Are Pacifiers Safe for Babies?

Having a child is unquestionably one of the most fulfilling experiences of life. We understand that your little infant and babies is the one thing that is more important to you than your life, and you wish to provide the best care to your children. Amongst many things that you would have bought for your child, pacifiers must be a priority item. Pacifier works remarkably well to comfort and calm your child and distracts them from crying. However, a big concern that must be running in your mind would be, is it really safe for the baby to use a pacifier? To answer your question, we are going through the depth of this topic and will study if pacifiers are safe for your babies.

Let us begin by learning some of the benefits of pacifiers.

Benefits Of Using Pacifiers

Some of the major benefits of using pacifiers are:

Reduced Risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)

There are several studies about infant death syndrome sids to prove that the risk of sids or sudden infant death gets highly reduced with the use of pacifiers while your baby sleeps. Though there isn’t any scientific proof of this theory, the experiments conducted found it to be true.

Comforting the Baby and Yourself

Parents have relied on the use of pacifiers for ages to calm and soothe their infants. A pacifier not only provides comfort to the child and stops them from crying but also provides relief to the parents for that time span.

Provides Satisfaction

The majority of babies that are months of age naturally have the urge to suck even after breastfeeding. That is why most infants are constantly sucking on their fingers. To prevent it and fulfill the desire of the child, give your baby a pacifier that is a perfect solution to the problem.

Limitations of Using Pacifiers

It is essential that your baby must use the pacifiers appropriately as improper use may lead to various problems at later stages. Here are some of the disadvantages linked to its use.

It May Harm the Child’s Dental Health

The oral health of your infant is at stake if they keep using the pacifier for a longer period of time. Pacifier acts as an obstruction in the dental development of the child. Therefore, you must ensure that your child leaves the use of a pacifier before reaching the age of two. If not, it may increase the risk and then he/she might have to face multiple dental problems at later stages.

Increased Ear Issues

You might not know that the extensive use of pacifiers may develop risk of ear infections in babies and small kids. Hence, make sure to limit the use of pacifiers after your baby turns six months old to reduce the risk. This will protect them from developing any undesired ear infections.

Interference with Breastfeeding

Make sure to introduce your baby to breastfeeding before you develop the habit of feeding them a pacifier to avoid nipple confusion. It is advisable to wait until your baby becomes one month old before giving them the pacifier.

Once your child gets used to nursing, and you are sure that he or she is getting the required nutrients, then you may provide them with the pacifier. Else, it may complicate the situation for the baby, and he or she may struggle to get proper nursing.

Are Pacifiers Safe?

Using a pacifier use can be beneficial for you and your child, provided you are monitoring its use. Follow the given guidelines while introducing your child to a pacifier:

• Make sure to use a pacifier that is BPA free.
• Do not tie the pacifier around the neck of your child through a cord. It may result in choking.
• Never clean the pacifier using your mouth. The saliva of the adults consists of harmful bacteria and germs. A pacifier used by first you and then your baby may increase the chances of them getting cavities.
• Prevent dipping the pacifier in sweeteners as it may also lead to cavity issues.
• Use the pacifier at the bedtime or naptime of the baby. Also, use rocking, cuddling, or singing as a mechanism to comfort your children so that they do not entirely rely on the use of pacifiers.

Wrapping Up

The pacifier use is not harmful until you are not managing its use properly. Make sure to follow the above-given tips that will ensure a smooth experience for both you and your child. Remember, the pacifier use is only beneficial until your baby doesn’t make it a habit for a long time.!

Alisha Richardson

This is Alisha Richardson. I am the founder of TopRatedForBaby.com. I am a professional content writer and blogger. I love to share my experience on this blog.