What are the pros and cons of using pacifiers?

[faye83]

So I didn't even think I needed to buy pacifiers until I saw them in many "what to have when baby comes home" lists online. Do you gals let your newborns use pacifiers or is it a bad choice? (I'm planning to breastfeed, would I still need one?)

[30something13]

I breastfeed all my kids, I did not use a pacifier till like three weeks though. THey would use it and were not addicted to it at all! I did however let them suckle on me after feeding or if they were upset for a few min and that helped them. They would only do it some and that bond they have for with you if you breastfeed is strong and they depend on you for their comfort! Now the one thing they teach is that you need to NEVER use a pacifier to hold a baby off to feed if they are hungry especially if you are breastfeeding. THat is how babies grow your milk supply when they need more! If they are still rooting when they are finished then they are NOT done eating and they did not get enough hind milk and got more formilk. A fulll baby will not root his hand but may suck like it is still in their mouth. THat is when you know they want to suck not eat!! It is good to learn those clues of your baby before letting them have a pacifier. Also the orthodontic ones are best and also helps them not get air in their belly from it which they can if it is not orthodonic or the wrong size or can't keep it in their mouth.

Oh and the other thing is that if a baby is crying and you want trying to tell you somehting it is good to NOT stick a pacifier in theri mouth and do what they need first. That will lead to a dependeincy on the pacifier. THat is a learned behavior on all everyones part. Babies don't just cry for no reason and once you learn if and when they just want to suck that is best time for the use of one. Nuk is what most dentist and dr's recomend and when cleaning them never put it in your mouth. Food is what causes bacteria in the mouth and bacteria causes cavities. They can get them before the teeth are up! Never celan a paci by sticking it in your mouth to wipe off if you do not have water around. It is good to keep extras in a container for those cases of dropped ones or if they spit up on them.

[AHP84]

Both my boys have used/use pacifiers and I breastfed/feed them and they had absolutely no problems with nipple confusion. My first son didn't get one till he was 4 days old because I was concerned about nipple confusion, but my grandmother stuck one in his mouth when she saw him rooting on his hands and blanket right after a feeding. I was pretty upset for the first few minutes but then saw how much he relaxed and was clearly so much happier. I weaned him off the paci at about 15 months.
My second son is almost two weeks old and he was breastfeeding like a champ at an hour old. By the time he was a day old, I had become his pacifier and I was sore, chapped and bleeding. I told the nurse to get him a paci and she was reluctant because I was b/fing. I demanded it anyway. He took right to it just like the breast and he's still a little milk guzzler when it's time for a feeding.

[faye83]

Omg I was a thumb sucker too until around 10 years, totally screwed up with my teeth. Actually not my teeth but the roof of my mouth. I had to get braces and everything! I'd definitely prefer my baby to have a pacifier than to suck her thumb!

[Worrywart1978]

My son had a pacifier from the start he usually only used it when he slept when we took the pacifier away he soon found his thumb and became a thumb sucker till he was 9.  I guess it's up to you.  All babies and parents are different. Good luck!!!

[cocacolapanda]

if your planning on breastfeeding they suggest to wait until your done breastfeeding otherwise the baby can start using you as a pacifiers.  I breastfeed, and we didn't really care, we tried the pacifier but our son just never took to it.  Even with him not using the pacifier he still used me as a pacifier.

I'd say since you want to breastfeed to wait and see how it goes.

[jtapc101290]

Well, the AAP actually recommends using pacifiers now (along with other things like placing baby on his/her back to sleep) to reduce the risk of SIDS. Breastfeeding or not, a pacifier is always handy if it helps your baby. I would say just buy one. They are not a bad choice at all as long as you give it limits. I mean under one year there is really no limits but once baby reaches like a year old it is best to limit the pacifier to bed and nap times or stressful times (i.e vaccinations). I was told that ideally the pacifier should be Orthodonic, at least once your babe starts teething and to start getting them off of it at 2 years, to be completely pacifier free by 4 years. This is what I have heard from research and my kids doctor. Now with my own personal experience, my first son did not like the pacifier at all. I breastfed him until he was 2 and he did not like the bottle at all either. My second son enjoyed pacifiers and supplementary bottles of formula from birth. I only breastfed him until he was about 9 months. My second son is now almost 15 months and he is off the bottle, drinking cows milk out of a soft spout sippy cup.  He hasn't used the pacifier for about 4 months now.

[Sarah61086]

Dummies as we brits call them :-) I found helped me a lot.
When i first became pregnant i said to myself i wouldnt use them, but I heard speculation somewhere that a dummy at night time can help prevent cot death as it keeps the baby sucking, and therefore breathing.
So as soon as i heard that (whether true or not) I used dummies.
When Leo was crying for a bottle, the dummy helped stoppe the crying until it was ready, and sometimes you really just need that peace and quiet. Its every mother for themself really. You do what you feel is best and trust your own instincts. Books help sometimes, but you cant beat a mothers instinct. Just do what feels right and trust yourself.

[happy_mommy]

My son uses one but not all the time.  I haven't read everyone's answers but i think it is better for them to suck something you can take away.  And some babies have the need to such and is soothing to them.

[Ashelen]

no... pacificers are thought to reduce the risk of SIDs...and I personally will use pacificers on my babies unless they reject them (some kids don't like pacis) because when they come out of the womb, there's so much shock and change that the sucking motion keeps them calm when their nervous systems are fritzing out, and because the potential reduction of SIDs risk is worth it to me.

it's a personal decision, but most moms find that baby wants to suck a lot and unless you want them to suck their thumb it's usually a good idea to have a paci around just in case...not all babies are suckers, but my daughter definitely was.

[worrieddd612]

if you are not planning on breastfeeding are pacifiers a must? im new to this whole thing...i really have no clue what im doing!! also can they cause sids?

[faye83]

Thank you for all of your suggestions! I'll buy one to have "just in case" and I'll wait for at least a month after she's born and when we are ok with the breastfeeding so she doesn't get confused

[aly79]

all of my children used a pacifiers (i have 4) my 1st two were easy to wean they were off of it by 18 months my now 4 1/2 yr old took a while longer and then when we took that away it resulted in thumb sucking and that took a while to get him off of that and my now 7 week old uses a pacifier as well i believe in them very much they do calm them down and they say there's a link to help reduce the risk of sids but with breastfeeding you do want to wait to introduce a pacifier till a month or so so there is no confusion for the baby and i do believe that each person to there own some use them and some don't you make the decision on what fits the need for your baby and you good luck :)

[youngmum91]

i agree with therese101!if the baby wants one after a few weeks(u shouldnt give one to ur baby b4 if u want to breastfeed just incase) then give him/her one as like therese101 said u can take the paci away but not the thumb!also with the new paci designs u can gets ones that are approved by orthodontists so damage their teeth a lot less than a thumb!each to their own tho!lol!

[therese101]

We used one with lily from the start because she liked to suck on her thumb. i figure i can take a paci away when the time is right, but i cant take her thumb away!

[Lizmab20]

My first wouldn't use a paci. My second wanted one all the time. He used until he was about 2 and a half. The con for me was people like my mother in law making comments about him being too old to use a paci.

[Sasha80]

My first never wanted a paci but my second is a sucker.  if she doesn't have her paci....she sticks her thumb in her mouth and that's definitely NOT what I want.  Easier to ween from a paci than the thumb.

[Irish741]

I used one on my little guy almost from the start. We used it all the time for many months. As he got a bit older I started tappering off when he uses it. Now, he is almost 11 months old and we only use it on long car rides and in the crib. I am going to slowly take it out of the crib in the next few months. We might be lucky too since he doesn't really seem to be addicted to it. If you plan to breastfeed it is recommended that you don't use it for the first couple of weeks due to possible nipple confusion. I would recommend having one or two on hand just in case but and use it as you see fit. Best of luck!

[tina25]

I never used a pacifier with my Boy and I didn't have any problems! The cons are getting him/her away from it when the time is right! I never had any problems not using one.
I guess I was blessed! I would not even get the baby used to one at the beginning because the pain comes later when you have to take it away :)


Good luck!

[nickieb85]

I never used a pacifier with either one of my boys so I don't really think that is a necessity but some babies have the need to suck all the time and they are exactly what they say they are: Pacifiers... they are made to pacify that need for babies to suck.