Is a pacifier right for your baby?
Sucking is one of baby’s primal instincts - many even suck their thumbs in the womb.  They do it, not only because it’s how they will eventually eat, but to comfort themselves in times of stress. There is a lot of conflicting information out in the world concerning the use of pacifiers, so here is the lowdown on the latest:

Believe it or not, pacifiers are healthy
The benefits of using a pacifier to soothe your little one to sleep may be more considerable than initially realized. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently published a report stating pacifier use during sleep may reduce the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), and now recommends pacifier use in the latest SIDS guidelines. Using a pacifier during sleep was associated with a 90 percent reduced risk of SIDS, compared with babies who did not use a pacifier - impressive numbers!

Pacifiers & breastfeeding
Experts recommend waiting to introduce a pacifier until the baby turns one month old, when breastfeeding patterns are firmly established and the risk of SIDS begins to rise. If you are breastfeeding, this gives your milk supply a chance to come in and your baby a chance to learn to latch on. Babies who get a pacifier before they get accustomed to nursing sometimes experience nipple confusion. Sucking on a breast is different than sucking on a bottle or a pacifier and can lead your baby to refuse the breast in favor of the pacie. If you are bottle-feeding, it isn’t as much of an issue.

Nip it in the bud
Pacifiers are great when babies are young, but let’s face it - they probably shouldn’t enter the school system using them.  But if “Binky” is only used when truly needed (sleep and extreme duress), baby should have no problem putting down the pacifier when they are ready. But don’t wait forever - using a pacifier in later years might effect dental development.

A good time to quit? It depends on the child. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, children can suck their thumbs between the ages of two and four without any major dental ramifications, as long as they don’t do it for extended periods of time.

Of course, if mommy or daddy wants to decide the time is right, that’s good too. Just do it slowly and gradually, first removing the pacifier as baby falls asleep, and eventually removing it gently earlier and earlier in the process.  It might be rough going at first, but after a few days or a week, but your child will adjust to a pacie-free existence.