Are pacifiers good for babies?

A pacifier is actually an item similar to a nipple. It is also used as a substitute for the nipple. When the baby is crying, you can use the pacifier for the baby to suck on to prevent them from crying. So is it good to use a pacifier?

First, psychological experts believe that from the time a baby is born to about 2 years old, he enters the oral stage. Sucking through the mouth can help the baby transfer tension and enhance a sense of security. In addition to using sucking to eat and maintain growth and development, the sucking action can also promote the sense of touch near the lips and tongue, thereby obtaining a satisfied and happy feeling.

Second, sucking is a way for babies to relieve their emotions. If there is no pacifier, many babies will achieve this goal by sucking their fingers. It is easy for them to get sick because of dirty fingers, or to cause peeling of their fingers. If the child still has this habit when he is a little older, it may affect the development of his gums.

Third, babies who use pacifiers while sleeping are three times less likely to suffer sudden death than babies who do not use them. This is because a pacifier will allow the baby to sleep in a supine or side-lying position, and will not increase the risk of sudden death due to sleeping prone. At the same time, a pacifier will help the baby get used to breathing through the nose, effectively preventing "disease from the mouth."

Fourth, experts believe that children under 2 years old do not need to give up the habit of sucking pacifiers, because it can be used to train the baby's sucking and swallowing abilities, especially for low-weight premature babies. It can help improve their oral and gastrointestinal functions and achieve the function of self-soothing.

The disadvantages of pacifiers are as follows:

First, from a physiological point of view, since the baby's innate unconditioned reflex and sucking reflex will gradually disappear over time, if parents keep giving the baby a pacifier, it is undoubtedly strengthening this reflex, which will form dependence over time;

Second, when the baby sucks the nipple continuously, air enters the mouth from the corners of the mouth as the baby swallows, and then enters the stomach. When the stomach cannot bear the capacity of milk and air, it will contract, causing milk regurgitation in children.