Parents of babies who refuse pacifiers see mainly the challenge in this situation. But there are also some positive angles to be aware of. Here are all the details.
If your baby vehemently refuses to use a pacifier, this article is for you. You might be frustrated when your baby pushes away a pacifier or shows no interest in it, since many babies calm down when using one. However, they aren’t for everyone.
Ilanit Shachori, an infant development instructor who performs infant massage and provides sleep consultations, explains that every baby has different needs. Some need more touch and movement, others need the sucking effect to relax, and others need less of each technique.
It’s only the baby's needs that are why he/she refuses a pacifier, but parents often don’t know the right time to offer the pacifier. Many parents offer a pacifier when a baby is uncomfortable, for example when a burp is stuck. In this case, the pacifier causes reflux and the baby will push it out. Constantly trying to get a baby to use a pacifier will lead to full refusal. If you think this may be the case try to offer the pacifier precisely when the baby is calm and relaxed.
Are there benefits to living without a pacifier? Definitely.
1. The baby finds other ways to calm down independent of the parents, such as rubbing a blankie, patting a teddy bear or babbling to him/herself. Baby will develop independence because he/she won’t be dependent on anything and no one will help like when a pacifier is inserted, or falls and the baby can’t lift and reinsert it.
2. Releasing a parents' dependence on the pacifier is something to take into consideration. Remember what happened when you left the house and forgot the pacifier? Well, such drama doesn’t happen with a pacifier refuser, and it's good that way. You can leave the house without fear of forgetting the national sedative.
3. "Saving" on one type of weaning. Down the road, weaning from bottles, parting from diapers - your baby will have to give up many things as he grows, and if he doesn’t use a pacifier, that’s one less thing to be detached from.
After reading this, we hope you see the benefits of pacifier refusal and know that even if it seems difficult, it has, nonetheless, many benefits now and as your child grows.