Baby Pacifiers.
By now you have noticed that your baby sucks his fingers and hands a
lot. Sucking brings pleasure to a baby. This is a strong need in babies
this age. Being able to suck his own fingers and hands means he can
make himself feel good all by himself. Sucking helps him feel happy
and calm. Sometimes sucking fingers is a sign of hunger.
A baby often sucks his fingers or pacifier while he watches and learns
about his world. As something grabs his attention, he may stop
sucking for a moment to watch. He will then start to suck again.
Many parents buy pacifiers for their babies. You may have heard that
pacifiers can harm a baby’s mouth. You may have heard that pacifiers
will keep a baby from developing correctly. A pacifier isn’t necessary.
But it’s OK if your baby uses one.
Never tie or pin a pacifier to your baby’s clothes. The ribbon or string
could get wrapped around his neck. This could choke him. A pin in
your baby’s clothes can stick him.
Be sure to buy the kind of pacifier that cannot come apart. Be sure it
can be washed in a dishwasher. Clean the pacifier often. You can clean
it by boiling it in water or putting it in the dishwasher.
Never dip a pacifier in sweet liquids, honey or syrups to make it tasty.
Germs in honey and syrups can make your baby sick. Sweets may
cause tooth decay when your baby is older.
