What it means
Sucking calms many infants. Offering a pacifier when putting a baby down to sleep is linked with a lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). For breastfed babies, it is usually held off until breastfeeding is going well, often around 3 to 4 weeks. In the NICU, pacifiers help preterm babies practice sucking.
For the nurse
Teach parents not to dip the pacifier in honey or sugar, not to tie it around the baby's neck or to the crib, to check it often for cracks, and not to force it if the baby refuses it or it falls out during sleep.
At a glance
| Everyday words | dummy, binky |
|---|---|
| Spanish | chupete, chupón |
| Also written | pacifiers |
Related terms
preschooler
A child between about 3 and 5 years old.