Pacifiers...Who are they Really for?
Written: Mar 27 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: comforts baby, satisfies babies need for sucking
Cons: shouldn't be a substitute for attention
The Bottom Line: I recommend Gerber NUK pacifiers as a means to comfort baby and satisfy a need to suck.
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| lynx32's Full Review: Gerber Nuk Classic Pacifier |
First of all, I believe pacifiers are a good thing...if used properly.
I bought my daughter a NUK pacifier when she was 8 days old because we were halfway through a very long trip, it was getting dark and there were long stretches of highway where it would be unsafe to pull over and feed her. I needed something to help me out with comforting her until we could make it to the next rest stop.
Her new NUK binky was very helpful, but she would only suck on it for a few minutes at a time and then, out it would pop and she'd settle down for the 10-30 minutes that it took us to find a place to stop.
Many people think pacifiers are a "no-no" because they think their child will become "addicted" and have a hard time giving it up later on, or will end up needing extensive dental work.
I know of a few parents who pop a pacifier in their baby's mouth at the drop of a hat. It's strictly my opinion, but I've observed that these are the same babies that don't learn to talk and do other things as quickly as babies who's parents pay attention to them and don't just try and "shush them".
I believe a happy medium can be reached. Babies like to suck. That doesn't mean they are ALWAYS hungry! They just want to suck on something, plain and simple. My own infant would sometimes just suck on her pacifier for 30 seconds, then OUT it pops. She's not dependent on it.
If a parent satisfies a babies need for security by holding her, feeding her, keeping her warm & dry, talking and reading to her and generally paying attention to baby, then there is probably no need to worry about her becoming dependent upon a pacifier or any other material thing for her sense of security.
I DO have one major word of caution: Make sure you give baby the correct size pacifier! After Jaelyn was about a month old, her binkys went in the toy box, unnoticed until she was 6 months old and started teething. My babysitter found one and thought she'd like it to chew on. We really didn't realize just how big Jae has grown until she popped her binky in her mouth backwards (plastic side) and started choking! Needless to say, binky went straight in the garbage. So, if your baby continues to want a pacifier, make sure to buy the correct size as he grows.
And...don't feel guilty if you're baby likes his binky. As long as it's just one more means for giving comfort and not the only way being used, there's nothing wrong.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
lynx32
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Location: Portland, Oregon
Reviews written: 26
Trusted by: 7 members
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