Calm a Crying Baby

Should I give my baby a pacifier?

As a new parent, comforting your baby is one of your highest priorities, and you may find a pacifier very helpful. Some babies can be soothed with rocking and cuddling and are content to suck only during feedings. Others just can't seem to suckle enough, even when they're not hungry. If your baby wants to suck even after she's had her fill of formula or breast milk, a pacifier may be just the thing.

A pacifier isn't a substitute for nurturing or feeding, of course, but if you've fed, burped, cuddled, rocked, and played with your baby and she's still fussy, you might want to see if a pacifier will satisfy her.

There's another benefit to using a pacifier: Some studies have shown that babies who use pacifiers at bedtime and nap time have a reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). These studies don't show that the pacifier itself prevents SIDS, just that there's a strong association between pacifier use and a lower risk of SIDS.

Also, a pacifier habit is easier to break than a thumb-sucking habit. After all, you can dispose of a binky!

Are there any disadvantages?

Pacifier use may increase the risk of middle ear infections in babies and young children. In one study, the incidence of ear infections was 33 percent lower in babies who didn't use pacifiers.

Because the risk of these infections is generally lower in young babies, using a pacifier until your baby's half birthday (when his need to suck is greatest) and weaning him from it soon after may work just fine – especially if he's prone to ear infections.

If you're breastfeeding your baby, you may want to delay offering a pacifier until he's a proficient nurser. Sucking on a pacifier and sucking on a breast are different actions, and babies who are offered a pacifier before they get the hang of nursing sometimes experience nipple confusion, which can interfere with successful breastfeeding.

For this reason, the American Academy of Pediatrics(AAP) suggests that you wait until your baby has learned to latch on and suck well and your milk supply is well established. His 1-month birthday should be about right, though that's just a guideline. If your baby is nursing well, gaining weight, and has a routine feeding schedule, you can give him a binky sooner.

Sucking on a pacifier can easily become a habit, and many parents don't introduce one because they don't want to deal with having to take it away later (or because they don't like the thought of their 3-year-old walking around with a binky in his mouth).

If you allow your child to use a pacifier but want to avoid binky battles, take away the pacifier several months before his first birthday. Taking care not to overuse the pacifier can help avoid overdependence. 

Pacifier guidelines

If you decide to introduce a pacifier, keep these guidelines in mind:

Let your baby guide your decision. If she seems to love the binky right off the bat, fine. But if she resists, don't force it. You can try again another time if you like or just respect her preference and let it go.

Whenever possible, don't use a pacifier to delay your baby's feedings or as a substitute for your attention. Offer the pacifier between feedings when you know she's not hungry.

Also, it's not a good idea to dip your child's pacifier in juice or sugar water. Doing so may lead to cavities.

You can try giving her the binky before a nap. (But if it falls out of her mouth while she's sleeping, don't put it back in.) When your baby's fussy, first try to comfort her in other ways, such as cuddling, rocking, or singing.

That being said, sometimes your baby does have to wait to feed or be comforted by you (in the checkout line at the grocery store, for example, or in her car seat five blocks from home). In these instances, a pacifier can be a godsend.

Never tie a pacifier around your baby's neck or to her crib. She could strangle in the cord or ribbon. It's safe to attach the pacifier to her clothes with a clip made especially for the job.

Take care of the pacifier.. Choose a pacifier that's safe and appropriate for your baby, and keep it clean by rinsing it with warm water. Replace it as soon as it shows small cracks or other signs of wear.

Are there times when a baby definitely should not be given a pacifier?

Don't give a pacifier to a baby who is having problems gaining weight. So if your baby is having difficulty nursing – or if you're having trouble maintaining your milk supply – it's probably best to do without a pacifier, at least for now. You'll also want to consider having your baby go without a pacifier if he's had repeated ear infections.

But if you have a premature infant who's not gaining enough weight, a binky probably won't have much of an effect one way or another. And using a pacifier may actually protect preemies from SIDS, so talk it over with his doctor before ruling it out.

If you don't want your newborn to have a pacifier at the hospital, tell the nurses ahead of time – particularly if you intend to breastfeed. Although a day or two of pacifier use in the hospital won't hook your baby on binkies, it simply doesn't make sense to introduce something you aren't going to use at home.

Will a pacifier interfere with the development of my child's teeth?

Sucking on a pacifier well into the childhood years might threaten proper dental development, but it's unlikely that your child will be at it for that long.

During the years when your child is likely to be using a pacifier, she has only her baby teeth . (Permanent teeth generally start appearing by age 6.) If you ever become concerned about this, ask your baby's doctor or dentist to check that your child's jaw and teeth are doing fine.