A pacifier can reduce the risk of SIDS but when is the right time?
Trying to calm a fussy newborn is one of a new parent's greatest challenges. You may feed your baby, burp her, change her diaper and cuddle her -- and find that she still won't stop crying. When nothing else works, offering a pacifier can help calm a distressed baby. If you want to use a pacifier to soothe your newborn, following a few tips can help you choose the right time to introduce it..
Breastfeeding and Pacifiers
If you breastfeed, you should wait at least one month to introduce a pacifier, recommends the American Academy of Pediatrics. This provides enough time to ensure breastfeeding is well-established. In your baby's first days, he needs to nurse frequently to build up your milk supply. If he spends a lot of time sucking on a pacifier, he won't spend that time stimulating your breasts. Pacifier use also can create nipple confusion in babies who are learning how to breastfeed. A baby's mouth and tongue move differently when he sucks on a pacifier than when he nurses. If he attempts to breastfeed with the same sucking method he uses for pacifier, he won't get any milk and may end up frustrated.
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