Pacifier - yes or no? You have to know that

Pacifier - yes or no? Not only do the spirits differ on this question, but also many parents. But why do many parents ask themselves this question? We clarify.

Pacifier yes or no - a question of conviction

For many parents, the pacifier is something like the Holy Grail - the little silicone teat soothes the baby when it is restless. For others, it is just an additional habit that the child has to be weaned off later.

• Babies are born with a natural suction reflex. This means that if you can suck on something, it means not only food intake, but also security and security. It is not for nothing that many babies fall asleep while breastfeeding or drinking from a bottle. So a pacifier can have the same effect as the breast or the bottle.
• A pacifier speaks for the fact that it soothes the baby. This can be particularly useful on the go when breastfeeding is not possible or a bottle is not within reach.
• The argument against the pacifier is that it can lead to confusion in suckling children (incorrect sucking on the breast). This in turn can have a negative impact on the mother's milk production and thus the baby's weight gain. It is therefore not advisable to use the pacifier in the first few weeks in nursing children.
• Another argument against a pacifier is that children without a pacifier are statistically less likely to develop middle ear infections.
• A pacifier can cause malpositioned jaws. In addition, children who had a pacifier more often need speech therapy.
• An important aspect that you should always keep in mind as parents: You use a pacifier to educate the baby. This is often easy and problem-free. It looks different with the weaning off. In many families, this leads to stressful times.
• And then there was the pacifier search at night. Children with a pacifier often need it at night to fall asleep again. If the child cannot find the pacifier in bed, you must help as a parent. This can lead to several missions per night.

You should pay attention to this

If you want to give your baby a pacifier, there are a few things to keep in mind.

• Basically, you should avoid giving the pacifier for convenience with every little muck of your baby. Try calming the baby in a different way first. Let it feel your proximity.
• Use a jaw-shaped pacifier made of flexible latex.
• When your baby gets the first teeth, you should pay attention to their position. If the teeth grow crooked, this may be due to the pacifier. You can recognize malpositions mainly by the upper incisors, which are often pushed forward by the pacifier. A visit to the dentist is advisable in this case.
• If your child is already speaking, make sure that they take the pacifier out of their mouth when they speak. Otherwise, speech disorders such as lisp can occur.
• It is best to start weaning from the age of two. Then children are technically able to calm themselves down - that is, without aids.
• Conclusion: Only give the pacifier when needed, not in the first weeks of life and only for a short time. This also makes it easier to get used to it later.

How to properly sterilize the pacifier can be read in another practical tip.