It's likely that your baby will stop crying if you give them a pacifier. But for various reasons, some parents don't want to teach their child how to use a pacifier. Let's look at the arguments that are out there.
Pros
Sucking is soothing. Sometimes babes just need to satisfy their sucking reflex, but they are not hungry — and the pacifier solves the problem without leading to overeating [1].
A pacifier during sleep significantly reduces the likelihood of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). There is no clear understanding of how this works yet. But it works [2]!
A pacifier allows mom to recover. If baby satisfies their desire to suck on mama's nipples, it can cause pain and not allow enough time for healing. Ultimately, using pacifiers helps to establish breastfeeding [3].
Cons
Some argue that pacifiers interfere with breastfeeding [2]. Studies indicate that using a pacifier by breastfed babies may cause them to wean early [3]. Therefore, pediatricians occasionally advise against introducing a pacifier until breastfeeding has been established [4].
Pacifiers can disrupt bite development and result in misaligned teeth (malocclusion). Specialized orthodontic nipples alleviate the problem, but they do not completely eliminate it. Children who are not given pacifiers, on the other hand, are more likely to suck their thumbs or fingers, which increases their chances of developing malocclusion [5].
It is difficult to wean a baby off a pacifier.
Every parent makes the decision for himself whether to put up with the challenges of weaning their child later on when they are older or to deal with the challenges of life without a pacifier right now.
Pacifier use guidelines
It is possible to debate the advantages and disadvantages of pacifiers for a very long time, but here are some indisputable dos and don'ts [6]:
Don't use a bottle nipple instead of a pacifier. For starters, the baby will swallow air and get gas. Second, they will suffocate if they put it all the way in their mouth.
Buy pacifiers based on age. The shield between the nipple and the ring should be big enough to keep the nipple from going all the way into the mouth. And the nipple itself is small enough not to reach the throat. The nipple shouldn't go all the way to the throat either.
Do not tie a pacifier around your baby's neck with a ribbon. This is very dangerous and could hurt you badly or even make them suffocate.
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