84: Pacifiers

Your baby starts building their strong sucking reflex in the womb. This is needed for breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, but it also has a calming effect on your baby. While it may seem like all parents give their babies pacifiers, some parents choose not to. There are benefits to giving your baby a pacifier beyond soothing a fussy baby, like a reduction in the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Along with the pros come some drawbacks to their use, and some precautions about pacifier use and breastfeeding. There is quite a bit of research on pacifiers and things like breastfeeding, dental issues, ear infections, and SIDS. By hearing the evidence both for and against the use of pacifiers you can make an informed decision as to whether you want to give one to your baby. If you do choose to give your baby a pacifier this episode also has recommendations for their use, and tips for shopping for pacifiers.