Pacifiers: There's Only One Kind, Right?

For those of you who know me, in real life, via Twitter, or just by this Blog, I'd like to think that you already know that I'm opinionated, a psycho researching about everything Baby, and a little obsessive... about well, everything.

I have to tell you that I have been no different when it comes to PACIFIERS.

What's cuter than a little baby going to town on a pacifier?  I always thinking about Maggie Simpson and EK is quite the little Maggie when she's sleepy.

DH and I were split on the paci decision.  He wanted to avoid pacis altogether.  I think they're good in moderation and for a limited time.  His niece kept a pacifier until she started first grade.  I think that has scarred DH for life.  That will NOT happen in my house - just throwing that out there.

PROS of using a pacifier (according to the Mayo Clinic):
* May soothe a fussy baby. I absolutely agree.  It's a cry-stopper.
* Offers temporary distraction. As in, when your baby is hungry, the paci works long enough to get to a comfortable position to nurse or to get a bottle prepared.
* May help your baby fall asleep.  EK falls asleep with her paci 99% of the time.  She loves her paci but she LOVES her paci when she's sleepy.  She even has sound effects (She hums.) when she's sucking on her paci and sleepy.
* May help reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.  I could stop right here because is there any better reason.  "May" is enough for me.  I'll do anything that reduces that risk.
* They're disposable.  At first, when EK wouldn't use a pacifier, I told the pediatrician that who said "Well then she'll probably be a thumb sucker."  We started working on loving a pacifier THAT DAY.  I did not want her to be a thumb sucker.  I can ultimately toss the paci.  I can't toss her thumb.

CONS (Also from the Mayo Clinic):
* May interfere with breastfeeding.  I suppose they may, but that was not my experience. EK has had no problem with pacis, bottles or breastfeeding. She likes it all.
* May become dependent on the pacifier.  I was worried about this, but she doesn't always fall asleep with a pacifier.  She sometimes goes to sleep without it.  However, I will say that when she's tired and has her pacifier, all hell will break loose if it falls out.  That doesn't bother me enough for it to be a con though.
* May increase the risk of inner ear infections.  I will admit that this concerns me.  EK has ony had one ear infection so far (thank God!) and that was when she had RSV.  I try not to let her have it all day long though - only when she's sleepy.  Okay.  Who am I kidding?  She gets it whenever she wants it, but so far, so good.
* Prolonged use may cause dental problems.  Okay, parents.  This is when you just have to be strong and committed to a throw away date.  I'm hoping for a year, but adament about 2 years.  We'll see who wins.

Okay.  So you already know what made our decision.  Aside from the cry-stopper, I am a fan of a reduced risk of SIDS and I am NOT a fan of thumb sucking, so the pacifier wins! (I have to say here that from an orthodontic perspective a pacifier is better/healthier than a thumb.)

I will tell you that initially I was won over by the pink and purple Soothies (the hospital pacifiers).  That's what I registered for, but EK wasn't a big fan at first.  Then, the more I thought about it, I couldn't help but think that over time... that harder round shape in her mouth would have to make it sore.  I wanted something that had more of a mouth shape.  Time for more research.

First things first... (and NO ONE told me this)....
LATEX VS. SILICONE
Some babies are allergic to latex, so it's best to start out with silicon.  EK is not so that wasn't an issue.  BUT... here's the deal...  Although silicone-nipple pacifiers are dishwasher-safe (top rack only), latex pacifiers are not and deteriorate faster when heated.  For a psychotic washer/boiler Mommy like me, latex won't work.  I didn't know that heat deteriorates latex until after I had already tossed all of EK's latex pacis.  I was washing and boiling like normal, which was beginning to make the latex GROSS.  One day, after washing in the dishwasher (top rack) and boiling, I noticed a hair on the pacifier.  It was tucked down in the groove between the plastic and the latex.  Also in there, other grossness and that was AFTER all my psycho-cleaning.  I looked at the others... more grossness on all the latex pacifiers.  Guess what went straight into the garbage?  Half of EK's pacifiers.  I now ONLY have clear, silicone pacifiers and suggest the same for everyone.  (I should say that latex is softer and retains smells.  Some babies like that it retains smells. That's kind of gross to me.  The softer is a plus but the nastiness required tossing).

ORTHODONTIC?  Yes, please.
An orthodontic pacifier keeps your baby's jaws (top & bottom) in the correct position and thus doesn't interfere with proper development and growth.  The Soothie is NOT orthodontic.  This matters to me, but may not matter to you.  (Dare I say that it should matter).

There are lots of pacifiers out there, but there is ONLY ONE for me.  Dare I say I will not use anything other than the Nuk.  It was created/founded by two dentists.  Top that for your baby.  I will admit that MAM seems to have the most designs, and I am slightly fascinated that Dr. Brown's has a pacifier.  Since that is the only bottle I will ever use, I'm a little surprised that I didn't go that route with their pacifier, but Nuk it is.  It's the only one, in my litte world.

I have it on good authority that the Easter Bunny is bringing EK the Nuk Genius.  I can't wait to try it out.

There are a few other comments I have to make, while I'm on the pacifier discussion.  The Soothie has a stuffed frog (and other animals) that is sewn to a Soothie.  How do you clean it?  In the washing machine.  I have so many issues with washing my baby's pacifier with clothes.  I'm not recommending that.  There are other animals that you can attach to a pacifier and they are removable.  You can wash the animal in the washing machine and the pacifier like it should be washed.  I'm not knocking those.  In fact, EK may ultimately have one of those. 

Lastly, THE FIVE SECOND RULE DOES NOT EXIST... ESPECIALLY FOR PACIFIERS... ESPECIALLY FOR YOUR BABY.

That is all. ;)