Are pacifiers good for your baby?

Find out about the good and bad of pacifiers

If you are one of those parents who want to comfort their babies and are thinking of offering them pacifiers, here are a few facts that you should know about them which may help you to decide:

These products come in different sizes and shapes with consumer standards in Singapore legislating that pacifiers for babies be manufactured from non-toxic materials for baby’s safety.

Some of the benefits of a pacifier are:

1) It satisfies the baby’s need for sucking: Non-nutritive sucking is a normal infant reflex, as babies are born with a need to suck, and the frequency varies from baby to baby. Babies tend to suck when they are bored, tired or in need of comfort. A pacifier may just satisfy the baby’s urge to suck.

2) Helps the baby to fall asleep: Babies enjoy the self-comforting feeling of sucking as they doze off to sleep. The pleasurable stimulation of sucking helps babies cope better with the distractions of a huge confusing world.

3) Reduces risk of over feeding for bottle-fed babies: The urge to suck is often misunderstood as a sign of hunger. You may be overfeeding your already full baby. So, try offering a pacifier if the baby still wants to suck even if he/she has been fed adequately.

4) It is easier to control the use of a pacifier than to stop thumb sucking: You can make your baby stop the use of a pacifier by simply throwing it away when the need arises. However, thumb sucking becomes a habit that may be difficult to break because, well, thumbs are always available to them!

Problems associated with Pacifiers:

1) They may inhibit growth: Sucking activity requires energy, and their overuse may result in poor weight gain and poor feeding, especially among frail babies.

2) Greater risk of ear infections: Pacifiers are a source of middle ear infections. Prolonged and continuous sucking may change pressure within the middle ear chamber.

3) Too much use may lead to delayed speech: It would be difficult for the baby to talk while having a pacifier in the mouth. Infants can get addicted to them and their use after a year can interfere with their normal speech and babbling.

4) Inappropriate and prolonged use may lead to dental problems: The use of pacifiers can lead to many dental problems such as protruding and crooked teeth, and can even alter the shape of the mouth. Pacifiers dipped in corn syrup, honey or glucose can lead to teeth decay among infants.

Here are some Do’s and Don’ts to follow while using a pacifier:

1) You should sterilize it by boiling in water for about 5 minutes.
2) It’s a good idea to have similar back up pacifiers in case they get lost or fall off on the floor or street, just when you need them.
3) Getting spares will also allow time for their cleaning which should be done by washing them with warm, soapy water.
4) It’s a good idea to discontinue their use well before the child reaches five years of age.
5) Never try to force a baby to use it. If the baby doesn’t accept it, try other ways of calming.
6) Choose a pacifier according to the age of the infant. The one-piece model with a soft nipple is the most suitable of the lot.
7) Do not tie the pacifier with a ribbon or string longer than 6 inches as this is a choking hazard.

Parents are sharply divided over the question of the use of pacifiers. While some cringe at their sight, others are gung ho about them. So, which side of the fence are you on?