He's using me as a pacifier! How do I stop this?

Question

I'm breastfeeding my 6 week old baby and he takes the paciifier sometimes, but never at bedtime, usually just when he's cranky. But every night, like clockwork, he will wake up between 3-4 am and scream and cry, not take the pacifier, refuse to be soothed by laying tummy to my chest, which usually works. The only way to calm him is to put him on the breast, and he's not hungry because he will fall asleep in a matter of 3 minutes and not suck as if he wanted food. He will continue to do this every hour for the rest of the night. What should I do how do I stop him from using me as a pacifier?! And does anyone know why he wakes up continuously after 3 am? Maybe he thinks nighttime is over? LOL I am exhausted!

Answer 1

Don't try to soothe him with pacifier either. He is 6 week old and he needs mommy just to soothe him which is not that bad. If you can just soothe him by without giving him your breast, try that. Try few other objects, like a blankie or so and pat him n see if he sleeps. Mine used to sleep if I would keep massaging her on her back.Hope that helps

Answer 2

i think he just loves his mommy and hates to be seperated! just enjoy it! i laid my kids in bed during breastfeeding and eventually we both slept and they nursed when they wanted! not sure if is was right but they are all big and well adjusted kids now! and they dont sleep with us anymore

Answer 3

all it will take is a day or two to break him of that. From now on when he does that do not give it to him, it will be frustrating yes.. but it will stop!  

Answer 4

He is probably hungry, but sleepy as well.  So he keep falling asleep in the middle of feeding.  

Answer 5

It sounds like he just needs the comfort from mommy to fall asleep.  My baby used to do this also but grew out of it at 2 months.  Try to continue to give pacifier or try to introduce him to his hands to suck on.  He will grow out of it

Answer 6

It could be that you need the stimulation in the middle of the night to keep up your supply.  Babies are much smarter than we realize.  At any rate, use breast compression to squirt some milk into his mouth and wake him up.  Change his diaper in between sides, strip him down before you feed him and dress him again in between sides.  Make sure he's very wide awake to feed and wake him up in between sides so he can fill his belly.

Try bringing him into bed with you after the first waking.  I bet he'll stop waking every hour after that.

Answer 7

Personally, I wouldn't push the pacifier. That could only make things worse in the end. You would probably rather have a few sleepless nights, than have a 4 year old sporting one everywhere you go. You might not think that's a problem, but it can lead to speech problems, and crooked teeth.

I don't know how big he is, but there is a point where they don't need night feedings any longer. At that point you can start to break that habit. I think it's around 3 months or so though. So, since your baby is younger than that, what I would do is get up, go into a different room with light, or sounds to keep him awake, breastfeed him, keeping him awake by gently rubbing the side of his cheek, so that he continues to eat. Keep him awake for as long as you think he needs to eat, so that he won't be hungry soon. Get him nice and full, burp him, and then go in and do a little routine to get him back into "night time" again. Rock him a little, talk to him...Get him nice and sleepy, then lay him down in his bed, wherever that is. Sit with him and soothe him to sleep. I think that would at least help him sleep a little more. At 6 weeks, it seems like he is doing pretty well, even if it doesn't seem like it. The older he gets the easier it will be as long as you enforce good sleep habits.