Do you believe in the use of pacifiers to quiet a crying baby?

Question

Why or why not?

Answer 1

I don't believe in them. I think if a parent is taking care of the needs of the child they are not necessary. It really pains me to see a baby crying and parents just shoving a dummy in their mouth to shut them up. Please pick your child up and comfort them and figure out what they need.
My daughters never needed them and children I have babysat over the years never needed them while I watched them. Because I met their needs. Babies dont cry out of spite or to manipulate you, they have no way of communicating and so they cry. Just meet their needs and love and care for them and their is no need to "shut them up".

Answer 2

I have had 3 boys and didnt' use a pacifier because I didn't think it was fair to have to break the child from one more thing, (bottles, potty training ect.) and I hat to see those 2 and 3 year old children sucking on pacifiers. I also know how bad it is on their teeth if not broken soon enough. All of my boys were happy and just fine. I am now pregnant with twins and I have to admit, I MIGHT (not sure yet) resort to the pacifier if I need to. This might be a good time to change my mind, If I do I will definetly set a time to break them, say 8 months old.

Answer 3

Babies are born with a strong need to suck. The pacifier helps fill this need. As long as the pacifier is not used to replace a feeding and not forced upon the baby (when he spits it out and is happy without it, he shouldn't have it forced back in) I think it is a good resource to help keep babies happy. In addition, some studies have shown that babies who go to sleep with a pacifier are less likely to suffer SIDS.

Sometimes, the pacifier is all he needs to calm himself down when all of the rocking and cuddling in the world haven't done the trick! He is only 4 months old and it makes him happier sometimes, so I'm not going to deny him that.

Answer 4

In my experience (7 babies) it is useful and good to use a pacifier for the purpose of soothing an upset baby, for holding off a feeding while getting baby on a schedule or just while you're making the bottle or whatever, and to help baby sleep AT FIRST when you as a new parent are DESPERATE to catch some shut eye. BUT BUT BUT I hate to see a baby older than a couple months out in public with a big piece of plastic and rubber in their mouth. And I wean my babies off the paci at a couple months because as a rule, they can't keep the paci in when sleeping so you end up getting up 6 times a night to put it back in. NO WAY do it do that. So I make them cry it out and do NOT let them have it for sleeping once they are a couple months old. The last baby I weaned was off the paci completely in a week, no crying when put to bed or anything.

Answer 5

I wouldn't push a pacifier on a child who seems somewhat content without one. If you can distract him and soothe him without one, then it's probably easier on you not to have to deal with it, in the long run.

However, if a baby demonstrates the need for some comfort-sucking, then using a pacifier can be a great thing... especially if the baby has colic... and will take a pacifier. They can be a life-saver for parents in some situations.

For babies who don't care one way or the other.. or who won't take one.. that's okay, too!

Answer 6

I don't believe in using a pacifier to quiet a crying baby.......you should find out why the baby is crying.
But I believe in using a pacifier to provide the baby comfort. Mine used hers diligently for about 3 months....then that was it. She wanted nothing to do with it after that.

Answer 7

My daughter uses her pacifier to calm herself before falling asleep, but during the day when she's awake, she's definitely not interested. I don't think there's anything wrong with using a pacifier to quiet a screaming baby -- whatever works to keep your sanity. I use "NUK" brand pacifiers because they won't mess up your kids teeth once they come in. However, I was told by my pediatrician to wean my daughter off the pacifier by six months so that she won't be three years old walking around with a binkie in her mouth. Kids use things for security.

Answer 8

I love the paci! Both of my sons used them and didn't have any lasting effects from them like some people said they would. It is a natural reflex for a baby to suck to soothe himself/herself. There have also been studies that it reduces the risk of SIDS if they use one while sleeping. As long as the baby isn't crying for another reason I think it's fine to give a pacifier. They'll just spit it out and keep crying if something else is bothering them.

Answer 9

Yes. Use whatever gets you some peace and quiet. Millions of babies have used pacifiers and grew up just fine. It's OK.

Answer 10

My first three babies wouldn't even LOOK at a pacifier. When I was pregnant with my (now 1 year old) baby, I bought on 'just in case'. LUCKY I DID! She suffered bad colic and only settled with her pacifier, don't get me wrong, she's not dependent on it as I hide it and distract her most of the time, so she hasn't got it stuck in her gob all day!
Sometimes they work, sometimes not.
Trial and error.

Answer 11

there's a huge debate about this. i say the use of pacifiers is ok. some people will say if your breastfeeding that you shouldn't so it wont interupt the feeding or you trying to get the baby to latch on. but i've never had a problem w/ this. my 2nd son loved teh pacifier but breastfed well. plus pacifiers are a huge help in my opinion.