Pacifiers for Babies: What You Need to Know
It’s an endless debate about whether pacifiers are good or bad for your baby.
There are a few hard and fast rules, but other than that, it’s up to you.
In the first few weeks, there's evidence that pacifiers can bring breastfeeding to a close early, as the baby is just getting used to the sucking action needed for feeding and the mom’s milk supply. Once breastfeeding is established, the general advice is that pacifiers can be introduced, as it doesn’t cause the same disruption.
Let’s talk you through the pros and cons of pacifiers.
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What are the advantages of pacifiers?
Pacifiers can help soothe your unsettled baby and help them fall asleep - hence the name pacifier. They can also offer convenience for a parent to settle a baby.
There is some evidence that pacifiers can prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) - it’s not clear exactly how, and other factors may be at play, such as a pacifier means a baby is less likely to roll onto their fronts or get covered by blankets. Parents may also be more attentive when there is a pacifier involved.
What are the disadvantages of pacifiers?
If started too early, pacifiers can affect a baby’s ability to breastfeed and, therefore the milk supply, as the baby spends time sucking elsewhere, reducing milk production and affecting the baby's feeding and potential weight gain.
It can also affect how a baby attaches to the breast as they get used to sucking a pacifier.
Pacifiers can be a source of infection as they get dropped and come into contact with lots of different surfaces.
Prolonged use of a pacifier can also affect how your baby’s teeth grow, risking misalignment and overbite. You can buy orthodontic pacifiers that aim to prevent this. Pacifiers can also prevent them from making sounds and forming words, which can have a detrimental effect on speech development if pacifier use is prolonged.
It is strongly recommended to stop using pacifiers well before the age of 3 months, but – as parents and your baby become reliant on the pacifier – it is significantly harder to stop pacifier use if it’s continued beyond the age of 6 months.
How can I stop my baby using the pacifier?
Your baby or child will benefit from learning how to self-soothe to sleep without using the pacifier. So, consider different ways to soothe your child – perhaps increasing the amount of skin-skin contact, hugging, or nursing your child more frequently.
You may decide to go completely cold turkey if you think your child can handle this, but it is best not to choose a time when the baby is unwell or there is already a disruption to routine. If you want a slower approach, restricting usage to certain times of the day may be a good way to phase them out.
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