Pacifiers can be great to help babies self-soothe and fall asleep!
Research also shows that pacifiers can decrease risk of SIDS.
Pacifier use can also help strengthen the muscles in the tongue and mouth to improve latch with bottle and breastfeeding. It is reccomended to introduce a pacifier to your little one around 4-6 weeks, so as to not interfere with the sucking pattern for breastfeeding.
At around 4-6 months, when your baby gets closer to eating solid foods, we should be trying to phase out the pacifier so we can get rid of the “sucking” or rooting reflex and work on chewing and biting to facilitate transition to eating solids.
Best practice is to eliminate pacifier use by 12 months. Prolonged pacifier use, past 12 months, has been directly linked to two health issues.
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Malocclusion: this occurs when the jaw and/or teeth are misaligned. When these differences develop it can lead to distortion during articulation of speech sounds.
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Ear infections: frequent and prolonged use of pacifiers has been directly linked to otitis media (ear infections). This increases the risk of hearing loss, which can have a significant impact on speech sound development.
Additionally, pacifier use can cause the palate to form into a high, narrow shape which contributes to low tongue posture and tongue thrust swallow pattern. This palate shape also increases risk for speech sound disorders.
Weaning is easier said than done when your little one has found comfort with the help of a pacifier! But, don’t despair…Here are a few tips for weaning the pacifier from your baby’s routine.
Tips for Weaning:
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Practice consistent sleep routines. You should allow no more than 15-20 minutes of pacifier use for bedtime and 5-10 minutes for naptime.
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The Pantley-Pull-Off is a gradual approach to pacifier weaning. It consists of the following 3 steps:
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Put the baby down in the crib with the pacifier when he’s drowsy but awake.
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Gently remove the pacifier once he falls asleep.
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Repeat until your baby no longer needs a pacifier to fall asleep.