Pacifiers - Friends Or Foes?

The survival of an infant is dependent on feeding. Therefore, the desire to suck is a strong one. Many babies frantically lose control without a pacifier, while other infants could care less. Consider the following advantages and disadvantages that come with using a pacifier.

A pacifier is:

• Comforting to an infant when he is learning to put himself to sleep.


• Safe. In truth, babies who suck on pacifiers may have a lowered risk of their lives being claimed by Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).


• Easy to wash.

There is a downside to using pacifiers. Note the following points:

• Pacifiers may be lost in the middle of the night.


• Some newborns who use pacifiers resist nursing. This usually occurs within the first three weeks of life. After this time period, pacifiers are less likely to be the root of any feeding issues.


• Pacifiers can make a child's teeth shift forward. Be sure your kid isn't still sucking on a pacifier at the age of 5 when permanent teeth come in because then he may be stuck with shifted teeth or be in need of braces.


• Pacifiers also tend to be difficult to quit. However, ridding your little one of a pacifier in the first or second year can ease the blow. The longer you wait, the harder it gets to quit.

For some parents pacifiers are a blessing rather than curse, while for others, they are the source of tension and anxiety. Weigh the good and bad aspects of pacifiers and decide for yourself if one is your friend or foe.

Terez Howard, a freelance writer and proofreader, specializes in money-saving and family-related topics. Check out her website http://www.toydrumset.net to see which toy drum set is right for your child.