How to Get a Reluctant Baby to Take a Pacifier

The Ultimate Pacifier Use Guide for New Parents

Run into our ultimate guide for all the information on pacifiers yous need to make an informed, educated decision effectually your little one's pacifier use!

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How to Utilize Pacifiers Responsibly

As a new parent, you want cipher more than to nurture your bail with your little 1, grow together in dear, and bask each moment learning well-nigh one another and becoming closer every mean solar day. Nosotros all want our children to develop into happy, good for you piffling people, enabled positively by the choices we fabricated during their earliest and development periods.

There are differing opinions when it comes to how and when to employ a pacifier – and having questions is totally normal. Every baby is unique and we believe that parents know and do what's all-time for their little ones. This guide shares what we know are bear witness-based facts around pacifiers, so you lot can make the most educated, informed decisions when information technology comes to introducing pacifiers responsibly and using one with your baby.

We all know that suckling is an innate, natural reverberate of nigh babies. When babies suckle to calm themselves or self-soothe to sleep without nursing, that'south what experts phone call non-nutritive sucking (NNS). Non-nutritive sucking has already been observed in the womb when your baby practices suckling on their hands and/or fingers. Introducing a pacifier can help satisfy your lilliputian 1'southward natural want to suckle.

Parents accept given their babies objects to suckle on for centuries. When choosing a pacifier today, knowing what criteria is near important for your infant'southward unique needs – such as weight, material, flexibility, softness, or the shape of the shield and teat – can make a world of divergence when it comes to your piffling one'south overall pacifier feel.

What Can a Pacifier Do For My Baby?

…A lot! In fact, the pacifier can:

• Satisfy your babe's natural suckling desires, especially after he or she has been fed merely still wants to suckle.
• Help to calm and relax babies when other comfort attempts have non been constructive. Suckling on a pacifier helps them to regulate their emotions.
• Help reduce babies' feelings of hurting, such equally during a vaccination or when a blood sample is taken.
• Provide additional practice to practice the rima oris muscles, which and so supports oral evolution.

True or False? Exam Your Pacifier Knowledge!

• Using a pacifier shortens the length of time that you may breastfeed.
  Imitation! The opinions of healthcare professionals are sometimes divided on when the right fourth dimension is to commencement using a pacifier. Scientific evidence shows that using a pacifier from nascency will not harm initiation and duration of breastfeeding in healthy term babies, especially when mothers are motivated to breastfeed. Many parents choose to offering a pacifier once lactation is established and breastfeeding is going well for both you and your infant.
• Pacifiers crusade eventual crooked teeth.
  Faux. However, pacifier use should exist limited to less than vi hours per day. With that in mind, it'south important to remember that each child'due south mouth and teeth develop differently. Using pacifiers with children older than 24 months should be a determination fabricated individually by each parent, based on give-and-take with their little i's pediatrician and pediatric dentist.

  The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that weaning from the pacifier should start by 3 years of age at the latest. Following these guidelines and ensuring the limited and responsible use of a pacifier shouldn't cause bug later on with crooked teeth. Be sure to choose a pacifier that supports oral evolution, which is commonly designated by the word "orthodontic" on the package and/or in the product clarification.

What Does the Ideal Pacifier Look Like?

Voice communication-language pathologists recommend the post-obit features in pacifiers to help support the natural move of your babe'south oral cavity muscles:

• Sparse shaft, which minimizes the space between the upper and lower jaw.
• Flat teat, which takes up less space in the mouth and allows for more tongue movement.
• Flexible and elastic teat, which allows for additional tongue motion.
• Lightweight construction to minimize the piece of work of the facial muscles.
• Ergonomic shield, which helps the pacifier fit the contour of your infant's face and foreclose aggravating pressure points.

How Can I Keep Pacifiers Make clean and Condom For My Infant?

Desire to keep your little one's pacifiers in clean, quality condition? Follow these guidelines:

• Boil the pacifier for 5 minutes earlier first employ. Permit information technology to thoroughly and completely cool before utilise. If needed, squeeze any remaining h2o out of the teat that may have collected while boiling.
• Sterilize your baby'southward pacifier regularly, specially if y'all alive in an area where h2o is non safe. You can sterilize the pacifier in boiling water; using an electrical habitation sterilizer for bottles, nipples, and other baby products; or with steam sterilization using your microwave and the sterilization box included with your pacifier.
• Wash your petty ane's pacifier with warm water between uses.
• If the pacifier falls onto the floor, avert putting it into your own oral fissure to quickly make clean it as this could transfer bacteria and viruses to your baby.
• Firmly pull the teat and carefully inspect it for tears or holes earlier each use. E'er replace pacifiers right away at the first sign of wearable or damage.
• Replace pacifiers that are used daily nearly every 1 – 2 months.
• Replace pacifiers immediately subsequently your petty one has had any infectious disease, such every bit a cold or stomach flu.
• Employ a protective cap or box to assist keep pacifiers clean while out and about or away from abode.
• When weaning your little i from their pacifier, we strongly recommend against shortening the teat by cutting information technology off or dissentious it in any way. Doing so could potentially pb to choking as a result of your babe accidentally swallowing tiny and/or loose parts. For helpful weaning tips, read on to the "Farewell Pacifier!" section of this guide.

Goodbye, Pacifier! How and When to Wean Your Baby From the Pacifier

Eventually, the time will come when you lot determine to stop using the pacifier. Some children have no trouble giving upwardly their pacifiers, are gear up to do so, and may accept even begun self-weaning. Others may need more time to adjust. Patience and understanding are primal when helping your piddling one say goodbye to their pacifier, but these tips can ease their journey going forward:

• Don't blitz – Take time preparing your little one for this big step.
  Set your child slowly and gently as it comes time to say cheerio to their pacifier. Goodbyes are never easy and neither are changes – Depending on your child'southward age, you lot may wish to talk with them and make up one's mind on a farewell plan together. Allow him or her to accept a say in the decision, feel that you lot're supportive of them, and that you are acknowledging their endeavour and feelings. A kid should never be forced to give up their pacifier by punishment or through humiliation.
• Plant the seed.
  When yous call back your fiddling one may be ready to discontinue using their pacifier, make a plan and stick with it. Kickoff talking about weaning from the pacifier in advance, and so your child has ample fourth dimension to get used to the thought. From there, you lot tin can gradually brainstorm reducing pacifier use.
• Read together.
  Reading with your little one is a peachy bonding activity. It'due south an opportunity to talk about a lot of things and spend quality fourth dimension together. There are many children's film books that encourage kids – in an age-appropriate way – to finish using their pacifier. This tin can help prepare them and assistance them to understand when it'southward time to say skilful-adieu.
• Out of sight, out of mind.
  It tin be helpful if your little i doesn't e'er encounter or have admission to their pacifier. This prevents them from constantly being reminded that it's there and so wanting to utilize information technology. Put the pacifier away when it'southward not in use and offering it just in situations, such as if your baby is sick, if they're receiving a shot, or if you're traveling together on a plane.
• Accept things day by twenty-four hours and step by step.
  Information technology's okay to start with pocket-sized steps! Encourage less pacifier use gradually, 24-hour interval by twenty-four hour period. For instance, allow your footling one to employ their pacifier only at naptimes or in the evenings to help them fall asleep – and then progressively decrease the daily amount of time that he or she is using their pacifier.
• Be witting of timing.
  Don't start weaning your kid from their pacifier if there is currently a stressful state of affairs or major life event happening, such as welcoming a new sibling, moving to a new home or bedroom, being sick, traveling, or experiencing a major modify within the family like separation or divorce. It's always best to choose a calm, non-stressful period to begin weaning your little 1 from their pacifier!
• Consider a farewell ritual to say bye to the pacifier together.
  There are many creative ways to help your fiddling one let become of their pacifier. For example, a pacifier tree involves request a friend or relative whether you may hang the last pacifiers on a tree in their garden. Visit the friend or relative together and hang the pacifiers on a tree branch. This symbolic act tin help your picayune ane better empathize the finality of saying goodbye. Planning a fun activity afterwards can be a corking way to bond and gloat this milestone together!

  Another idea is the pacifier fairy, who comes and takes the pacifier away when no one is looking. Talk to your child and plan a time when they are set up to invite the fairy into your home. Allow your child choose a spot to leave their pacifiers for the fairy to accept them away. Tell your picayune one that the fairy – much like the molar fairy! – comes overnight and leaves a surprise in place of the pacifiers. Just be certain that at that place are no additional pacifiers anywhere in your home that could be constitute later on.

• Assistance your petty ane through the journey.
  Stay business firm and supportive. Later agreeing to take the pacifier away, he or she may however have a difficult time getting used to the state of affairs. They may ask for the pacifier (and probably will) and might fifty-fifty cry for it. Do your best to remain firm and don't requite in, while remaining supportive, comforting, and reminding them of your agreed-upon decision. It's never easy to say goodbye, so remember to have patience with your fiddling one every bit they limited their feelings. Snuggle with him or her, give them a relaxing massage, or play some comforting music to ensure a soothing environment.

  When preparing to help your little 1 through this stage, consider how yous'll react and respond to him or her when they complain or weep for their pacifier. For some children, the weaning process is difficult and they may protest. Allow them to express their feelings and stay supportive at all times. Y'all can assist him or her cope past giving them a lot of extra hugs, attending, and playtime. Eventually, the lament will decrease every bit your little ane becomes more than accustomed to the transition!

• Distract your infant.
  If he or she asks or motions to use their pacifier, you tin can try distracting them with games, cuddling, playtime, or even reading books together.

Recollect, what works for one child may non work for another. Children are their own little people and developing their ain lilliputian personalities, likes, and dislikes every mean solar day! You may even have completely different pacifier experiences from one of your children to some other.

What remains true, withal, is that yous know your little one best and you've been doing a great task building a loving bail together – which includes joyful moments and difficult ones too! Like your little ane's other milestones, you'll go through this together every bit part of the journey.

Be sure to praise your niggling one when they fully surrender their pacifier, and even as they take minor steps towards weaning from it. Tell him or her how proud you lot are of what they did and acknowledge that it'southward a big step. And, of course, be sure to lavish a lot of hugs and cuddles on your child throughout the process! Remember, in love we grow.

References

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2. Jenik AG, Vain North. The pacifier fence. Early Hum Dev. 2009; 85(10 Suppl):S89-S91.
3. Pillai Riddell RR et al. Non-pharmacological management of infant and young child procedural hurting. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015; (12):CD006275.
4. Sampallo-Pedroza RM et al. Description of oral-motor evolution from nascency to six years of age. Rev Fac Med. 2014; 62(4):593–604.
5. Alm B et al. Breastfeeding and dummy use have a protective effect on sudden infant death syndrome. Acta Paediatr. 2016; 105(1):31–38.
6. Moon RY, AAP Job Force on SIDS. SIDS and other sleep-related baby deaths: Bear witness base for 2016 updated recommendations for a safe infant sleeping surround. Pediatrics. 2016; 138(v):e20162940.
7. Jaafar SH et al. Outcome of restricted pacifier use in breastfeeding term infants for increasing duration of breastfeeding. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016; (8):CD007202.
8. Proffit WR. On the aetiology of malocclusion. The Northcroft lecture, 1985 presented to the British Society for the Study of Orthodontics, Oxford, April 18, 1985. Br J Orthod. 1986; thirteen(i):1–11.
9. AAPD. Guideline on periodicity of examination, preventive dental services, anticipatory guidance/counseling, and oral treatment for infants, children, and adolescents. Latest revision 2018. In: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, editor. The reference manual of pediatric dentistry. 2019-2020. Chicago IL: AAPD; 2020. p. 209–19.
10. Furtenbach M et al. Myofunktionelle Therapie KOMPAKT I - Prävention: Ein Denk- und Arbeitsbuch. Vienna: Praesens; 2013. ( vol ii). 235 p.
11. WIC Breastfeeding Back up. Infant'south hunger cues: USDA. Available from: https://wicbreastfeeding.fns.usda.gov/babys-hunger-cues.
12. Lieberthal Every bit et al. Clinical practise guideline: The diagnosis and management of acute otitis media. Pediatrics. 2013; 131(iii):e964-99.

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