Seeking Advice on Pacifier Use for a 4 Month Old

Pacifiers are just fine for babies. Research is actually starting to suggest that babies who use them have a lesser chance of sids. My son sleeps with one - and now especially when he is teething, he likes having something in his mouth. With my daughter, we gradually took it away - starting with allowing her to have it in the car and for sleeping. Then it was just sleeping, then only at night ... and finally, when it was thoroughly chewed, she through it away herself. At 4 months, just enjoy the sleep and soothing he gets from it!

Dear M.,

There are more reasons to let your son use a pacifier then there are to take it away... prevention of SIDS, learning self soothing, good sleep for parents/kids alike, not using fingers/toes to suck on instead, etc.

We used a "binky" with our son and it really helped him sleep. I don't think it became a crutch because we limited it's use to sleeping. He happily gave it up after he woke up. Just before his 3rd birthday we had the "binky fairy" come and take his binky's for the newborn babies that needed one. He thought that was really cool and the fairy brought him a gift in exchange for his binky's. He asked about them a few more times, but it really worked!

Do what feels good to you. Go with your gut feeling and ignore the books (they are just one person's opinion).

Best of luck!
~A.

Here's the deal - if he is a sucky kind of kid - not all are - he will find something to suck on to soothe himself. Thumbs and fingers are a lot harder to take away, and you'll have to rely on the child naturally weaning himself of those later.

Both of my children were given pacifiers early on. Neither needed them re-applied in the night. We weaned my son of his pacifier shortly before his birthday, without tears in 24 hours. We just lost the last one and distracted him when he asked for it. No sweat. With my daughter, the weaning process has been harder as she outsmarted us and began sucking her thumb when we tried to get rid of her pacifier. At 3, she sucks one or the other.

Frankly, whatever you can do to get your little one to sleep is perfectly fine. I've never met anyone who still sucked their fingers/pacifier as an adult. Chances are great that your child will naturally outgrow the desire with or without a little parental coaxing. So, I say try it out, see if it works, and have no regrets!

my babies both use them (27 mo and 11mo). They stay in bed only so they are used just at naptime and bedtime. It is normal for them to take a while to fall asleep sometimes--I frequently hear my older one talking to herself 30 or even 60 minutes after I've closed the door and turned out the lights! I don't always give it to the baby, but she seems to find it in the corner of her crib at some point in the night anyway. I've read books that say no paci after 6mo, but I see no problem with it. You have to pick your battles! I don't know how it'll be next year when the paci gets "lost", but I'll take that chance ;-)

My daugther is 14 months old and I just asked her ped. about it and he said not to worry trying to take it away until she is between 18 months and 2 years.

The only reason we even gave it to her as a newborn was to help prevent SIDS. And as someone else pointed out, they will find something to suck on... better it's something you can take way as opposed to his fingers.

Good Luck!