6 Tips to Prevent The Risk of Using Pacifier

 

Pacifiers have both benefits and risks for your baby's health. If you decide to give your baby a pacifier, follow these tips to prevent the risk:

1.      1.  Pacifiers should not be used as the first line of defense.

A change of position or a rocking session can sometimes help to calm a crying baby. Only give your baby a pacifier after or between feedings.

2. Select a one-piece, dishwasher-safe option. Pacifiers with two pieces can become a choking hazard if they break.
3. Allow your baby to set the pace. Don't force the pacifier on your baby if he or she isn't interested.

4.               4. Maintain a clean environment. Boil pacifiers or run them through the dishwasher on a regular basis until your baby is 6 months old and his or her immune system has matured. Pacifiers should be washed with soap and water after 6 months. Resist the urge to "rinse" the pacifier in your mouth. You'll just end up spreading more germs to your baby.

5.      5. Don't sugarcoat anything. Don't put anything sweet on the pacifier.

6.       6. Keep it secure. Pacifiers should be replaced on a regular basis and in the appropriate size for your baby's age. Keep an eye out for signs of deterioration. Pacifier clips should also be used with caution. Never tie a pacifier to a string or strap that is long enough to become entangled around your baby's neck.

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Mom Should Know! Here are Risks of Pacifiers

 Pacifiers were historically considered beneficial until the early 1900s when an anti-pacifier movement spread fears that their use led to poor hygiene and indulgent behavior. According to scientific research, here are the risks of pacifiers:

1.      Your baby may become dependent on the pacifier.

If your baby sleeps with a pacifier, you may experience middle-of-the-night crying spells if the pacifier falls out of your baby's mouth.

2.      Pacifier use may increase your baby's risk of middle ear infections.

However, rates of middle ear infections are generally lowest between the ages of birth and 6 months, when the risk of SIDS is highest and your baby may be most interested in a pacifier.

3.      Prolonged pacifier use may result in dental issues.

Normal pacifier use in the first few years of life does not usually result in long-term dental problems. However, using a pacifier for an extended period of time may cause a child's teeth to become misaligned.

4.      Using a pacifier may interfere with breastfeeding.

If you're breastfeeding, you might wait until your baby is 3 to 4 weeks old and you've established a nursing routine before offering a pacifier. A study of unrestricted pacifier use in healthy, full-term infants found that it had no effect on breastfeeding continuation.

As a good mother you should consider the risks of a pacifier before using it for your baby

 

5 Benefit of Pacifiers for Your Baby

 

Nonnutritive sucking is a natural reflex for a fetus and newborn, and it is most commonly manifested by sucking the hands and fingers. The pacifier, also known as a "dummy," has long been used to satisfy this innate desire.

Pacifiers are the key to contentment for some babies in between feedings. Here are the  benefit of pacifiers:

1. A pacifier can help a fussy baby relax. Some babies enjoy sucking on something the most.
2. A pacifier serves as a temporary distraction. A pacifier may be helpful before and after shots, blood tests, or other procedures.
3. A pacifier may assist your baby in falling asleep. If your baby has trouble falling asleep, a pacifier may help.
4. A pacifier may alleviate flight discomfort. Babies cannot "pop" their ears by swallowing or yawning to relieve ear pain caused by changes in air pressure. Sucking on a pacifier may be beneficial.
5. A pacifier may help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Sucking on a pacifier during naps and at bedtime may reduce the risk of SIDS. Pacifiers are discarded. When it's time to stop using pacifiers, you can throw them away. If your child prefers to suck on his or her thumb or fingers, breaking the habit may be more difficult.

Aside from their benefits, using pacifier have several risks for babies. In the next article, We will analyze the risk of pacifiers.

 

5 Ways to Avoid Nipple Confusion

 

There are 5 ways to avoid nipple confusion:

1.Reduce the number of times you offer a pacifier or bottle. 

• There is debate over whether pacifiers or bottles should be offered to a baby who prefers the bottle to the breast. 

Instead of every feed, you could give your baby a bottle once or twice a day. When the baby appears to want to suck, offer the breast instead of a pacifier. Allow your newborn two to four weeks to learn to breastfeed before introducing a pacifier or bottle.

2.Watch your baby for hunger cues and try to breastfeed before your baby gets upset. 

If your baby is already very hungry, they will most likely be upset, making breastfeeding more difficult. If you notice any of these common hunger cues, try to breastfeed your baby right away.

3.Express a little milk before offering the breast to your baby. 

If your baby is used to the quick and constant flow of milk from a bottle, they may become frustrated with the breast. 

Manually express or use a pump to allow your milk to drain. Then, allow your baby to latch on so they can be rewarded with breast milk right away.

If possible, try expressing milk directly into your baby's mouth to make them eager to nurse.

.4.Adjust your breastfeeding positions. 

• To make it easier for your baby to nurse, lie back with your baby on your stomach. Your baby will feel supported and close to you, making it easier for them to feed. 

Try the cradle hold, which involves laying the baby horizontally in front of you while supporting their body. Experiment with various breastfeeding positions until you find the one that your baby prefers.

5.Check your baby's latch to ensure they're sucking effectively. 

• When you bring your baby to your breast, make sure their mouth is wide open so they can take in more of the areola. 

You'll soon hear swallowing if the baby's latch is good. If breastfeeding is painful, remove the baby from your breast and try again.

Sign of Nipple Confusion

 Mothers should be aware if the baby has nipple confusion. Mothers should pay attention to the following things as a sign that the baby is confused about the nipples.

If a baby tries to breastfeed in the same way that they bottle feed, they may do the following:

• fail to open their mouth wide enough during the latch (in this case, they won't get much milk and their mother's nipples will be very sore)

• become dissatisfied that their mother's milk isn't available right away because it takes a minute or two of sucking to activate the let-down reflex.

With an older baby, the last scenario may be an issue. One example is a baby whose mother's milk is less readily available due to a change in schedule, such as returning to work.

Breastfeeding for longer periods of time may reduce your milk supply, so mothers should be aware about this nipple confusion condition

When Mother Should Not Breastfeed to Her Child?

 

Acording to CDC, mother should not breastfeed or feed expressed breastmilk to her child if:

• Infant is diagnosed with classic galactosemiaexternal iconexternal icon, a rare genetic metabolic disorder

• Mother is diagnosed with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (Note: recommendations about breastfeeding and HIV may be different in other countries)
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• Mother is infected with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I or type II pdf icon[PDF-805KB]external icon (HTLV – 1/2)
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• Mother is using an illicit street drug, such as PCP (phencyclidine) or cocaine (Exception: Narcotic-dependent mothers who are enrolled in a supervised methadone program and have a negative screening for HIV infection and other illicit drugs can breastfeed)
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• Mother has suspected or confirmed Ebola virus disease. 

• These are the reason that mother shouldn't breastfeed to her child. 

What is the difference between the position of the baby's mouth when drinking breast milk and bottle feeding?

 

The position of the baby's mouth when feeding breast milk and drinking milk from a bottle is different. According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, these are the mechanics of breastfeeding:

1.A newborn opens their mouth quite widely to properly latch on to the breast so that the nipple and a significant portion of the areolar tissue can reach deeply inside. 

2.The infant's gums compress the areola and their tongue travels rhythmically from front to back to pull out milk. • 

3.The baby utilizes their tongue and lower jaw to do two things at once: hold the breast tissue in place against the roof of their mouth, and create a trough between the nipple and the areola.

The same technique is not required when drinking from a bottle. Because of gravity, milk will flow no matter what a baby does. 

1. When a baby feeds from a bottle, they don't have to open their mouth wide or create a tight seal with properly turned-out lips. 

2.They don't have to draw a bottle nipple deeply into their mouth, and there's no need for the back-to-front milking action of the tongue. 

3.They can suck only with their lips or "gum" on the rubber nipple.

The difference in the position of breastfeeding and drinking milk from a bottle will cause nipple confusion in babies