Before I had children, I swore my child would never use a
pacifier. To me, they were simply signs that a child was just
not very well taken care of. You know, Mom doesn't want to pick
the baby up and comfort her, so she just puts a pacifier in her
mouth to quiet her. But, I'm older now, and I have three
children, so I'm wiser too. There definitely are times when a
pacifier is a huge help - not just a crutch for Mom.
As it turns out, some newborns just have a greater urge to
suckle than others. If your baby is like this, a pacifier is
almost a necessity. For these babies, the suckling they get from
nursing or taking a bottle is simply not enough. My daughter was
one of these babies, and unless she fell asleep while nursing or
taking a bottle, that pacifier was critical to getting her to
sleep.
Other children simply don't need this extra suckling, and, for
these children, a pacifier is usually not necessary.
Occasionally sucking their thumb or fist is satisfying enough
for them. Watch your child in those first few days, and make the
decision based on your baby's behavior. One caution, however; if
your baby is nursing, you should avoid the pacifier until your
baby's nursing habits are fully established. A pacifier can
cause nipple confusion in babies who are struggling with
breastfeeding.
The problem with pacifiers isn't really the use of the pacifier
itself, rather overuse, or use of it long past a normal age.
Pacifier use can cause serious dental issues, and should be used
only for the required amount of time. Plus, the older your child
gets, the harder it will be for you to keep it clean. Also, if
your child relies on a pacifier to fall asleep, you will be
required to retrieve it for him multiple times during the night,
when he is unable to locate it on his own.
If your child uses a pacifier, look for the natural
opportunities that will arise for giving it up, and seize them.
For example, my daughter caught a bad cold at about six months
old, and wouldn't use the pacifier; because she was so congested
she could hardly breathe. As soon as she started to refuse it
because of the cold, I put it out of sight. Once her cold was
over, she had forgotten about it. My middle son held on to his a
little longer, but at about thirteen months, I noticed that just
before he fell asleep at night, he would toss the pacifier out
of his crib. So, one night, I picked it up off the floor, and
put it away. Same ending - he never noticed it was gone.
If your child needs it, a pacifier can be a great comforter, and
can make life easier for you, too. Just be sure not to let it go
on for too long, or you and the baby can become dependent!
About the author:
Sarah is a 41 year old wife and mother of two boys and one girl.
She spent many years as a manager in the corporate world, and
gave it up to be a stay at home mom. Go to
http://www.infantresources.com now and get her incredible baby
minicourse - absolutely free.
