Pros and Cons of Binkies

There isn't an easy route for making the trials and tribulations of toddlers any less complicated, especially when any single misstep can have lasting repercussions on the state of your newborn into child growth.

Infants can keep you up at night. They can challenge your awareness, wakefulness, preparedness, and overall sanity.

To keep you from losing it, we compiled the pros and cons of binkies and recorded them here for your benefit. It's not as easy as you may think; choosing the right method for calming your newborn can be a confusing and time consuming ordeal.

It always comes down to research; know the ins and outs of any product or device before making a decision. There isn't a perfect set of rules when it comes to child rearing, but the pros and cons of binkies will definitely come in handy.

Some Soothing Pros

Binkies can soothe toddlers' fusspots and help night-wakers fall back to sleep. Babies love sucking, and the binky is an essential for children that have trouble going to bed.

They can act as a form of distraction, such as when a toddler needs shots, amid traveling with your newborn, or if you just need a break from stress and sleep deprivation.

While these may be two perfect examples in the pros and cons of binkies, parents need to be careful with how much they rely on a pacifier.

Be Wary of Habit-Forming

Pacifiers are also an easier habit to break than thumb-sucking, because you can dispose of a binkie as soon as you spot an issue.

Rather than thumb-sucking, which works counterproductively, binkies give you an additional sense of control over your infant's fixation.

As one of the most important pieces of information on the pros and cons of binkies, research shows they can actually decrease the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

By slightly keeping babies awake as they suck on a pacifier, or by leaving air passages open, experts believe binkies can limit the possibility of this syndrome. Always keep an eye on your newborn, even when sleeping at a young age.

The Habitual Cons

Infants can get attached to their pacifiers, causing more issues than if you had disregarded the binky in the first place. Try to keep their use to a minimum, and begin weening them off before one and a half years old.

Binkies can even become a habit for you, as well. If used too regularly, parents can overlook an infant's tantrum, deciding instead to give them a pacifier before looking into the issue further; hunger, aches, fatigue, etc.

Know your child and listen accordingly! Don't leave anything to chance. In the pros and cons of binkies, a common tip is to keep their necessity to sleeping or exaggerated tantrums, not whenever you feel like it.

Breastfeeding and Other Health Issues

Pacifiers can potentially confuse newborns. Though the data is rather speculative, conflicting evidences suggest that binkies may interfere with breastfeeding.

For proper reference, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends the use of pacifiers be kept to a minimum — notably for sleep — and only after establishing a proper breastfeeding routine.

If a child is still using a pacifier at the age of two, experts say it could lead to misaligned teeth and changes in the root of their mouth.

Again, limited and cautionary use is highly advised throughout the pros and cons of binkies, so if you're debating a pacifier, be smart.

Keep in Mind

As aforementioned, there really isn't much to help parents in the form of knowing which products and devices to use, or not. It is important to know your baby's needs, while also keeping in mind the importance of your toddler's healthy future.

The pros and cons of binkies may not be as foolproof as parents tend to believe. If ever in doubt, follow the tips outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics for proper pacifier use and knowledge.

Furthermore, don't overuse or abuse the pacifier, because this will definitely lead to problems for both you and your child's future. Learn what is safe, stick to habit-free methods, and don't make them a necessity.