Babys First Year Blog
Do Some Babies Take Binkies Easily?
Photographic evidence that she took a binky once ... at the hospital during her newborn hearing test.
With my first, I tried about twelve different pacifiers from birth to three months old before I decided he just wasn’t going to take a binky — no matter how many times, different ways or different kinds I tried.
We bounced while holding in one binky, we snuggled while holding in another binky, we danced while holding in yet another. At the end of the day (or several months), I decided he just wasn’t into the binky.
Is there a chance baby number two might go for it?
At the hospital after delivery, when Baby Girl was sent back from the nursery with a binky in her mouth, I was a little disappointed. I wasn’t sure I wanted her to take one. I didn’t want it to mess up her ability to nurse, either.
But then I reconsidered, thinking it might be a helpful way to a) soothe her, and b) teach her to eventually take a bottle — something I’m also working on.
Since coming home from the hospital, I’ve tried and tried to get her to take one. (And I’ve tried a handful of varieties, left over from her brother’s day). But like him, she’s just not having it.
At this point, I’m not sure I’m looking for advice on getting her to take a binky. But I’m wondering, out of curiosity, are some babies hooked from day one — especially breastfed babies? Or is it something everyone has to work at a little, until they’re hooked?
On the bright side, at least I don’t have to break the binky habit. Now I’ll just hope for no alternative thumb-sucking. Because those are things you can’t just take away.
Anti-Pacifier to Pro-Binky: How I made peace with the paci
Go Back To Babys First Year Blog
8 Comments
Brianna commented on Jan 25 12 at 2:12 pmMy girl has been hooked since day 3. AND she loves her thumbs and fingers. Lord help us… ;)
JBC commented on Jan 25 12 at 5:03 pmMy daughter is 3 mths and she’s just barely taking it. she sucks on the back of her hands sometimes and she’s been searching for her thumb for about 3 wks now.
Halley commented on Jan 25 12 at 6:15 pmOh man my breast fed baby loves his pacifier. He has that same huge blue circle kind from our hospital. The Soothie is amazing in his eyes! My baby is only 22 days old, he had some breathing while sucking issues his first 24 hours so pacifier therapy was introduced….he thinks this is now a daily therapy! I love it, but sometimes I’m annoyed because he gets furious if it falls out…
Gwyn commented on Jan 25 12 at 7:17 pmI have two children, one was a binkie LOVER and the other a binkie HATER. Both exclusively breastfed with no problems. As the binkie lover was first, I triumphantly thought I had the whole binkie thing down, but number two had NO interest no matter what we tried over what number of weeks or types of binkies.
El commented on Jan 25 12 at 7:40 pmMy first – a binky lover. My last 2 – haters despite all my efforts. Even #3, who used one for her NiCU stay, locked her jaws up once we got home. All champion BFers…I tried so hard, but no binky luck.
Jenni commented on Jan 26 12 at 2:36 amMy son (4mos) will take one every now and again. Mostly he just wants to chew on the edges. We got a bunch of wubbanubs for his baby shower and then the standard nuks. I wish he would take them more, but we waited a good 3 or 4 weeks before we gave him one. I think that ruined it. But you’re right, at least we won’t have to break the habit.
http://jennibrenni.blogspot.com/
Taz commented on Jan 26 12 at 11:30 ammy baby is 3 wks old and we just introduced the binky- and she loves it. she also loves sucking her fingers, hands, top of her swaddler, basically anything nearby the mouth area! she is breast and bottle fed. the past 2 nights she seems to be sleeping better with the binky tho i had to put it back in her mouth a few times! i never knew you could give them a binky so young, but my pediatrician said they’re good so we went for it! if she didn’t take it so easily i probably wouldn’t have pushed it.
Misty h commented on Jan 30 12 at 6:10 amI had a binky lover and a binky hater, so I think it all depends on the child. They were both breast fed, so that didn’t encourage nor discourage the binky love (or lack there of).
The binky hater did come around to liking the binky occasionally, but more to chew on when the teeth were coming in…
Add your take:
Note: Babble is a supportive, diverse community. We encourage a range of opinions,
but any unduly hostile comments will be removed.
Comments are delayed up to 15 minutes
Lauren Jimeson 
Lauren Hartmann 
Emily Elling 
Meredith Carroll 
Emily Malone 
Molly Thornberg 
Selena Burgess 
Casey Mullins 
Madeline Petersen 
The Walt Disney Company supports Babble as a platform dedicated to honest, engaged, informed, intelligent and open conversation about parenting. However, the opinions expressed on this site are those of individual parents/writers and do not reflect the views of Disney. In addition, content provided on this site is for entertainment or informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or safety advice.
8