What Part Do Pacifiers Play in Infant Child Development?
Infant babies have an innate, physical need to suck. It’s a reflex that continues long after feeding sessions are over, when the breast and bottle aren’t readily available. That’s why so many normal babies turn to pacifiers or thumb-sucking during their first weeks of life. They are naturally soothed and comforted by the act of sucking. In general, pediatricians don’t think there’s anything wrong with pacifier use during babies’ development years, but many caution parents to minimize thumb-sucking whenever possible. This is because thumb-sucking is a more difficult habit to break and often continues years after most children are weaned from pacifiers.
