Simple Steps to Keep a Pacifier in Baby’s Mouth

By admin

Are you unsure whether or not to use a pacifier and, if so, do you know how to help keep a pacifier in your baby’s mouth? This articles looks and safe and gentle tips to help your little one become familiar with using a pacifier which can lead to a calmer baby and a better sleep routine.

For many people, pacifiers are an essential part of parenting. Using a pacifier for your baby has pros and cons with most parents choosing to use a pacifier to soothe and calm their baby and aid sleep.

Some babies will take to using a pacifier easily and others may take a while to come accustomed to having it in their mouth. We take a look at things to look at before giving your baby a pacifier, how to introduce a pacifier to your baby and what you can do to help keep a pacifier In your baby’s mouth.

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Should I Use a Pacifier

Like most parenting decisions, the question as to whether or not to use a pacifier will be one that creates a lot of debate. Some people will not want to create a habit that is difficult to get out of as your baby gets older and for others being able to easily soothe their baby is hard to pass up.

Pros of using a pacifier

  • You baby will feel soothed when upset
  • Will pacify your baby until you can feed them
  • Aids sleep training if this is something you are considering
  • Can lead to longer periods of sleep
  • A great tool to night-wean your older baby/toddler
  • Research has shown that pacifiers can help reduce the chance of SIDS

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Cons of using a pacifier

  • Babies can become addicted to pacifiers and may become very distressed if they can’t have one. You will need to make sure you have one in your bag when you are out and about and have spares in case one breaks, gets lots, or falls on the floor and needs sterilizing.
  • Weaning your baby off a pacifier can be tricky and you will need time and patience
  • As your baby gets used to using a pacifier you will need to keep putting it in there mouth
  • If the pacifier falls out a lot during the night you may need to get up and down to re-insert
  • Pacifiers can cause nipple confusion and may lead to moms becoming distressed if baby constantly refuses a pacifier

It is important to consider the pros and cons of using a pacifier as this will ensure that you use a pacifier safely and if you use it for the right reasons for your family then the likelihood is that you will have success in keeping the pacifier in your baby’s mouth.

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Pacifier Safety

First and foremost you must use a pacifier that has passed all safety regulations and will not cause harm to your baby. If your pacifier looks broken or dirty then it is unsafe.

Secondly, it is important that you do not use anything that will force the pacifier to stay in your baby’s mouth, such as pillows and cushions or swaddling a blanket higher. This will cause breathing issues and can lead to serious harm to your baby.

Keeping a Pacifier in Baby’s Mouth

If you have decided to use a pacifier for your baby the good news is that a lot of babies take to a pacifier like a duck to water. Babies that enjoy pacifiers will generally take to using a pacifier after a couple of goes of placing it back in the mouth when it falls out and will generally feel happy with it until they are hungry or in pain.

Allow your baby to use their pacifier when they are happy and awake. Keeping the use of pacifiers to when your baby is in distress can lead to them have a negative association with pacifiers.

If you are trying to get your baby to take a pacifier for the first time put it in their mouth and gently pull it out so that baby will begin to suck back. Your baby will gradually take the pacifier fully and develop their ability to suck for longer periods and therefore keep it in their mouth for longer periods. You will need patience for this, something all parents need in buckets!

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If your baby is really struggling to use a pacifier and is also showing some signs of distress when feeding you should check with a feeding nurse or doctor for a tongue tie.

If you are using a pacifier to wean your baby from night breastfeeds it may be best to ask your partner to give your baby their pacifier so they don’t think you are coming near to feed them. Whichever parent usually gives a night bottle feed switch around and get the other to give a pacifier.

You can purchase pacifiers that are designed to allow the baby to put the pacifier back in their mouths themselves (for older babies and toddlers). You can buy colors and designs that are easy for your child to find themselves in their crib.

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It is important to try a few different types of pacifiers as they come in all shapes and sizes with different babies preferring certain types—it is not a case of one size fits all. For babies who are breastfed, a flatter teat is usually the most preferred design as it best replicates the suckle on the nipple.

Try to find a pacifier that is light and easy for baby’s with smaller mouths to keep in their mouth. Some pacifiers are heavy and can easily fall out of the mouth.

You can buy pacifiers that can rest on your baby’s chest, such as on the end of stuffed animals, but it is vital that they pass safety regulations and that your baby is old enough not to come to harm by having it in their crib.

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If you are using a pacifier in the daytime or when out and about you can get a pacifier clip so that it can stay attached to your baby’s clothing or pushchair where they can easily find it to put it back in.

Spend some time in the daytime encouraging your baby to put their pacifier back in themselves—you can make it a little game and have fun with it. You can even use a spare pacifier so that you can demonstrate it to your baby!

If your baby is continually crying despite the number of attempts to give them a pacifier you should inspect them for reasons they may be upset. Do they need a feed or a diaper change? Are they in pain or teething? If your baby is crying for a particular reason no amount of attempts to give them a pacifier will work. Try not to associate a pacifier with your baby being quiet and sleeping.

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If your baby is dependent on a pacifier to sleep then you will have a problem in that you constantly need to get up to put it back in when it falls out through the night. It is important for you and your baby to find other ways to soothe themselves back to sleep so that your baby is ok when the pacifier falls out while they are asleep.

You should make using a pacifier a part of their sleep routine but not the only part—think swaddling, cuddling, soothing strokes on their face both when they go to sleep and as an alternative to putting the pacifier back in when they wake up.

If your child is one or older it could be time to wean them off of their pacifier so that they do not become too dependent on it.

What if my Baby does not want a Pacifier?

If you have tried all of the strategies above and your baby is still refusing to keep a pacifier in their mouth then it may well be that they simply do not like it. It is important not to force your baby to use a pacifier or to keep them using it when they no longer get comfort from it.

If your baby has previously been content with a pacifier and starts to take it out of their mouth or throw it out of their crib or pushchair it may be time to stop.

For babies who do not want to stop using a pacifier, you will need to consider allowing them to cry as they wean off a pacifier or you can look at other strategies for them to feel comforted by you.

It is important to know that you are not doing anything wrong as no matter what you do for your baby there will be times that they will cry and there is nothing that you can do but to try different methods of easing their distress.