The Pacifier Perdicament

I would never let my child use a pacifier! At least that’s what I thought before I had a baby. I even managed to hold onto the anti-pacifier ideology for the first month after I had my son. But then I did what any desperate, sleep deprived woman with a screaming baby would do ~ I found a pacifier. Found is actually a bit misleading. Around 3.a.m., with only about two hours of sleep out of the previous twenty-four, I became desperate. He was screaming and nothing calmed him down except nursing but he was so full he couldn’t eat anymore. Then I heard a little click. You know, the sound that’s made when you flip a switch to turn a light on? He just wants to comfort nurse, he needs a pacifier! I knew I had been given one at the baby shower ~ but where had I tossed it? I finally found it in a dresser drawer full of toys he was too young for. Yes! Then I boiled the pacifier, per the instructions, and while I was waiting for it to cool down I panicked. I can’t do this! What about my principles? What about his teeth? Then I took a deep breath and did what I always do when I don’t know what to do. I looked it up on the internet! The Mayo Clinic and the American Academy of Pediatrics were both very helpful. I found out it was ok to give my son a pacifier. Heck, it wasn’t just ok, it was good!

Here are some of the health benefits for using a pacifier:

• Can soothe a fussy baby
• Can help a baby fall asleep
• Can help reduce the risk of SIDS

I was ecstatic! By this time the pacifier was cool enough to give him (yes, he was still screaming) and I popped it in his cute little mouth. In the silence that immediately followed I heard bells ringing and angels singing! He was asleep in less than five minutes and slept for over four hours. Ever since I’ve given him a pacifier when he is especially fussy or is having trouble sleeping and it still works like a charm.

Did a pacifier save your sanity? When and how did you become a pacifier fan?
Submitted by: Robin