Dummies and newborns

All babies have a sucking reflex, and giving them a pacifier has long been used as a means of calming and soothing them.

Some babies will suck on anything they can find, be it thumbs, toes or toys – they’re usually the ones who most benefit from a pacifier; others can be soothed with a cuddle or rocking.

Using a pacifier with a very young baby may not be very successful, as many dislike the sensation of a pacifier in their mouth. It can also confuse breastfed babies and make breastfeeding uncomfortable for you, since your baby may attempt to use the very different sucking technique she has with her harder, more rigid, pacifier when she latches on to your softer, more pliable nipple. She may even reject the breast in favor of the pacifier. For these reasons, if you plan to breastfeed avoid giving your newborn a pacifier until breastfeeding is established, probably somewhere around four weeks.

If your baby is bottlefed it’s fine to give her a pacifier, but try to avoid using it as a way of stopping her from crying without trying to find out what’s bothering her. Is she really hungry and is the dummy just staving off the inevitable? Is she feeling insecure? Is she cutting a tooth? Is she finding it hard to get to sleep on her own? Read identifying different sorts of crying.

Cleaning pacifiers

Until your baby is weaned onto solids, her pacifiers should be sterilized in the same way as you sterilize bottles. Watch gurgle's video guide on how to sterilize your baby's feeding equipment. After weaning, thorough cleaning is enough to ensure the pacifier is safe to use. Inadequate cleaning of dummies can lead to ear infections, as bacteria can travel down your baby’s short Eustachian tubes. Using a pacifier clip, which attaches it to your baby’s clothes, can help avoid repeated drops on the floor.

Weaning your child off her pacifier

Pacifiers may interfere with the development of your child’s teeth, especially if she’s still using one when her permanent teeth start to appear, usually around the age of five or six. Some parents find it very hard to wean their child off their ‘binkie’ so start as early as you can by restricting pacifier use to bedtime, taking it out of her mouth when she falls asleep, or restrict it to home only. Try and encourage your child to focus on a small toy instead as a comforter, and emphasize the fact that she is a big girl now and that binkies are for babies! Often, once a child starts to speak, they find their pacifier a hindrance and start relying on it less as they try and communicate more.

For more on this subject, read our article pacifiers: yes or no? or speak to other parents about their views on pacifiers by posting a comment on our chat section.

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.

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Last Modified: 19/06/2008

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