Pacifiers or binkies as they are called have come under fire in recent years. The debate is whether or not a baby should be given a pacifier. The answer is really a matter of preference. Sometimes a baby will feel the need to suck even though they just ate, the pacifier will satisfy that need. You don’t ever want to give an infant a pacifier when they go to sleep because they could choke. You don’t want to attach a pacifier to a string and attach to the baby clothes, again it is a choking hazard.
Pacifiers are good if used when the baby needs it, there are some parents or baby sitters who use the pacifier to quite the baby down and then the baby will become accustomed to it and will rely on it as they grow. Then once the pacifier is gone then they will begin to suck on their thumbs and that could lead to dental problems in the future.
Pacifiers are great to easy the pain of teething and for when infants feel the need for sucking they are irreplaceable. All parents are different and whether they choose to give their infant a pacifier is their own preference. They do make special pacifiers called orthodontist pacifiers, it helps the baby without hurting their teeth.
