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Home › Articles › General Health › Reexamining the Pacifier

Reexamining the Pacifier

Can Pacifiers Reduce the Risk of SIDS?

By Teri Brown

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Experts aren't sure why pacifiers reduce the risk of SIDS. It may be because the pacifiers keep the airway open during sleep, or perhaps babies sleep more lightly because they are sucking. Or maybe babies are less likely to roll over onto their stomachs with a pacifier in their mouths. So far, these are only speculations and further research will be necessary to determine exactly what the reason is.

Pacifier Use and Breastfeeding
There have been many arguments used to discourage pacifier use. One of the most compelling of these is the belief that pacifier use discourages breastfeeding.

Dr. Ari Brown, pediatrician and co-author of Baby 411: Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Baby's First Year (Windsor Peak Press, 2003), says this shouldn't be of grave concern. "The American Association of Pediatrics SIDS Task Force reviewed a large number of studies done on SIDS, as well as pacifiers and breastfeeding, dentition and ear infections," says Dr. Brown. "After reviewing the literature, they felt that the evidence was there that did not prove a decrease in breastfeeding duration simply because babies were given pacifiers (there were other variables that may reduce the length of breastfeeding). They did, however, feel it was important to delay offering a pacifier until 1 month of age to be sure that breastfeeding was well established first."

Dr. Brown recommens breastfeeding moms wait at least a week to offer a pacifier (if they choose to use one) because babies are just learning how to suck, and it may interfere with their technique at the breast. "I also encourage moms to learn Baby's hunger cues so they do not put a pacifier in when the baby really just needs to nurse," says Dr. Brown. "I think that pacifier use and breastfeeding are not mutually exclusive (i.e., they can both happen successfully). But I also tell parents to know when to stop using a pacifier. Even with the new SIDS recommendations, the highest risk of SIDS is between 2 to 6 months of age."


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