Pacifier A Boon or Curse

Ferber Pacifier

Pacifier, plug, Binky, Boo Boo, you can call it whatever you want. In many cases, it serves as a blessing, but becomes a bit of a curse also, as it causes many problems in the development of the child. Parents are concerned about whether to use it or not, many physicians strictly prohibit the use of a pacifier, on the other hand, some say it’s good and helpful in moderation. Now the choice is on the parents to choose the best option after weighing the pros and cons of the pacifier.

Many babies suck their fingers or thumb before birth, similar to the pacifier, which provides the calming and soothing effect on the baby, but it is the root cause of under-development in children. Parents are confused about whether they should buy it for their babies or not, so let’s discuss the pros and cons of the pacifier.

Also Check: Best Ways to Soothe a Crying Baby

Pacifier A Boon

• Non-nutritive suckering, pacifier provides the calming and soothing effects on the baby, even when they are hungry they try to suck a pacifier. Some babies, even suck their thumb or fingers, and for them, a pacifier is a good option.
• The research has proven that pacifier reduces the risk of SIDS, hence it seems good to feed pacifier to your newborn baby up to 6 months. Avoid the regular use, one can introduce the pacifier while sleeping or nap time.
• The pacifier is the best option to avoid the screaming of the baby for a few minutes if you are busy with some important work. The Pacifier is proven to be useful during flights, immunization and menacing moments.
• The pacifier is the best tool to settle your baby into sleep. When nothing else works pacifier is the best option to soothe and calm your baby. The Pacifier is proven to be the finest means to calm the baby at night time.

Pacifier A Curse

• Sometimes baby becomes habitual to the pacifier, they might cry more during the night if soother is lost. So one should limit the use of a pacifier.
• Pacifier if not cleaned properly catches germs and dirt, and can make your baby sick.
• Apart from comfort, the pacifier is not considered as part of healthy development as it causes rapid weight gain and many other health problems.
• Pacifier during the first few years does not cause any teeth problems, but long-term regular use can cause dental problems such as upper teeth to stick out from the mouth.
• Regular use of a pacifier causes language delay, in some cases, this causes long-term effects. A child who uses a pacifier for long periods also lacks verbal expression.
• It also causes ear infection and slows down the mental and physical growth of the child. Children those who do not use a pacifier at an early age are much sharper and more active than those who do.

Also Read: 7 Things To Consider When Adopting A Child

If your baby is still addicted to pacifier, then here follows the list of some tips that can lower down the risk of problems caused by using pacifiers.

• Avoid the use of sugar to coat pacifier.
• Don’t share a pacifier with another child.
• Keep the pacifier clean. Boil it in water for better cleaning.
• Limit the use of a pacifier, offer it to your baby during sleep or nap time.
• Try other methods of soothing do not be fully dependent upon a pacifier.

The above-mentioned are the pros and cons of the pacifier. The Pacifier is a great option for soothing and calming the baby, but on another side, it causes serious problems such as dental, lack of physical and mental growth, Etc.