Pacifier Talk|Sarah Healy Sleep Baby Expert
Pacifier. Binky. Soother. Paci.
If your baby likes it, it can really save you but the question I often get is: "Is it ok to use it?"
Research indicates that pacifiers can reduce the incidence of SIDS and it can often work to soothe babies early on.
The downside is that they are difficult for babies to place in their mouths until their fine motor skills are in place (closer to 7-8 months) so until then, parents can often be at the mercy of placing and replacing it all. night. long.
In the short term, it is a life saver BUT in the long term it can turn into a sleep association whereby baby requires it to be in his mouth for each habitual waking throughout the night.
BUT, if you are willing to wait until baby can independently place it in her mouth, then you are no longer needed. Of course the older a baby gets the harder it is to take it away.