The Dangers of Pacifier Use (And How to Avoid Them)

[@EmmaHubbard]

Which step are you going to start today? Don't forget to get your free 0 - 12 months old developmental milestone chart here: brightestbeginning.com/12monthmilestones

[@liesbethmichels8015]

Is it the same in case of thumbsucking?

[@elizabethrose6853]

Unfortunately I have a three year old thumb sucker and a two year old who became very attached to a pacifier when she started teething. I alway left it in bed and she didn’t have it during the day starting at around three months. At around 14 months my now three year old started climbing into her bed and giving the one year old a pacifier. We also started giving it to her during church because church is during her nap time and she would cry a lot. Now she throws huge fits if I take it from her in the morning. Also the three year old still will give it to her. She also will steal the babies pacifier right out of her mouth. She especially did this the first three months but we have for the most part just let her have her pacifier since bringing baby home. Baby is now five months old and I definitely want to wean her soon. It would likely be easier to wean the older if little sister also doesn’t have one. The five month old at night has been falling asleep to her last nursing session which she doesn’t even take for very long. I have a hard time keeping her awake for it. Do you think that is fine or should I just try to feed her sooner?

[@cheetahslims7849]

I was allowed to have a pacifier until I was 4 and it seriously screwed up my teeth, jaw and sinuses. I've had surgery twice to correct it and its still effed up. Thanks for this video Emma, I warn every new parent I meet that their child could end up with my issues if they don't take away the soother!

[@kyciarelli3847]

Interesting! I actually never thought about how my childhood affected my sinus and dental issues today. Reading your post made me realize that my chronic sinus issues and overbite were more than likely a result of having a soother until I was 5 years old!!

[@LadyCladdagh]

My nephew is nearly four and he still has one. You can see the effect it’s having on his teeth and palate. Not sure why his parents won’t take it away

[@lottawickstone1874]

Thank you for this really informative video. My daughter (now 2) never took the pacifier and I struggled with her sleep from 3-9 months but now I’m happy I don’t have to wean her off it at least!

[@EmmaHubbard]

Glad it was helpful! I hope you are getting some restful nights sleep now!

[@mariailyukhina405]

Currently on day 4 of weaning my 11 month old from pacifier and this was very encouraging to hear that this process is the right step :)

[@EmmaHubbard]

So glad. The first week or weaning is always the hardest but it does get better. Good luck!

[@estheradedigba5072]

I'm on day 2, though I used to think waiting till 2 years old was the standard

[@Sophia-ti6do]

Great video! We only gave the pacifier during sleeptime. The 3y old son of one of my friends got his upper front teeth pushed in an outward direction by the pacifier. To prevent this from happening to our daughter we seized the opportunity. My friend was pregnant at the time and her baby was due in about 2 months. So we proposed to our daughter that when the baby would arrive we would give the pacifier to the newborn baby. We explained that babies feel a great need to suck and since she was no longer a baby, it would be very kind if she would give her pacifier to the baby. We wrapped it up together real nice. The first two nights ware a bit restless. Sometimes she woke crying but was able to fall asleep again. Within a week she didn’t ask after her pacifier anymore. This tactic worked great. There was no way for us to be persuaded by tears to give it back to her because it was no longer in the house. She was also old enough (almost 2y) to comprehend this as well. We also got a chance to show you can give something away to someone who needs it more. Some friends and family reacted surprised we were already getting rid of the pacifier at around 2y. Seeing this video we were already on the tail-end of the advised age. Makes me glad we took the stap and that my daughter took to it without much trouble.

[@britneywendel3305]

What a beautiful idea!

[@yoshizenlife]

This was super informative, thanks! My daughter is 13 months now and still uses a pacifier. I had read online that before 3 years of age it was ok to let them keep using it however after watching this video I'm definitely going to start weaning my daughter off hers asap. I sucked my fingers till I was 7 and had a horrible overbite that led to me getting bullied and having to get $5K worth of braces to get my teeth fixed so I definitely don't want my daughter have any teeth problems

[@chidinmachukwujike3706]

Thank you so much Emma. This video is coming in at the right time cause My son is 4months old.

[@kardelena853]

Mine just left hers finally , it was really hard , she had tooth pain and didn't enjoy the pacifier ! So happy it's such a relief

[@ghevartxavier8586]

Great video Emma (as always). I have a question regarding the thumb: mine suck his thumb when he feels unsecured or bored and to sleep: any tips how to help him to get rid of it ? Thanks !

[@emptysoul5057]

My kid tossed his like a weapon at people who were walking by his bed or cart in the super market at about 7 months so I just took it away. I figured he wasn't using it to soothe anything if he just kept throwing it at folks and laughing.

[@SarahbearJayne]

My Mom tells me a story about how I ended up never using one again. I was like a year old, at the grocery store, and I thought it was SO funny to throw it at people. She kept having to bend over and pick it up and had bad knees after me, the third baby. She said if you throw it one more time, I will never pick it up again. She was being honest 😂 I never had one again.

[@emptysoul5057]

@@SarahbearJayne I can't blame her. Lol it's like ok nope we're done playing pick up.

[@gw6667]

Haha, love it

[@EmmaHubbard]

😂 Great move! It sounds like it was becoming a game for your little one and no longer a soothing aid.

[@OOz334]

😂

[@dianab3005]

Around 10 months of age my daughter started intentionally dropping her pacifier (among other things!), so i started incorporating it into our morning routine and taught her how to drop it in her crib herself! One day, after getting her up and dressed, i picked her up and we stood over her crib. I popped the pacifier out of her mouth, dropped it in the crib and we left the room to start our day. Within a few days she was waiting for her moment in the routine and popping it out and dropping it in her crib herself! it's become her favourite thing and she gets this huge grin on her face when it's her time to shine!

[@13myrrh]

My son stopped using a pacifier at 4 months. Everyone around us kept trying to convince me this was a bad thing and I should try to get him to take them again. They insisted that this is part of the reason his sleep is so poor. Guess the little guy knew better.

[@barbatescuanamaria596]

I weaned my daughter off the pacifier at precisely 2 years of age. We used orthodontic pacifiers and she still developed a severe over bite. Also, she developed a bacteria in her mouth that colors her teeth with black spots. My boy, who is younger, never wanted one and I figured it was for the best and he has perfect teeth now at 2 years old. I know how tough the first 2 years are, I actually had postpartum depression, but I recommend to wean off at around 6-12 months old.

[@michelleb8658]

I know your intent is to educate parents, but this mostly covers the cons of extended pacifier use with a heavy overtone of trying to instill fear. You only briefly say that pacifiers are extremely effective at comforting a baby less than 6 months old. You leave out that when less than 6 months old, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does recommend parents give pacifiers at naps and bedtime because they can help protect against SIDS. To the parents that did use a pacifier: don't let this scare you or add to your mountain of "mom guilt". Use the recommendations both for and against pacifier to empower your choices. You are doing a great job, and keep loving your babies. 💕

[@cherylm9006]

Thanks

[@efik2404]

you are absolutely right. I gave both of my children pacifiers and a lot after their first year of life. The truth is that their teeth were made like it is mentioned in the video, but as soon as they took it out, they changed all that and straightened it. I'm not saying that this is the right thing, but it's my experience.

[@stephaniem8278]

Pro tip: redirect them away from the pacifier with something else to avoid a meltdown. Easiest in 6-12 month stage because they are teething and love to explore things with their mouths!

[@Emily-ln5ko]

Are their fingers fine?

[@Karol_Lynne]

I learn so much from this channel.Thank you!Sending love from Kenya

[@EmmaHubbard]

So glad!

[@gw6667]

@@EmmaHubbard It won't. C'est la vie

[@kusbabi]

i am so happy my daughter stopped using pacifiers on her own by 1 year 9 months, and I am so impressed with her development especially in speaking.

[@Nicole-bp6zz]

I used a pacifier till 7 years old and my teeth are perfectly straight. My baby loves her pacifier but I'm planning weaning her at 2

[@salinaschnoor6651]

Thank you for this Emma! This popped into my feed just at the perfect time! My little guy turned 7 months not too long ago and I wondered when would be a good time to wean him off. Luckily he is not overly dependent on it asides from maybe bedtime. But he usually spits it out anyways within a few minutes of sleeping. I like the added bit too on trying to comfort them in different ways. ❤ I hope to be more mindful on listening to his needs.

[@Kamila.Khakrizi]

Haha, we lost both of our pacifiers when we moved to a current home - exactly at 6 months of age. They were very helpful before and during all the travel, so I was worried if my daughter (and me 😅) will struggle. But I was happy to find out that she was totally okay to sleep & get calm without them! Btw, our 5yo neighbor’s daughter has severe teeth distortion - she still sucks on her FINGER. Lovely girl, says “I’ll fix my teeth later in life” 😂

[@andaprojuma447]

Thank you, Emma! This is the topic that is very important to me right now. My baby is 14 month old and is not sleeping very well. Until I watched your video, I didn't think that paci could be the problem. But now I start to think that maybe it is, and I should try to wean him off. I keep comparing him to his older sister, for her paci was very helpful for sleep. But ofcourse every child is different. I keep thinking, that weaning off will make nights even harder, so I am not really sure how and when to do it, but maybe it will be the opposite.

[@zanes.4417]

You speak about baby putting different objects in the mouth as a good thing because it helps to stay away from the paci, but what if the paci is a literal lifesaver, because baby is putting everything in his mouth and choking on it? My house is generally clean and baby-proofed, but my one year old even scrapes off wallpapers and pulls out threads of his own clothing in order to eat them, so paci is the only thing that keeps him away from swallowing inedible stuff or potentially choking on it. Do you have any advice in this situation?

[@Aspiration0587]

Can you do a video for tips on pacifier weaning for infants please? My 6 month old doesn’t understand the concept of alternative soothers!

[@fizaay]

Yes ,it's true I have seen so many kids with that problem

[@kshelley121]

My baby is teething and has a habit of thumb sucking so i am using a pacifier as a substitute. How to handle this situation???

[@ZaGaijinSmash]

This is great. Thanks. My baby is 13 months and we’re reducing how much we give it to him, but definitely not enough. I also didn’t realise there was a connection with ear infections!

[@fromjenettesview3338]

My baby is turning 5 months old and only used the pacifier to fall asleep.....so far I don't think it is causing sleep issues, she sleeps through the night....but does also take short naps. I am hoping there will be a natural wean as she takes less naps as she gets older.

[@xuelinchen9797]

Hello Emma my toddler doesnt use parcifier but he chews on a baby comfortor for sleep. Is it equality bad for the teeth? Thank you!

[@KiritinN]

Hey Emma, would you please be able to do a video on weaning off thumb sucking? My daughter does it to soothe and fall asleep. It's been really helpful, but she's almost 2 now and I'm worried she'll have the issues you're describing in this video if she continues.

[@momnahyasin3126]

my daughter is 8 months and is exactly the same id really appreciate the video

[@esthermeyerhoff4113]

My little one too. Though they use their first two fingers instead of their thumb. They are almost 2years old now. I have heard that most kids will drop this habit on their own by about 3 or 4, and apparently (don't quote me on this) it's not as big a danger to their oral health as a pacifier is, and not really an issue unless they continue thumb sucking (or finger sucking) after about 4years of age. Again, not sure how accurate, but that's what I've heard.

[@JP-watch3s]

Same here, son is 19m and wondering how much thumb sucking will damage his teeth 🙈

[@EmmaHubbard]

Hi! Thanks for the video suggestion. It might be some time before I can release a video on this topic so it might help to know that most kids drop the habit between the ages of 2 and 4. And it is only after age of 4 that American Dental Association recommend you start to gently discourage this habit to avoid future problems with the mouth. I hope that helps!

[@stephaniem8278]

My parents tried a lot of things to help me and my siblings to stop sucking our thumbs. What worked for one kid didn't work for the others! But some things that worked you could try are: putting them to bed with gloves on, putting them to bed with something on their thumbs that does not have a pleasant mouth-feel, and rewarding them for reaching a goal (two weeks) of not sucking their thumb. I stopped because of the gloves, and my sister stopped because of the reward (The movie Thumbelina and matching charm bracelet, no less! haha).

[@molycapiseth2494]

Thank you so much for this. Very helpful 👍

[@EmmaHubbard]

You're very welcome!

[@Natureloverrgrrr]

Hi Emma, I am weaning my 7 month old baby off his pacifier. However, he wakes up several times at night and having a pacifier soothes him back to sleep. What can I do? Should I quit cold turkey? Any tips will help. I love all your videos, very helpful.🙏

[@shamina.belegu]

my son started his at 3m and spit it out at 9m, never touched one again. i'm so happy he did it on his own

[@TheLazyMom]

people always criticized me for never giving my baby a paci, it just never felt right to give him one, now I have one simple video that explains why, thank you!

[@rosameijering5161]

Yes if my child could go withoulf, i would never want to give one eighter. They can have the breast or bottle. On the end it is only a fake breast

[@kAndykAndoo]

Thank you Emma!! This informations help a lot. My boy is now 11 months and I use it only when he take a nap or when he’s stressed. I will reduce more and more now.

[@EmmaHubbard]

Glad it was helpful!

[@meghancooley9306]

What an interesting video Emma. Starting tomorrow I am weaning my 10month off her pacifier.

[@EmmaHubbard]

Glad you found it helpful! Good luck with removing the pacifier. Hope it goes smoothly!

[@olabodziony7686]

My baby is 5 months ans 3 weeks I only give it to her sometimes when she going sleep soon as she fall sleep I take it out , great video I will work already on her not getting use to pacifier.😊

[@Roxyg4593]

I wish I would have known this but I'm a first time mom my 16 month old now has an open bite 😓 what should I do Dr

[@S3duct0rZ0rra]

My daughter is now 18 months and it’s a struggle trying to get rid of it. We’ve been trying to take it away for a good 3 months. Have tried the weaning system (didn’t work), cold Turkey (tantrum crying)…

[@Kingatje]

How long before you gave in to the demands? My son threw out his pacifier in the trash, himself, but cried at bedtime for 1.5hrs. Not just one night, but almost a week. Bedtime became a horrific exercise for us as our son would scream and no bribe or soothing would calm him. He had trouble sleeping for 4 weeks before he finally slept through the night again as before. It's not impossible to do, just very uncomfortable. Consistency is key. If the issue is thumb sucking though then alas I don't know what tips to give, son didn't use that. My second baby might.

[@mamarazzi_]

I'm glad this popped up in my feed! My boy is 10 months old, and I've been wondering if we need to start limiting the binky use. He's started making games with his binky; throwing it on the kitchen floor and watching it slide, and spitting it out when he's sitting in his high chair to watch it spin on the tray lol

[@Natski808]

Great video! My 7 month old hasn’t had a pacifier since he was just shy of 4 months old but a few weeks ago he was sick with his first cold and found his thumb and has since been sucking his thumb when it comes to nap/sleep time and trying to fall asleep, and sometimes randomly during his awake time for a few seconds/minutes, possibly to soothe himself. Not sure how to deal with this or go about it! Could I please have some suggestions if you have any?

[@uloakuehiemere2033]

You can put a bitter substance on his fingers . That’s how I was weaned at age 6. It may seem harsh but it works.

[@Sisters_11]

Hey im on my daughter's account she had one for the day she was born and she wont give it up shes 16 now idk what to do

[@VioletteToussaint]

@EmmaHubbard I read a study which showed that pacifiers reduced the risk of SIDS and should be used at sleeptime. Do you know about this?

[@sherryann3577]

Is there any video with colic & temper Tantrums? My baby have it all

[@lanakranz9227]

There is no way i wasn't letting my kids have a pacifier. My reason: I didn't have one. I sucked my thumb. That's way worse. I couldn't stop the behaviour and my parents couldn't take it off me. I sucked or mouthed my thumb inadvertently /mindlessly until I was 28 years old. It was really ingrained. So mine had orthodontic pacifiers until toddlerhood and never sucked their digits as a result.

[@EmmaHubbard]

Thanks for sharing!

[@Maiju86]

A great video, thanks! My third child is almost 5 months old and he is the only one who has accepted a pacifier. He uses it to fall asleep in the car and in the stroller. Otherwise he doesn't even want it and usually he falls asleep while nursing.

[@EmmaHubbard]

Glad it was helpful!

[@nullnull4900]

Very informative. Thanks

[@EmmaHubbard]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mlina1985]

My little one is 9 months old and uses a pacifier to fall asleep. I will definitely think about a weaning strategy after this.

[@Jillianrc]

This came at the perfect time. We have a big time paci baby who’s five months old and I was planning on taking it away soon. She’s stopped interest in it since she’s started teething, but still likes it at night.

[@EmmaHubbard]

Glad it came at the right time for you and your little one!

[@DesignerMaker]

Hi Emma, your advice has been amazing for our newborn. But they’re now 9 months old and it seems we’re outgrowing your target audience. Do you have any plans to start making videos for slightly older kids, or are they any channels you’d recommend. Thanks so much, we recommend all new parents your direction.

[@josefinh3365]

My oldest never took a pacifier, she didn't want it at all. The youngest however, had really bad reflux/vomiting until she was ~11 months, the only thing that helped whilst sleeping was a pacifier. After that I tried to take the pacifier away but she would take her thumb instead. So I figured I would wait until she didnt take her thumb instead (as that is harder to prevent). She just recently turned 16 months, now started to remove her pacifier. She finds it quite frustrating, especially during trying to sleep. Hopefully she will get used to it soon and her teeth will correct themselves.

[@juliacaptures]

We removed the paci at 6 months, but now baby sucks on thumb when tired or for falling asleep. Should we be concerned?

[@bibiruqia648]

Hi Emma, Can you please make a video for babies who sucks their thumbs. My 6 month old started sucking his thumbs.

[@irmasierra]

Any tips for trying to correct a toddler who already has shown signs of malocclusion from pacifier and bottle use? Besides stopping altogether would massage or anything help ?

[@ChezDadya]

I live in France, a child goes to school with pacifier. In Africa you can't see a child with a pacifier in school. Mostly of African baby (from Africa) don't use it even at home.

[@YourHealthMatters288]

Thank you Emma! I enjoyed this video.

[@EmmaHubbard]

You're so welcome!

[@panchaliIP]

My first son gave up using dummy by age of 5 months.. my second is 10 months , still using occasionally but I have noticed he is slowly loosing his interest so I plan to stop dummies by 12 months completely.

[@supreethaashika8234]

Thank god... my goodness my Little one, from the beginning he doesn't liked pacifier. Now he is 7 month old. If I offer pacifier even now he just put to his mouth and throws away😄. In the beginning I suffered a lot without pacifier making him fall asleep. Thank you Emma🥰for this video

[@annabees]

funny thing, bought a pacifier for my 7weeks old baby today because sometimes she needs perma succion (previously from my breast...) in the middle of the night. The lady selling it to me said "aw, already?" I guess she thought pacifiers were for older babies when really it's just to get through those first sleepless nights while baby learns how to sleep and that mum & dad are just right here if they need it. I told her just that & she was super nice. I was buying a 0-6 months specifically designed pacifier too... 😅

[@Strongstarter]

I tried to take a pacifier off of my baby's mouth and now she sucks her thumb... Should I stop her sucking it as well to avoid those issues you mentioned in this video? Would sucking a thumb cause the similar issues btw?

[@kristinaw2543]

Do these same dangers apply to sucking on thumb?

[@QueenLogic87]

Hi Emma.. Finally got my baby to not hate tummy time so much. But he does the Superman style tummy time.. Arms and legs outward like he is surfing on his stomach.. How can I avoid this? Is it bad or normal? Thanks..

[@coriv]

What about sucking thumb? I never gave my baby a pacifier but he sucks his thumb. He's over 2 now and I constantly remind him when he's doing it but I can't seem to help him stop

[@senamtay3646]

Does this have the same effect if they suck their thumb.How do I safely stop her bcos she does want it pulled out

[@lunabay2516]

My daughter is one month and 8 days old, so far so good, only crys during the night because it's her feeding time, and we can even sleep up to 4 hours or longer between two feedings. After watching this video, I will save the three pacifiers that we have (still in the boxes), if it's not necessary, we will not give her pacifier. The daughter of my cousin never had to use pacifier.

[@sadsong3547]

My baby only used pacifier when going to sleep just a few seconds and I remove it after he's asleep . He doesn't use it when awake at all. Is this OK or should I just wean him .he's 5 months old

[@camillarich]

There are times you just say "sucking" does extended breastfeeding have an effect on dental health?

[@yyang3466]

Thank you so much for this

[@EmmaHubbard]

You're so welcome!

[@deeit529]

My baby of 5 moths is drooling and is eating his hands alot that I started using the pacifier for preventing it. Are there any other ideas?

[@sherryann3577]

The only time my baby used a pacifier & behave good was at the hospital. From the time we brought him home only crying & and he won't take the pacifier. You had to rock him 24/7

[@audreyelias-jones9509]

Hi Emma. My 6 month old only uses the dummy for naps and bedtime but I feel he has become dependent on it to get himself to sleep. He’s a great sleeper but does wake once or twice a night crying and settles when I put in the dummy. Any tips on how to wean it in this situation without negatively impacting his sleep? Thanks!

[@danielleniez96]

I was also wondering this. My 8 month old only really seems to want one at bed or at naps as part of her put down. She then normally will drop it in sleep, but if she wakes up fussing, sometimes a dummy is all she wants and she will pass back out. How do you ween from that?

[@Josephine0193]

@@danielleniez96 My baby is 9 months old and she is also like this so I am wondering this as well.

[@tashietyler5966]

Following….

[@adayoana]

Thank you for sharing all this info with us. So helpful. I wanna know if there are the same problems at babies who suck their fingers instead of pacifier?

[@EmmaHubbard]

It all depends on the frequency and the intensity of the sucking. If the child has any sucking habits (pacifier or fingers) then it can lead to oral changes. Hope that helps!

[@ceecee9703]

My baby is a thumb sucker 😩 do you have tips for that ? She’s going on 9 months

[@cherylwilliams5858]

I was lucky my son never really took to one. We had a silicon one that was great for him to choe on now & then when teething.

[@EmmaHubbard]

Thanks so much for sharing. My first daughter won't take one either but my son did. Some bub's just don't like them.

[@joemann7971]

I didnt know pacifiers caused problems. I thought my infant had issues because he never cared for pacifiers. He would only use a pacifier temporary and it was only when he wss hungry. The pacifier would just make him more cranky since it wasnt what he wanted. Its still good to know so we dont accidentally start him on pacifiers when it should weaning off.

[@jankajonova6583]

I removed the pacifier and my daughter instantly developped a habit of picking the skin on her lips. Her mouth looks awful now

[@Myb00ts13]

Hi Emma - thank you for this video. Our daughter only used a pacifier at nap/bed time and in the last week we stopped giving her the pacifier for sleep times in the last week. She is 11 months old. What we've noticed though is she immediate started sucking her thumb at nap/bed times now even though she never really sucked her thumb before. Should we still stick with not giving her the pacifier? is the thumb sucking now going to cause similar dental issues as it's much harder to get her to stop this?

[@lanakranz9227]

I speak from experience as a thumb sucker. Give her the paci back. My thumb habit spanned 28 years. Nothing worked to stop me doing it. It was just an ingrained habit. Not guards or bad tasting nail polish or rewards or punishments. And yes it had a huge effect on my palate. My thumb and palate fit each other like a puzzle. The pacifier at least is flexible and will mostly bend with her teeth. Our dentist told me to just use the paci with my boys until they were 2 years old.

[@natasjailnyckyj2674]

id give the paci back until she drops it or is old enough for discussions revolving thumb sucking. my mom couldn't get me to stop sucking my thumb until i was 6, and i stopped it on my own, no matter her efforts.

[@djurdja021]

Please help! Is it okay to use it only in stroller? My baby is 2 months old and I dont want her get used to it

[@EmmaHubbard]

It’s perfectly fine to use a pacifier under 6 months of age, as sucking is extremely soothing. So perfectly fine to use when she is in a stroller. As she gets older she will be interested in looking around when sitting in the stroller so will be less likely to need it.

[@psz2929]

Really like your videos. My son is 8 months and only uses it for sleep. How do I wean him off? Cold turkey?

[@EmmaHubbard]

It's great that he only uses it for sleep. To wean him off the pacifier it is usually easiest at this age to go cold turkey as it can be confusing to have it for some naps and not others. Hope that helps!

[@psz2929]

@@EmmaHubbard thank you

[@psz2929]

@@EmmaHubbard in your experience how long does it take to get rind of the dummy for sleep?

[@CruzCorax]

My 5 months old never accepted a pacifier. So I guess I don't need her to get used to one anymore? She only falls asleep while nursing which isn't ideal either.

[@livingwithlivestockguardians]

With my daughter we did pacifiers only at bedtime and in the car seat until 4 months of age then stopped using it. My son we started the same way but he wouldn't take them in the car seat at all. So just bedtime and he self-weaned at 2 months. He's 3 months old the pacifiers are in his bassinet but he doesn't use them. I have been lazy about throwing them out. Feels horrible to throw out some of them that were used maybe twice.

[@aliciacoble7854]

I had to take my baby off the paci when she was a few weeks because she had a heart condition andas burning way too many calories ...I gave her teethers to play with and put in her mouth , Dr was ok with that because the teether was big enough for her to hold in her mouth but not small enough for her to burn calories since she was holding a teether in her mouth vs sucking on the binkir

[@TheSwan1900]

what can i do if i my toddler is almost 2 YO, but theres a newborn in the house, meaning theres still pacifiers in the house?

[@erinstenback475]

Okay not only dental issues but my baby put his pacifier into his mouth backwards and then turned the plastic part around and got it wedged in his mouth ! When I had to turn it out to get it unstuck it made his mouth bleed !!! After that I threw them all out!

[@roseaber8051]

I just started giving my baby a pacifier today as she is 3 months and 4 days but my child refused to latch on my breasts, should I just stop giving it to her

[@1999bmwm3baby]

Pacifiers and thumbsucking will both damage dental development.

[@Biepsi]

I have like everything from back then when my patents gave me a pacifier and bottle. I had a pacifier until I was 5 years old. I have an severe underbite, missalligned teeth and a malformed jaw roof. My orthodontist had a lot to do and now, at 28 y/o, I still have problems with teeth grinding when sleeping. None of my children will get one.

[@nidarehman1271]

How about not giving pacifier at all?

[@EmmaHubbard]

It's totally your choice as a parent.

[@ebonneenelson2325]

My baby stopped using a pacifier at 3 months but the new problem is that she sucks her thumb. I’m worried about her teeth from all of the thumb sucking.

[@EmmaHubbard]

Hi Ebonnee I can understand why you might be concerned. However, it might help to hear that thumb sucking under the age of two is a completely normal behaviour and the great news is most kids drop this habit between the ages of 2 and 4. It is only after age of 4 that American Dental Association recommend starting to gently discourage this habit to avoid future problems with the mouth. I hope that helps!

[@pyourdeen8299]

Don't you said in your other video that it's soothing for child and we should worry in age of 4 about this....?

[@sanobarhatanur8084]

Hi mam Orthodontic pacifier are good My 2 month old baby id sleeping well full day and crying all night ...i give him colic relif medicine but still she is crying and not sleeping....and i bought these pacifier and start using ....but now by watching your vedio i want to stop pacifier ...but pls reply me how can I do this .

[@twilamanuel6542]

My baby doesn’t even take one and I still watched this video lol

[@thuyvuthu9634]

Thank you so much for your video. My toddler didn't use any type of pacifier and growing up his language skills develop faster than his peers and he doesn't have crooked teeth

[@banishamorar6523]

Would you say using a nipple sheild whilst breastfeeding could have the same problems ?

[@werak.8595]

Wonderful and important topic! My baby is not here yet, but we were already warned by our dentist friend about these dangers. While my older brother's son is already over 3 years old and uses his pacifier almost all the time. He doesn't speak, already has some mouth muscle problems. I don't know how his teeth are. And he freaks out without his pacifier, they try to teach him live without it but with little success. And kids in kindergarten already start to laugh at him, because he's the only one who still uses his pacifier. Poor child

[@wifey_to_an_rc_addict2610]

Kindergarten at 3? Normally kindergarten doesn't start until 5 or 6?

[@werak.8595]

@@wifey_to_an_rc_addict2610 It depends on the country I guess. In mine we have nurseries 0-3, kindergartens 3-6 and then primary school :)

[@wifey_to_an_rc_addict2610]

@@werak.8595 for us it's pre-school 3-4 , kindergarten 5-6 then 1st 7-8 etc

[@TheWarriorLV]

What about sucking on fingers ?

[@lakliams]

What about thumb sucking? Is it the same thing?

[@florianschneider3982]

it is worse

[@RelicEst1918]

But could it happen with orthodontic pacifiers also??

[@EmmaHubbard]

Yep, children with orthodontic pacifiers can still have oral damage. It all depends on how much they suck the pacifier and how hard they suck the pacifier. I cover this in more detail in this video if you want more information.

[@gw6667]

Uh, did you watch the video? Me thinks not

[@suelaamisandwich]

I try my best to avoid pacifiers from the jump. Certainly it gets used when baby is just overly fussy and nothing else with sooth them, But I’ve noticed ppl make it routine to just throw a pacifier in their babies mouth for no reason like it’s a pair of socks 😂.

[@Fatima-up2lt]

Hi Emma! My son just turned 2 and i have started the weaning off process... but sadly his teeth have been affected..is their anything i could do to fix it now ?

[@momnahyasin3126]

my daughter sucks her thumb both my boys never did neither did they have pacifiers so i have no idea how its going to impact her teeth as she now has 2 bottom teeth. i also dont know how to wean her off as she only sucks when she needs to sleep

[@EmmaHubbard]

Hi Momnah thumb sucking under the age of two is a completely normal behaviour and an extremely effective way to self-soothe. The great news is most kids drop the habit between the ages of 2 and 4. And it is only after age of 4 that American Dental Association recommend starting to gently discourage this habit to avoid future problems with the mouth. I hope that helps!

[@momnahyasin3126]

@@EmmaHubbard thank you so much for your reassuring response