Are pacifiers bad for a newborn nursing baby?

Question

Or in general?

Answer 1

As short as a year ago, pacifers were a NO NO for all children.

Current research now implies that every child should have a pacifier for it lowers the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) for while sucking on a pacifier they tend not to fall into a "deep" sleep and will decrease their risk of passing.

As far as nursing goes... another study will tell you its confusing for the child since most nipples for the pacifier are designed in shapes similar to the breast...

If you are having trouble nursing, please talk to your pediatrician for different techniques that would help your child attach to your breast, or perhaps if you can, pump your milk into a bottle, the bottle nipple will be similar to that of a pacifier and your child may take to it better.

Good luck!

Answer 2

The jury is still out on whether or not pacifiers are good for your baby, I think. I hear different things all the time. Some say they are bad. Some say they are good and can actually help prevent SIDS. I nurse my eight week old and have since day one. We gave her a pacifier when she was two days old and she takes it whenever she just needs to suck or when she's tired. It's never caused any nipple confusion for us, but some swear that giving a newborn a pacifier or the bottle can cause nipple confusion until breastfeeding is well established (around six weeks). I got the Playtex Ortho Pro's for my baby to protect her from having crooked teeth and she likes them okay, but her favorite is the green Soothie pacifier. She loves it and usually will only take that one. We carry one with us everywhere we go.

Answer 3

The way a baby sucks on a pacifier is different from the way a baby nurses at the breast. Giving a pacifier before baby is good a nursing can risk "nipple confusion" and mess up breastfeeding. But every baby is different and there's no way to tell for sure. If you feel a pacifier is appropriate and if baby is doing well w/ nursing, go ahead and give it a try. If you notice any difference in baby's nursing (like baby starts getting bad at it- you have pain, etc.) or if baby starts losing weight (b/c baby sucks on pacifier instead of nursing when he/she is hungry), stop the pacifier. Otherwise, don't worry.

Answer 4

They can make things more difficult if he is already having trouble learning to nurse b/c it can cause nipple confusion in a newborn. That said, the AAP actually now recommends pacifier use in babies at night to help reduce the risk of SIDS.

My son would never take one-he always spit it out.

Answer 5

a pacifier is much better for a child then thumb or finger sucking. You can break a child of sucking on a pacifier; these can be thrown away. You can't throw away fingers and thumbs. I used pacifiers with both my kids.

Answer 6

the concern is that soothers will teach them lazy sucking habits which will hurt the mother during nursing and maybe make nursing not possilbe. My son does well with both a pacifer and nursing. Not all babies can switch back and forth.

Answer 7

Pacifiers are only bad if they are over used, or for children who have teeth coming in because they can cause the teeth and the upper palate to be mis-shaped (the same as thumb sucking can)

Answer 8

Sometimes a nursing baby will have nipple confusion. Sucking on a plastic nipple is different than sucking on a human nipple. If you are breastfeeding and your baby is having trouble latching on or sucking, you might not want to give him any plastic nipples until he gets the hang of it.

Answer 9

No. If the baby likes it it is ok. My son did for a short time but he preferred the breasts.

Answer 10

I'm not sure about that, but i worked in a day care, and i know they are a pain to try to ween your kid off of later. A REAL pain