Pacifiers: Are they good for your baby?

Most babies have a strong sucking reflex. Some babies even suck their thumbs or fingers before they’re born. Beyond helping with nutrition, sucking often has a soothing effect. Are pacifiers really OK for your baby, though? Understand the benefits and risks of pacifier use, safety tips, and steps to wean your baby from the pacifier.

For some babies, pacifiers are the key to contentment between feedings. Consider the advantages:

• A pacifier might soothe a fussy baby. Some babies are happiest when they’re sucking on something.
• A pacifier offers a short-term distraction. Using a pacifier can help lessen pain. So it might come in handy during and after procedures such as shots or blood tests.
• A pacifier might help your baby fall asleep. If your baby has trouble settling down, a pacifier might do the trick.
• A pacifier might ease discomfort during flights. Air pressure changes can cause ear pain. Adults can “pop” their ears by swallowing or yawning to ease pressure. But babies can’t do that. Sucking on a pacifier might help.
• A pacifier might lower the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, also known as SIDS. Sucking on a pacifier at nap time and bedtime might lower the risk of SIDS.
• Pacifiers can be thrown out. When it’s time to stop using pacifiers, you can throw them away. If your child prefers to suck on the thumb or fingers, it might be harder to break the habit.

Pacifiers have pitfalls as well. Consider the drawbacks:

• Your baby might come to depend on the pacifier. If your baby uses a pacifier to sleep, your baby might have crying spells during the night. These can happen if the pacifier falls out of your baby’s mouth.
• Pacifier use might raise the risk of middle ear infections. However, rates of middle ear infections generally are lowest from birth to age 6 months. This is the same age when the risk of SIDS is the highest and your baby might want a pacifier the most.
• Long-term pacifier use might lead to dental concerns. Pacifier use during the first few years of life generally won’t cause long-term dental concerns. However, using a pacifier for a longer time might cause teeth to be misaligned.
• Pacifier use might disrupt breastfeeding. If you’re breastfeeding, you might wait to offer a pacifier until breastfeeding and latch are routine. But research studies have found that pacifier use does not affect the length of breastfeeding when started after breastfeeding becomes routine. They also showed that pacifiers do not affect whether a baby only breastfeeds or also receives formula or other forms of nutrition.

If you choose to offer your baby a pacifier, keep these tips in mind:

• Don’t use a pacifier as a first choice for soothing your baby. Sometimes a change of position or a rocking session can calm a crying baby. Offer a pacifier to your baby only after feedings or between feedings.
• Choose a one-piece, dishwasher-safe variety. Pacifiers made of two pieces pose a choking hazard if they break.
• Let your baby set the pace. If your baby shows no interest in the pacifier, don’t force it.
• Keep it clean. A baby’s immune system isn’t fully formed until 6 months of age. So until your baby is 6 months old, boil pacifiers often or wash them in the dishwasher. After age 6 months, simply wash pacifiers with soap and water. It may feel easy at times to “rinse” the pacifier in your own mouth. But doing this only spreads more germs to your baby.
• Don’t put sweet substances on the pacifier. Putting sugar on the pacifier raises the risk of cavities.
• Keep it safe. Replace pacifiers often and use the right size for your baby’s age. Watch for signs that the pacifier is breaking down. Also use caution with pacifier clips. Never attach a pacifier to a string or strap long enough to get caught around your baby’s neck.

The risks of pacifier use begins to outweigh the benefits as your baby gets older. While most kids stop using pacifiers on their own, others need help breaking the habit. Research suggests that harmful dental effects can start by age 2. To prevent harm to the teeth, start weaning the pacifier before age 2. Weaning even earlier, between 6 and 12 months of age, may reduce the risk of ear infections too.

Offer praise when your child chooses not to use the pacifier. If your child has a hard time giving up the pacifier, consider asking your child’s doctor, dentist or other healthcare professional for help.