything it will help his later breastfeeding.
Congratulations

i am no expert, but I believe they do it to link the sucking to the being fed... so in theory it should be beneficial to later feeding either from breast or bottle

but do ask the staff anything you need to know... if you're not sure why they are doing things then ask them, as much as you need to.

I hope your little boy is doing ok. was he very premature?

Hi - hope your all doing well and congratulations. Dummies are fine to use as others have mentioned. We were also encouraged to do skin to skin at feed times and try if possible to let them have a suck on a nipple (it's unlikely they will get anything at first, but it is good practise.)
As for needing a dummy more to keep him calm - I dont know . My DT's only ever had a dummy while they were in SCBU.

Thanks for the feedback, which was reassuring. We've spoken with the consultant and she's also helped to put our minds at rest on the subject.

Cheers

Miket