Does your baby use a pacifier? If so, then you’re not alone. All babies have a natural sucking instinct. Sometimes that need to suck goes beyond feeding time. That is when a baby will usually take to sucking on their fingers or on a pacifier. But are pacifiers safe? Does using them inhibit breastfeeding?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, you shouldn’t worry if your child sucks on a pacifier. As long as you follow the guidelines for purchasing and maintaining your child’s pacifiers, they are safe.
Pacifier Recommendations:
1.Buy a one-piece pacifier with a soft nipple
2.Do not use a bottle nipple as a pacifier – it can lead to choking
3.Do not tie your baby’s pacifier around his or her neck or to the crib. That can lead to strangulation and/or choking.
4.Check pacifiers often for cracks or discolorations. Pacifiers wear out easily over time and need to be replaced.
5.Buy pacifiers that can go into the dishwasher. Wash them thoroughly prior to the first use and wash them frequently thereafter to avoid the spread of germs.
Pacifiers and Breastfeeding:
As a parent who had to bottle-feed, I had no problems giving my second child a pacifier. It did not interfere with feedings. For parents who breastfeed, however, there is sometimes apprehension toward using pacifiers because of the possible risk that the baby will not feed properly after being given a pacifier.
There is some truth to this apprehension. In the studies done by the American Academy of Pediatrics, they did not find that pacifier-use by breastfed babies was harmful in any way. However, when babies used pacifiers during times when they were hungry, it sometimes led to the baby weaning him or herself off of breastfeeding prior to three months of age. To avoid this, the AAP recommends that you:
1.Only give your baby a pacifier when you are certain they are not hungry. In between meals is fine. This reduces confusion.
2.Try other methods of soothing your baby first, prior to giving them a pacifier.
Whether you decide to use pacifiers or not, you can be comforted in knowing that they are typically not harmful to your child’s growth, development, or health, when used properly. If you notice your baby not feeding properly, try stopping the pacifier use for a time and call your physician for further recommendations. If you’ve decided not to use pacifiers, we’ll also cover alternative ways to soothe your baby in a future blog. In the meantime, how do you soothe your baby? I’d love to hear your thoughts.