Pros and Cons of Pacifiers: Should Your Baby Use One?

I'm doing a lot of different things with this baby, my fourth child, from the things I did with her big brothers. I'm staying home with her, I'm breastfeeding exclusively, may be planning to cosleep, and recently am even considering -- considering -- cloth diapers. But I never thought I'd question pacifiers. A pacifier was often a godsend when I had to calm my other children, and because I worked outside the home it was almost a necessity to keep them happy when passing them to childcare.

But I'm staying home with this one, so I have to question everything I used to take for granted about babies. Why, really, do we give babies pacifiers?

Pacifiers: The History

Pacifiers in one form or another have been around at least since the Renaissance, and probably have been around since prehistory. Before the 1900s, they were typically simple: a cloth wrapped around sugar (a sugar teat) or around a lump of fat, meat, or sweet bread. The baby sucked the cloth and got not just some sucking satisfaction, but a little bit of nutrition.

In the 1900s, mothers switched to the Binki, a little rubber device that closely resembled today's pacifier; it included a nipple, a handle, and a mouth guard so the baby didn't just suck the whole thing in and choke. Since Binkis didn't have sugar, the baby's teeth weren't as much at risk; but some of the Binkis were manufactured with lead, a whole other problem.

Today's pacifiers come in a variety of forms and sizes, for every size baby, for breastfed babies and bottlefed babies, even with designer handles.

One common thread remains: pacifiers have always been a convenience for parents. They are a way to cork the little screaming mouth until parents have the opportunity to figure out what's wrong with the baby, or to keep them placid until Mom has time to feed or change them.

Pacifier Pros

Babies naturally need to suck, and many will use fingers, thumbs, big toes, or your cheek if they don't have a pacifier. Some babies are very fussy if they aren't able to suck on something, and a lot of parents prefer that to be a pacifier - which you can eventually take away - instead of fingers - which must stay with the baby.

They're a great way to get a little peaceful time while Mom prepares the bottle or gets ready to change the baby. In public, the pacifier is more a courtesy to others around you; it's pretty terrible to be subject to a screaming baby.

It makes it easier to get a baby to go to sleep, in some cases.

There is some evidence that a pacifier may decrease the risk of SIDS when it's used at bedtime or naptime.

Pacifiers Cons

My main issue: using a pacifier early can interfere with good breastfeeding. Babies get confused with the different nipples they are presented, and those with an initial problem latching on may find it much more difficult to nurse if they also use a pacifier. In addition, studies have shown that babies who use a pacifier don't breastfeed as long. This is not likely to be due to the pacifier in most cases, but sometimes may be due to the difficulty in latching on.

Babies often become dependent on the pacifier, particularly when parents replace pacifiers in the mouths of sleeping babies. This is particularly rough if he or she starts waking up and crying when the pacifier falls out.

Pediatricians recommend that pacifiers be taken away when babies hit six months in age; from that point forward, they increase the risk of middle ear infections.

Pacifiers that aren't manufactured in one piece can break; ensure you get one that's one piece and can be washed in a dishwasher.

Parents may get into the habit of replacing dropped pacifiers in babies' mouths - which can lead to the introduction of germs.

If used for a very prolonged time, pacifiers can cause problems with the child's speech habits and tooth alignment.

Pacifiers may make babies more prone to thrush, or oral yeast; this can be really nasty if you breastfeed and the infection is transferred to your nipples.

If You Choose To Use Pacifiers

If you decide that you want to use pacifiers for your baby, the following information can make it much easier for you.

If you lose a pacifier, your baby may not accept a substitute, even if it's identical. They can be remarkably finicky sometimes. Keep duplicates, and try to switch them out so the baby is used to more than one.

Using pacifiers at the first sign a baby's getting ready to cry can rob him or her of early attempts at communication. If you must use a pacifier, try other things before the binky.

Because latex allergies are growing more common, pacifiers should be made of silicon; not all pacifiers are well-marked.

If you don't take away the pacifier by the time the baby is six months old, take it away by the time they are a year old; younger babies have a shorter attention span, and will get used to not having that crutch much more quickly. To make it easier to get rid of the naptime/bedtime pacifier, try a new routine: read to the baby as long as he doesn't have the pacifier, or sing a song about the baby. It's a lot more work, but it's worth it to break your child gently of the pacifier habit.

Remember, pacifiers are more convenient for parents than babies. If you choose not to get rid of the binky, is it because the baby isn't ready - or because you're not ready? Think carefully before answering that question.