Pacifiers and Your Baby's Sleep - Infant Sleep Consultant & Family Care Counselor NYC

For many parents the thought of a quick fix for a crying baby is a welcome thought, which is why the use of a pacifier can be so appealing! A pacifier can be a soothing addition to your baby’s routine; however, it is not necessarily the best choice for every child.

In this article we will discuss the benefits of a pacifier as well as some of the potential drawbacks and how you can introduce it into your baby’s life in a healthy way.

Read on to get tips from the experts at Sleep Shop in New York City

The benefits of a pacifier

If you’re looking for a way to help soothe a fussy sleeper or anxious baby, a pacifier may be the exact thing you need.

Here are some of the key benefits that pacifiers offer for your child:

A healthy and easy distraction: If you are cooking, unable to hold your baby, or are having a fussy car ride, a pacifier can provide an easy and effective distraction.
Self-soothing: pacifiers can help teach your baby to fall asleep on their own during nap or bed-time.
Reduced risk of SIDS: it is thought that the use of a pacifier helps open a baby’s airways during sleep, leading to a reduction in SIDS.

The drawbacks of a pacifier

While a pacifier can be a great addition to your baby’s life, there are certain cons to pacifier use that parents may want to take into consideration before choosing to use one.

It can become a habit that is hard to break for babies and parents: if your baby loves their pacifier, it can be difficult to get them to want to get rid of it when the time comes. Your baby may get fussy or even throw a tantrum when you try to take the pacifier away. Parents can also get into a bad habit of giving their baby a pacifier at any sign of fussiness.
Sleep problems: while pacifiers can help your baby fall asleep, some babies may have trouble staying asleep if they are particularly dependent. If the pacifier falls out during the night your baby may cry until they have it replaced.

It’s important to note that not all babies will be interested in pacifiers.

About Sleep Shop

The Sleep Shop is led by Melissa, a mother of four, and is a member of the International Association of Professional Sleep Consultants.

We offer one-one-one unlimited consulting, sleep classes with our founder, phone consultations, 1-week jumpstarts, infant sleep guides, 2 weeks of consulting, toddler nap guides, toddler sleep guides, toddler total resets, and “the toddler tune-up”.

We offer sleep consulting services in all of New York City including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Flat Iron District, Turtle Bay, Tribeca, Upper East Side, Soho, Staten Island, and the greater NYC area.