The Pros and Cons of Pacifiers
Pacifiers work wonders for moms. They are easy, quick and for most babies, they turn on the comfort and turn off the tears. It goes without saying that Pacifiers can work well at comforting your baby and calming him or her from crying. Nevertheless, there are some pitfalls about Pacifiers that you need to know about before introducing your baby to one.
The pros of pacifiers
- It could save your baby’s life
Studies and research have shown a link between a decreased risk of sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS. According to experts, babies who suck on a pacifier may not be able to sleep as deeply and would wake more easily than babies who don’t. As a result, they are less susceptible to SIDS.
The other theory in favor of pacifiers is that suckling a pacifier might help open up air space around a baby’s mouth and nose. This ensures that your baby gets enough oxygen. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the use of pacifiers for babies under one age at naptime a d bedtime. But you should wait until your baby is at least one month old when they have gotten the hang of breastfeeding.
- The pacifier is in your control
Having control is a good thing when nothing but plunking that pacifier in your baby’s mouth will generate calm. Further, unlike the thumb which is in your baby’s control, you can actually decide when it’s time for your baby to give up the pacifier. You get to pull the plug.
The cons of pacifiers
- It is easy for your baby to get attached to the pacifier
Once your baby gets attached to the pacifier, it can be a tough habit to break especially when the baby turns into a more inflexible toddler.
- It can become a bad habit for you
Using a pacifier for your baby can become a bad habit and cause you to overlook the real reasons for baby’s tears. Your baby may have a tummy ache or an uncomfortable diaper causing them to cry. So you can have a baby is happy because they have something in their mouth but who is uncomfortable in every other way.
- It could result in less sleep
It is common to find babies who regularly use pacifiers having difficulty with going to sleep on their own. When the pacifier gets lost in the middle of the night, they might start crying forcing you or your partner to wake up and get it for them. This can be a bit inconveniencing for both you and your partner.
Do Pacifiers Cause Teeth Problems? Do pacifiers really mess up teeth?
The other misconception is that any use of pacifiers is bad for your baby’s teeth, but pacifiers only become a concern for your baby’s dental health once he or she becomes a toddler.
In fact, the long-term use of a pacifier influences the shape of the mouth and the alignment of the teeth, because as babies and toddlers mature physically, their jaws grow around anything held inside on a repeat basis.
If you do choose to give your baby a pacifier, follow the next tips to help you prevent teeth problems in the future:
- Avoid overusing pacifiers – offer the pacifier only when the baby needs to fall asleep or calm down.
- Look for an orthodontic pacifier – that cause less prominence of the front teeth.
- Always clean the pacifier before giving it to your baby.
- Replace the pacifier more often and adjust the size of the pacifier.
- Stop use before your child is 36 months old.
Pacifiers are generally good for your baby. Unlike what most moms think, pacifiers do not cause nipple confusion or affect breastfeeding.
The pros of pacifiers outweigh their cons. You should definitely consider using them for your baby.
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