Pacifier Or Not?
Sarah Veda

Before I had children, I swore my child would never use a
pacifier. To me, they were simply signs that a child was just
not very well taken care of. You know, Mom doesn't want to pick
the baby up and comfort her, so she just puts a pacifier in her
mouth to quiet her. But, I'm older now, and I have three
children, so I'm wiser too. There definitely are times when a
pacifier is a huge help – not just a crutch for Mom.

As it turns out, some newborns just have a greater urge to
suckle than others. If your baby is like this, a pacifier is
almost a necessity. For these babies, the suckling they get
from nursing or taking a bottle is simply not enough. My
daughter was one of these babies, and unless she fell asleep
while nursing or taking a bottle, that pacifier was critical to
getting her to sleep.

Other children simply don't need this extra suckling, and, for
these children, a pacifier is usually not necessary.
Occasionally sucking their thumb or fist is satisfying enough
for them. Watch your child in those first few days, and make
the decision based on your baby's behavior. One caution,
however; if your baby is nursing, you should avoid the pacifier
until your baby's nursing habits are fully established. A
pacifier can cause nipple confusion in babies who are
struggling with breastfeeding.

The problem with pacifiers isn't really the use of the pacifier
itself, rather overuse, or use of it long past a normal age.
Pacifier use can cause serious dental issues, and should be
used only for the required amount of time. Plus, the older your
child gets, the harder it will be for you to keep it clean.
Also, if your child relies on a pacifier to fall asleep, you
will be required to retrieve it for him multiple times during
the night, when he is unable to locate it on his own.

If your child uses a pacifier, look for the natural
opportunities that will arise for giving it up, and seize them.
For example, my daughter caught a bad cold at about six months
old, and wouldn't use the pacifier; because she was so
congested she could hardly breathe. As soon as she started to
refuse it because of the cold, I put it out of sight. Once her
cold was over, she had forgotten about it. My middle son held
on to his a little longer, but at about thirteen months, I
noticed that just before he fell asleep at night, he would toss
the pacifier out of his crib. So, one night, I picked it up off
the floor, and put it away. Same ending – he never noticed it
was gone.

If your child needs it, a pacifier can be a great comforter,
and can make life easier for you, too. Just be sure not to let
it go on for too long, or you and the baby can become
dependent!


About The Author: Sarah is a 41 year old wife and mother of two
boys and one girl. She spent many years as a manager in the
corporate world, and gave it up to be a stay at home mom. Go to
http://www.infantresources.com now and get her incredible baby
minicourse – absolutely free.