Are Pacifiers Bad?

Pacifiers are not inherently bad, in fact there are many pros to pacifier use when developmentally appropriate. Learning when to use a pacifier and when to wean from the pacifier can help you along your journey with your little one.

Pros: From 0-6 months,  pacifiers can decrease the risk of SIDS, provided important non-nutritive sucking, and help your baby soothe.

After 6 months of age the benefits of the pacifier decrease as baby no longer developmentally needs the pacifier to self soothe. After 12 months of age, there are no reported benefits to pacifier use. Prolonged pacifier use can make weaning harder, contribute to increased ear infections, and negatively impact growth of babies mouth and teeth.

What’s the big deal? Prolonged pacifier use can negatively impact the growth and development of your child’s oral cavity. Constant use can impair your child’s ability to talk just because there is an object inside his/her mouth (I know obvious!! But true!!) and encourage low and forward resting posture of the tongue.

When the tongue rests low and forward in the mouth, it can cause many issues such as open mouth breathing, high vaulted palate, persistent infantile swallow.

At 6 months of age, your child should start developing a posterior adult like swallow pattern. By 1 year of age, your child should have an adult swallow pattern, ready to accept all kinds of food. A persistent forward infantile swallow pattern can lead to an articulation delay, need for orthodontia, and feeding problems.

Try This: Around 6 months of age, set a goal to wean your baby off the pacifier. If your baby doesn’t seem ready, it’s okay to wait a few more months. It is not recommended to wait past your child’s first birthday.

Be consistent: Once you have decided you and your family are ready to wean from the pacifier, know that the first 3-4 days may be tough. Try taking the pacifier out after your baby has fallen asleep and slowly allow your baby less and less time with the pacifier during the day/night.

The ROOT of the issue: If you are having a hard time weaning your little one from the pacifier, there may be an underlying issue. Tongue ties or airway issues can lead to prolonged sucking. If you are having a difficult time weaning your little one off the pacifier, don’t beat yourself up! Talk to your pediatrician about possible underlying reasons and seek out an evaluation form a speech therapist or ENT.

Recognize when you need help: If you find yourself reading this with a 24 month old still using the pacifier, DON’T FEEL SHAME! It can be hard and sometimes we all could use a little extra help. Sometimes we just need to find the right professional to help us along the way

So, Are pacifiers bad? Absolutely not! But consider setting a goal for when you want to wean your little one.

If you are having difficulty weaning your little one off a pacifier talk to your pediatrician, dentist, or contact a speech pathologist.