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Some parents swear by pacifiers and buy them even before the baby's born in colors to match their clothes. Others find the idea of plugging a baby's mouth with a piece of rubber or silicone attached to plastic distasteful. Whatever your preconceived ideas about pacifiers, once your baby is born, his needs will lead the way.

If you have a fussy, inconsolable baby, a pacifier might be your lifeline to sanity. If your baby's generally placid, you probably will have no need to use them.

In a 2005 policy statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not recommend pacifier use until after breastfeeding has been well established, as it can interfere with successful nursing. A 2002 study of...

Some parents swear by pacifiers and buy them even before the baby's born in colors to match their clothes. Others find the idea of plugging a baby's mouth with a piece of rubber or silicone attached to plastic distasteful. Whatever your preconceived ideas about pacifiers, once your baby is born, his needs will lead the way.

If you have a fussy, inconsolable baby, a pacifier might be your lifeline to sanity. If your baby's generally placid, you probably will have no need to use them.

In a 2005 policy statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not recommend pacifier use until after breastfeeding has been well established, as it can interfere with successful nursing. A 2002 study of babies age 0 to 4 months old in Brazil found babies given pacifiers had a higher prevalence of switching from breast to bottle feeding. The researchers of that study concluded that pacifier use is not conducive to breastfeeding.

Pros of Pacifier Use

• Pacifiers are very useful for babies who have an almost insatiable need to suck ("non-nutritive sucking") and for some babies they provide deep comfort.
• Pacifiers are convenient and can be used to comfort a hungry baby until food is ready.
• Some babies will fall asleep easily while sucking on a pacifier.
• Some parents would rather a baby use a pacifier than suck his thumb, feeling it is a habit more easily broken.

Cons of Pacifier Use

• Pacifier use inhibits self-soothing techniques, including thumb sucking (a self-generated pacifier that doesn?t get lost).
• When a baby falls asleep with a pacifier and the pacifier falls out, he often become restless and wakes up.
• Pacifiers need to be cleaned and sterilized regularly.
• If it becomes a habit, pacifier use is difficult to discourage in older babies.

Safety Notes

• Never dip pacifiers in honey (a common practice years ago). Babies should not eat honey before age 2 because of the risk of botulism.
• Parents should not attach pacifiers with a cord or ribbon because of the risk of strangulation.

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