Opinions, Please!!

OhioBobcat

Second timers out there or even first-time parents...what are YOUR thoughts on pacifiers (binkies, dummies, etc)??

I hadn't thought much about this one until I heard someone raise the concern that it would give their child buck-teeth. I'm not sure how "true" that really is (I'm sure my mom gave them to me and my sibs and we're okay). 

Anyone here who has reasons they're FOR or AGAINST them? 

JaysonandKristin

For because I've heard they reduce the chance of your child dying from SIDS. ?Against because of the addiction.

Bonzer

most of the paci's made these days are orthodontically "ergonomic"

I think that the sucking sensation is very soothing for a newborn. With that said, I think that NO kid should have that thing dangling out of their mouth after they are 1 year old.

nlvaden

I am not sure I will let my kid have one after teeth start to come in.  I will have to talk to my dentist.  I know they wont be walking and talking with one in that is for damn sure!  That is one of my pet peeves.  A kid talking through his binkie,

lfclancy518

I used them for my first one and just took them away around one year old. Her doctor said they were fine and that the problems don't happen until you have children that don't give them up. I hate to see the 4 year olds with them walking through a store. I think you will be fine as long as you don't use them all the time. Good Luck!

susanlovestexas

We used them with DD anytime she wanted one until she was about 16 months old and then we limited them to nap time and bed time until we threw them out when she turned 2.  She has perfectly normal teeth.

JDaisy68

JaysonandKristin:

For because I've heard they reduce the chance of your child dying from SIDS.  Against because of the addiction.

 

This exactly!

swimrbride

They make a great mute button so why not?! Kidding.

I have also read the new info on paci's helping prevent SIDS. And honestly some kids like them and they help soothe them so if they work for our child we will be using them. If not we won't. I am not dead set either way but I will be trying one out. I would also much rather them suck on an object than something connected to them like their thumb, which is much harder to break them of. And if they want to suck they will find something!

Plus the buck teeth comment doesn't really hold true if you break them of it at a reasonable age. If you let them suck on them until 5 or 6 then you will probably have some issues.

jacobandcrystal

Neither of my sons ever had one.  I didn't want to give them because of the fear that I'd be trying to wean a 3-year-old from a pacifier : )  They were both fine.  My 1st son wasn't interested in comfort sucking much anyway, and my 2nd son found his middle two fingers to suck on pretty quickly.

Hulahoop1234

swimrbride:

They make a great mute button so why not?! Kidding.

I have also read the new info on paci's helping prevent SIDS. And honestly some kids like them and they help soothe them so if they work for our child we will be using them. If not we won't. I am not dead set either way but I will be trying one out. I would also much rather them suck on an object than something connected to them like their thumb, which is much harder to break them of. And if they want to suck they will find something!

Plus the buck teeth comment doesn't really hold true if you break them of it at a reasonable age. If you let them suck on them until 5 or 6 then you will probably have some issues.

 

I have heard this too - about trouble weaning if they choose to suck on something readily available to them (ie fingers or thumb).  To be blunt you can take a pacifier away but you can't take away their hands!  We are planning to use one and wean after 12-16 months at most. 

angie212

DD used one until only a couple of weeks ago.  Until maybe two months ago she only used it at bedtimes and naps, except when extremely, extremely upset.  However, when she started molar teething, she began asking for it more and more.  I decided it was time to get rid of it before it became more of a habit; we had a couple rough naptimes and nights, but it wasn't too bad.  Her pediatrician said we should try to have her done with it by the time she was 2.

With the next baby, I will probably take it away closer to 1 year.  I like that it may reduce the chance of SIDS, so I don't have a problem with them until kids get older.

jalaiaa

i haven't had my kids yet, so no advice from experience, but it seems like it would be a lot easier to wean a baby from a pacifier than his thumb so i'm going to use them. i like the ideas above though of getting rid of it when they are a year old. 

jacobandcrystal

jalaiaa:

i haven't had my kids yet, so no advice from experience, but it seems like it would be a lot easier to wean a baby from a pacifier than his thumb so i'm going to use them. i like the ideas above though of getting rid of it when they are a year old. 

Not sure how much truth there is in difficulty weaning from a thumb.  Our 2nd son sucked his middle 2 fingers, but stopped months ago (he's turning 1 this Friday).  I see a lot more older toddlers sucking on pacifiers than sucking on their thumbs.

Plus you have to worry about losing them, cleaning them, buying new ones when they're all lost, etc.

brandyward

Well, honestly I'm for because I think I'll want to be able to soothe my baby as quickly as possible by any means necessary. However, I have heard that they can affect teeth...BUT I sucked a pacifier until I was 3 or 4 and my teeth are nearly perfect. I have never had to have braces, and have never had a cavity in adult teeth (only had one or two as a child). So, I'm for because of my own experience.

courtney_lynne

My son uses one, He is 15 months, but he only uses it at nap time, bedtime and when in the church nursery. He self regulated it, b/c he like to talk to much, so we don't offer it except when he asks.

 

I don't have an issue with them obviously, and I can imagine that he won't be using it by the time the new LO arrives, he likes it but it is not a emotional attachment.

 Courtney 

Hulahoop1234

jacobandcrystal:

jalaiaa:

i haven't had my kids yet, so no advice from experience, but it seems like it would be a lot easier to wean a baby from a pacifier than his thumb so i'm going to use them. i like the ideas above though of getting rid of it when they are a year old. 

Not sure how much truth there is in difficulty weaning from a thumb.  Our 2nd son sucked his middle 2 fingers, but stopped months ago (he's turning 1 this Friday).  I see a lot more older toddlers sucking on pacifiers than sucking on their thumbs.

Plus you have to worry about losing them, cleaning them, buying new ones when they're all lost, etc.

 

I know two kids that literally sucked - thumb for one, fingers for the other - until they were 9 and 11 respectively.  Their mom just could not get them to break the habit because she couldn't do much to physically stop them.  Also, after seeing how tough it was to wean my nephew off of his pacifier I can't imagine having to wean off of something that I can't physically take away.  I guess that is where I am coming from

KatiKM

I've only heard the buck teeth thing with kids who suck their fingers or thumb.

KB1001

I think what ever makes my kid happy is whats going to happen.  I personally had a pacifier until i was 5 and i am the only one in my family who never needed braces and my teeth have always been perfect.

Paige's Mommy

My DD was a cluster nurser and would nurse every night for 4 hours continuously, we started using a pacifier to satisfy her need to suck and it worked. I will use one again if this baby needs it.

 We took it away cold turkey the day after she turned 18 months and she never asked for it or cried for it. 

lifesadance

nlvaden:

I am not sure I will let my kid have one after teeth start to come in.  I will have to talk to my dentist.  I know they wont be walking and talking with one in that is for damn sure!  That is one of my pet peeves.  A kid talking through his binkie,

My sentiments too.  

A note: My SIL's DS is almost 5 and STILL walks around with one.  She sees nothing wrong with this.  He screams if he doesn't have it and she doesn't "feel" like "dealing with taking it away from him."  Her words.  She's a SAHM and uses NO discipline, has NO tailbone when it comes to dealing with the kids.  It's crazy.

theredvixen

I am for them but I will not let them wander around all day with it sticking out of their mouth. It is for bedtime/soothing only, and I will probably start weaning them off it at about 1 year.

I am a first time mother and won't know for sure what I will do until I do it, But I have worked in daycare for many years and really disliked it when  parents pick the child up after work the binky goes in the mouth whether the child needs it or not.

Tonya_G

I used them with DS when he was younger than 3mo, but removed it once he found his own fingers- he gave up his fingers on his own at about 6mo. It could be a PITA in the middle of the night if he'd fallen asleep w/ it in and it fell out- that's why I was ok with him using his fingers. He generally only needed to suck when he was sleepy to soothe himself off to sleep, so I wasn't worried he'd become a huge thumb sucker or anything.

I do hate to see older children with them- I think by the time a kid turns 1, 2 at the very latest, the binky fairy needs to come and take all the paci's away.

Shawnly82

For them until a certain point.  My kids wont have them past a year...that's what Im hoping anyway!

Kingston54

I read that pacifiers are made differently today and that they do not cause tooth problems like they were linked to in the past.  I'm not sure if that is true or just 'something I read'.

I am open to using a pacifier.  I'm not sure how/when I'll use it, but I haven't found a reason to rule it out yet...

userdeleted

I am not for or against them. I am glad that DS preferred his own hand/thumb to a paci though - since it's connected to him I didn't spend half the night putting it back in his mouth.

I was warned that he'd create a "bad habit" but he's all but stopped sucking his thumb all on his own. 

The Lungos

With DD we used the soothie pacifiers until she was about 9-10 months. We switched to the Nuk and she used it until she was avout 12-14 months. After that it was at nap time/bed time only until she was about 18 months. It wasn't hard to break her of it.

We decided to go with a paci to help calm her and reduce the risk of sids.

dueinnovember2009

no pacifiers!

i am a special education teacher and have learned a lot about them from the speech pathologists... they can cause lisps, poor oral motor development, etc.  i guess they are okay until they are one year old, but my babies will not have them... I wanna see their cute faces and not a plug in their mouth

MathewandApryl

My cousin was on a paci until she was three and her front teeth stick WAY out.  My other cousin was on a bottle until she was three and has had major dental problems.  I'll probably stick to a paci for the first 6-9 months and then replace it with some teether toys.  I think Playtex just came out with a teether that actually looks like a pacifier.  Pretty cool way to switch from one to the other if you ask me!!!

MrsRebecca

I am for using them if needed. Some babies won't take them and that's fine. I do think there is an age limit though. I personally don't think two and three year olds (or older) need to walk around with a paci in their mouth.

llc730

susanlovestexas:

We used them with DD anytime she wanted one until she was about 16 months old and then we limited them to nap time and bed time until we threw them out when she turned 2.  She has perfectly normal teeth.

No experience, but this is our plan. Might switch to nap/bed time only a little sooner. Soothing and reducing SIDS are the reasons I am for.

Michelle110

We used one with our DD and only occasionally now if she can't fall asleep on her own w/o one. But that's really rare at the moment. We will use one again with this baby - that is, if she likes it, as some babies don't - because I see no harm in it.

BTW: I apparently used one until I was at least 3 years old and didn't have buck teeth. And I don't have an oral fixation (smoking, chewing pencils, etc.).