When deciding if a pacifier is right for you and your baby, the choice is entirely yours. Every baby is different, and it’s best to trust your parental instincts.
To help you decide, let's run through when pacifiers can be introduced, some of the advantages and disadvantages of pacifiers, and how you can introduce a pacifier safely.
Some parents don't include a pacifier (or binky) in their baby's routine at all and manage without one, but others do choose to use a pacifier to soothe them when they're unsettled or crying and find that a pacifier satisfies their baby's natural non-nutritive sucking reflex when they're not feeding.
Others discover that even though they were initially against the idea of using a pacifier, they change their mind when their baby is born, and that's ok!
When is the best time to introduce a pacifier?
If you decide that you'd like to give your baby a soother, it's best to wait until around four weeks after birth to give you both time to settle into your feeding routine (whether you're breastfeeding or bottle feeding) and to give your baby time to learn how to get milk from your nipple or the teat of a bottle.
If you introduce a pacifier before they're settled into a steady feeding routine, there's a chance that your baby could get confused between feeding and suckling, which may lead to feeding problems.
What are the benefits of using a pacifier?
Pacifiers can satisfy a baby's natural sucking instincts when they're not feeding, and many find sucking on a pacifier very soothing when they're distressed or trying to fall asleep. They can also provide relief during times of stress, for example, if you're attending a medical appointment.
Finally, although more research is needed in this area and the exact correlation is unclear, there've been studies suggesting that pacifier use alongside breastfeeding may reduce the risk of cot death - also known as sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS.
What are the disadvantages of using a pacifier?
Pacifiers get dropped on the floor regularly and can carry bacteria if they're not kept thoroughly clean. This may lead to increased infections and tummy upsets, so be sure to regularly sterilize your baby's pacifiers, and always keep a few spares handy to replace any dirty pacifiers that end up on the floor.
If they're used for too long, pacifiers may affect how a baby's teeth grow, which is why it's best to always use pacifiers that adhere to the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendations for pacifiers, and take your baby for their first visit to the dentist once their first tooth emerges.
Using a pacifier for a prolonged amount of time may stop your baby from babbling and therefore slow the process of learning to talk.
