Pacifier?

Pacifier is a dummy nipple substitute made of plastic, rubber or silicon. It is given to an infant or child to suckle in between feeds. Some parents use it often to pacify their child when it wants to cry.

What is the effect of pacifier on breastfeeding?

Crying of the baby helps in secretion of breast-feeding hormones and allow milk letdown. Pacifying the child with other means like a soother or pacifier may de-motivate the mother to breastfeed. This may also result in reduced duration of breastfeeding and result in loss of weight of baby.

What is the effect of pacifier on the baby?

Safety

One study found that there is a reduced incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in babies who were using a pacifier. An older child may chew on it and aspirate or choke on broken parts of the pacifier.

Infections

Studies did not find an association between candida infection and use of pacifier. But some studies have shown an increase in risk of sore throat and middle ear infection with use of pacifier. There is also insufficient evidence to find association between dental caries and use of pacifier.

Mind it

Use of pacifier can bottle up emotions of the baby as they are not allowed to cry. Normal crying in children and babies helps to vent out their emotions. Crying also allows them to clean their airways. If baby learns to bottle up the emotions, he may not laugh or cry (to heart’s content) at a later age.

What can be done?

New parents should learn other soothing techniques to calm their baby. It is a much better option to offer breastfeeding to the crying baby. Breastfeeding experts can help the mother and baby to have better breastfeeding experience.

Written by Dr Vaishalee Punj