I have been reading an excellent article by two Brazilian doctors, Silvia Diez Castilho and Marco Antonio Mendes Rocha, recently published. It is a work on the history of pacifier use Its objective is to review history books and updated medical articles, to offer a complete vision of the use of pacifiers and their advantages and disadvantages, reinforcing its conclusions with numerous scientific works.
They believe that there is, as is true, evidence that pacifiers or their precursors were used since at least the Neolithic to help calm babies. Fabrics were used that wrapped some food and other utensils of materials that if they have been able to withstand the passing of millennia.
He pacifier It was used to stimulate suction, help coordinate it and to anticipate the use of complementary feeding in babies who still could not eat solid foods.
There are works that suggest that it can reduce the incidence of sudden death, but it is a very controversial issue that has not been proven so far. What does seem true is that its use can interfere and hinder breastfeeding, reducing the sucking of the baby in the chest and, therefore, decreasing it. It is also related to early weaning for this reason.
He pacifierAs a breast substitute, it can help decrease pain or the response to discomfort.
No negative effects have been demonstrated on a psychological level, provided it is used as a complement to contact with parents. However, withdraw it at the wrong time, if it can cause stress and frustration disorders due to the conflict between the desire to suck, completely natural and the prohibition of doing so.
He pacifierIf it becomes necessary for the emotional stability of the baby, it should be used sparingly, otherwise it may hinder the normal development of the sounding apparatus and the chewing musculature. It can also favor recurrent otitis and interfere with the correct formation of the dental arch after three or four years. In premature infants it can, on the other hand, be a factor that helps improve the suction reflex if they have been fed with a probe.
Extreme care must be taken with the dangers of suffocation and strangulation by the cords from which the pacifier hangs, in addition to being possible that lacerations occur in the oral mucosa.
For all these reasons and especially because it is related to a lower incidence and duration of breastfeeding, despite its widespread use, the study recommends taking into account that harmful effectors weigh more than possible benefits.
The history of pacifier use It has become a common element among the objects that are considered necessary for a baby, but, nevertheless, the experience and the scientific data analyzed indicate that it is better not to use it in an extended way, prioritizing natural breastfeeding.
