It's your child's first love, and the breakup can be tough. Survive the pacifier weaning stage with these tried-and-true tactics.#byebyebinky #pacifierweaning #goodbyepacifier #tipstoloosethepacifer#mondaymorningmomschildcare #mondaymorningmoms
Your baby is crying. She looks very unhappy: She has her mouth open, her eyes squeezed shut, her fists clenched. You've tried everything you can think of to calm her down—breastfeeding, walking her in the stroller, gently rocking her and singing to her. In your palm you hold what you hope will be the answer: a pacifier.
Experts agree that pacifiers are entirely appropriate for soothing Baby. Still, pediatric dentists recommend limiting pacifier time once a child is 2 and eliminating it by age 4 to avoid dental problems. Beyond that, there are no hard-and-fast rules about when and how to say "bye-bye binky." Here's what you need to know to make the right choice for you and your child.
Pacifier Safety
When purchasing a pacifier, be sure to follow these guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
Look for a one-piece model with a soft nipple (some two-piece pacifiers can break apart).
The shield should be made of firm plastic with air holes, and should measure at least 1 inch across so baby can't swallow it.
Purchase dishwasher-safe pacifiers and clean them this way frequently until baby is 6 months; after this, wash pacifiers regularly with hot soap and water.
Pacifiers come in two sizes: 0-6 months and 6 months and above; for baby's comfort, make sure pacifiers are the correct size.
To prevent the risk of strangulation, never tie a pacifier around your baby's hand, neck, or crib railing. Use a pacifier clip instead.
Never use a bottle nipple and ring in place of a pacifier; the nipple can separate from the ring and pose a choking hazard.
Inspect pacifiers regularly for damage and replace them if the rubber has changed color or torn.
The Basics of Pacifier Use
Babies are born with an innate need to suck, says Richard Dowell, PhD, a pediatric neuropsychologist at Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Newborns rely on this "suck reflex" not only for sustenance but also for soothing. "Young infants have no other mechanism to control their distress," explains Dowell. "They can't get a drink; they can't ask for a blanket; they can't use their hands to control things. Sucking provides a way for them to calm themselves."
Thus, babies will suck—if not on a pacifier, then on a thumb, finger, bottle, or breast, says Karen Breach, MD, a pediatrician in Charlotte, North Carolina. "If a baby needs to nurse more than every two hours, he's using Mom as a pacifier," she says, noting that, in such cases, a pacifier can help satisfy baby's non-nutritive sucking needs while giving Mom a needed break.
Just be sure breastfeeding is well established before introducing the pacifier, cautions Kellen Glinder, MD, a pediatrician at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, in Palo Alto, California. "For babies who do have trouble learning to breastfeed, the pacifier can teach bad habits." Once baby is an expert at nursing and mom's milk supply is established (typically in a few days), it's fine to bring on the binky.
Pacifier Pros and Cons
While parents worry that binkies may harm baby's teeth, they typically have no effect on a child under 2. "From a dental-health perspective, it's best to limit the pacifier when a child is 2 and stop it entirely by the time a child is 4," says John Stritikus, DDS, a pediatric dentist in Dickson, Tennessee. Past age 4, pacifiers can cause an overbite, open bite, or cross bite—problems that affect chewing, speech, and appearance, and often require orthodontics to correct, notes Dr. Stritikus. Unfortunately, so-called orthodontic pacifiers don't make a difference. What matters is the frequency and intensity of the sucking habit.
Pacifier Pros
A way to soothe: The amount of time an infant spends crying increases from birth until about 6 weeks, when a baby cries for an average of three hours a day. "That's a lot of crying stress," says Cynthia R. Howard, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in New York. Sucking undoubtedly helps calm a baby, she adds, which is why pacifiers are so popular
Health benefits: The only proven medical benefits linked to pacifiers have been seen in preterm babies. Preemies who suck on binkies gain weight faster, according to a 1992 study published in the Swedish journal Acta Pediatrica. Other research has found that preemies who use pacifiers shortly after birth show earlier sucking patterns and experience fewer health complications. "Sucking promotes oral-muscle function and muscle development," says Nina L. Shapiro, M.D., assistant professor of pediatric otolaryngology at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine.
Reduced risk of SIDS: Pacifiers are associated with a reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), according to four recent studies One study found that babies put to sleep with a pacifier were 20 times less likely to die of SIDS than were babies who slept without pacifiers. Researchers speculate that pacifiers may keep babies from rolling onto their faces or may keep their tongues forward and away from their airways. But since a cause-and-effect relationship has not been proven, researchers aren't sure how, or even if, pacifiers prevent SIDS. In the meantime, the SIDS Alliance refrains from recommending their use.
Pacifiers Cons
Ear infections: Pacifiers were found to be responsible for 25 percent of ear infections in children under 3 attending day care, according to a study published in Pediatrics in 1995. Restricting pacifier use to just before a child fell asleep, though, returned the risk to almost normal, a follow-up study in 2000 (also in Pediatrics) found. Why the link? Pacifier sucking promotes fluid collection in the ears, which can lead to ear infections, Shapiro says.
Early weaning from the breast: Offering a pacifier to a full-term baby may keep her from what she really needs—food. Indeed, several studies have linked pacifier use with early cessation of breastfeeding. However, a study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that pacifiers probably were not to blame for early weaning. The researchers concluded that their use is a sign of breastfeeding difficulties or reduced motivation to breastfeed.
While the pacifier-breastfeeding connection remains a question, if you do give a binkie, it's best to wait. "If you want to offer a pacifier, wait until four to six weeks, when your milk supply is established," Howard says.
Dental problems: Children who suck anything—thumb, finger or pacifier—past age 2 have a higher risk of developing protruding front teeth and/or a crossbite in baby teeth, according to a study published last year in the Journal of the American Dental Association. In some cases, these problems persist when permanent teeth come in.
Article Courtesy of Parents.com https://bit.ly/2BoGR2s By Marguerite Lamb
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