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Pacifiers for Your Baby
 Benefits and Problems

Benefits of using a pacifier

  • Pacifiers are a convenient way to help soothe and satisfy your baby’s need to suck.

  • Babies can cry for several hours in a day. That is a lot of stress so sucking on a pacifier can help calm a fussy baby. Sucking is a normal reflex for a baby and all babies need to suck. Crying doesn’t always mean they need to be fed. Sometimes they are tired bored, and need comfort.

  • Sometimes a pacifier will keep them content until the next feeding. A pacifier may also help a bottle fed baby from overfeeding. Babies can’t control the flow of formula from a bottle the way a breastfed baby can, so a pacifier can help them soothe rather than eat.

  • Pacifiers can be a big help at a doctor’s visit if they are about to get a shot. It will help your baby through the procedure.

  • A pacifier may help your baby to fall asleep.

  • It is far easier to stop using a pacifier than stop using a thumb. A parent can control the use of a pacifier, but it is next to impossible to stop thumb sucking.

Problems with the use of a pacifier

  • Some babies have a difficult time learning to nurse properly if a pacifier is introduced too early.

  • If your baby depends on a pacifier to fall asleep you may have several middle of the night upsets if the pacifier falls out of your baby’s mouth. This is the one positive benefit to thumb sucking because the thumb is there at all times for your baby.

  • If your child uses a pacifier continuously after age 2 he or she may develop dental problems.

  • Continuous use of a pacifier may increase middle ear infections. Try to remove the pacifier after your baby falls asleep.

  • Continuous use of a pacifier may lead to delayed speech.

If you choose to use a pacifier

  • Try to use a one-piece pacifier. You won’t have to worry about it coming apart and becoming a choking hazard. More important, choose a pacifier that best suits your baby in its style and size. There are many to pick from!

  • Keep it clean. Always wash a new pacifier with soap and water. You can sterilize a pacifier if you drop it in boiling water for 5 minutes. If it drops to the floor always thoroughly wash before putting it back in your baby’s mouth.

  • Be prepared and buy several to have on hand. You do not want to make a run to the store in the middle of the night. Make sure they are all the same. Trust me, your baby will know the difference!

  • Try to establish good breastfeeding before you introduce a pacifier.

  • Never tie the pacifier to a string on your baby’s clothes. It could wrap around your baby’s neck. use caution if you use a pacifier clip.

  • Check the pacifier regularly for any signs of damage. It’s best to replace the pacifier before it breaks down.

  • Pacifier use after the age of 10 months is likely nothing more than a habit. Start restricting the use of a pacifier between 6-10 months if possible, maybe only at bedtime.

  • Most children stop using pacifiers on their own between 2-3 years of age. Some just go cold turkey, for others it will take time and patience while you try to convince them they no longer need the comfort of a pacifier. My son stopped at 3 because we told him the preschool teacher would not allow it. He went along with it. You don’t want them to be embarrassed in public. As parents, you’ll know when it’s time for them to stop.