pacifier Archives

Pacifiers, do’s and don’ts

As we mentioned before, the pacifier is not mandatory at all and not all babies need a pacifier. However, and because (in the end) it remains a parents’ choice (whether or not to use a pacifier), here are some tips for you to know how to choose and decide for the best.

As we also mentioned before, the pacifier has advantages and disadvantages. The biggest disadvantage is the fact that it can cause deformations in the child’s teeth, which can cause numerous problems in the future.

This can happen due to the prolonged use of the pacifier and also to models that are not very anatomical and have long been discouraged by specialists. However, due to commercial pressure, they continue to be sold without any warning to parents and they often end up buying without realizing the risk they are taking and what they are causing their children, with that choice.

So let’s go by parts: Model, Size and Material!

Model:

When choosing a pacifier (if that is your decision), you should choose the one that is narrower (flat) in the area of the teeth and slightly flat and tilted upwards, in the area of the tongue.

To avoid, at all, are all water drop shapes, cherry and others, that do not comply with the rules described above.

There are even some health professionals who claim that these pacifiers are better, that they soothe a lot, but that they do not take these conditions into account. The use of a pacifier that does not follow these instructions may mean that the child will later require a dental device or even speech therapy sessions, among other problems that require specific care. It is because we have this concern, with the future well-being of babies, that we alert you to the importance of following these recommendations.

Size:

Also due to the above recommendation, less informed people will advise you to always use the smallest size (faulting by over-care) and this advice is just as wrong as using models that do not comply with the above rules.

The recommended size / age is related to the size of the mouth and the development of the baby / child. This size must be respected, except for premature newborns, for whom corrected age must always be taken into account (according to the degree of prematurity).

So summary: use the pacifier of the appropriate age and size, always!

Materials:

Silicone and rubber / latex are the two options almost always present in pacifiers and teats (among other accessories for babies).

Silicone is more hygienic and keeps looking good for a longer time, being just a little duller over time. On the other hand, silicone is friable, that is, it is possible to pierce and break, breaking into possible small pieces and this is a risk.

Rubber is a natural element and is more elastic, but it can start to lose qualities over time, it tends to get “sticky” and is less hygienic. As well as, it also has the potential to cause allergies since it is, in fact, latex and there are some people sensitive to latex.

So what is(are) the rule(s) here? There are 2 to follow:

Newborns, premature babies and/or babies who are allergic (or with allergic potential, allergic or asthmatic parents) should only use silicone.

Babies with teeth (even if they are only breaking) should only use rubber since the silicone is possible to pierce and break and with this, the baby may end up swallowing parts of the silicone without realizing it.

In short:

Babies do not need pacifiers, but if you decide that you want to use a pacifier on your children, choose anatomical, thin at the base and flattened and tilted upwards at the teat. Choose silicone for newborn (or baby with allergies) or rubber if you already have teeth and always in the age-appropriate size. 🙂

FINAL NOTE: This is not a sponsored article, there was no payment or consideration associated with its publication. Aurora team is not sensitive to any approach by trademarks. That is why there is no form of advertising on the website, Facebook page or any other of our communication channels. Aurora’s income comes exclusively from our customers, or from the creators’ own funds, which also have no connection to commercial brands linked to this area.

Bye-bye binky!

Letting go the pacifier doesn’t have to be a drama. The trick is the previous preparation.

1 °. Set the last day. (It should be 2 or 3 months (minimum) for preparation)

2 °. Define the process. (Eg: Give to Santa, Go hang in the garden tree for the storks to take, etc.)

3 °. Start detachment:
a) reduce the amount of time that the child has the pacifier and encourage her/him to withdraw it from her/him mouth;
b) begin to show the difference between babies and grown-ups;
c) gradually limit free access to the pacifier that should be reserved for tantrums and sleep time;
d) from times to times simulate the loss of the pacifier (not finding it at bedtime, for example)

The child should be encouraged to either give or deliver the pacifiers (all of them) on the last defined day. During the whole process, it is important to evaluate the child’s reactions and to praise all the active attitudes that the child demonstrates (ex: “Great, you took off the pacifier), but avoid highlighting the passive ones (ex: do NOT say “Great, you spent all day without your binky”). It’s important that all caregivers are aligned in the way they act.

Tips for teeth eruption

dentes — *Photo by* Brandless on Unsplash

Lots of “binkies” (pacifiers) in the freezer! (and change it several times for a cold one…)

P.S. Stay away from healers from the drug store. If it’s too complicated ask for some smoothing gel for teething with chamomile and apply it with your very clean finger and let the baby bite you because it helps relieve the discomfort.

P.P.S. When it is the first tooth it doesn’t hurt to let him/her bite you, with the followings it’s better to give them the teethers. It is also time to stop buying silicone pacifiers or bottle teats and start buying rubber ones (they are more resistant to sharp teeth). There are certain types of silicone that are already resistant to the bite, do not break so easily and are more elastic. If you can pull by the bottle teat/pacifier and stretch it, then this silicone is resistant to teeth. This should not stop you from paying attention to any signs of wear and tear that may occur in the meantime.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The pacifiers must be thoroughly dried before going to the freezer. If they get ice on it they should not be given directly to the baby.

Pacifier: yes or no?

Many parents face this doubt and, like much other life’s issues, you have to make a decision. You should not offer only because… Does every baby need a pacifier? There are a bunch of them who never have touch one and “survived”.

It’s not mandatory to use a pacifier. It was invented more than 2 centuries ago and, as we can still assume by its name, it was created to soothe babies. And, we must tell you, it’s very effective!

The sucking reflex is innate, that is, the (full-term) baby is born with the ability to suck whatever is placed in its mouth. This ability is what allows the baby to feed itself outside of the womb, that is, to nurse. And it’s precisely this fact that can cause problems when introducing a pacifier too early. It activates the reflex that allows the baby to feed itself by not feeding it … Therefore, the pacifier should not be introduced before the proper establishment of breastfeeding. It is only when the mother and baby are perfectly comfortable with breastfeeding and this is happening without any associated difficulties that you should consider to introduce (or not) the pacifier.

Pros:
It helps to soothe the baby when it is sleepy or having a tantrum.
There is some evidence that shows some protection from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) when used during the night after the 1st month of life (till 6th months).

Cons:
It’s an addition. They will (probably) need our help to deal with it in future.
Can cause allergies (to latéx, to drool, etc.)
It’s easily a source of microbes (virus, bacterias, etc.)
Less hygienic.
Some models can cause deformities in the teeth and thus cause difficulties in speech, chewing, breathing, etc …

There are only a few things in life there are “all or nothing” but like everything else in life, it’s a decision that has to be made and this one should be discussed by both parents.