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This Mom’s Genius Trick That Stops Her Baby Crying Is Going Viral, But Not Everyone Approves It
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This Mom’s Genius Trick That Stops Her Baby Crying Is Going Viral, But Not Everyone Approves It

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One of the most common reasons to cry for a baby is waking up with pacifier fallen out, and the dear baby would so like a replacement.

While many parents have struggled with this over the years, getting up every hour or so to faithfully put the pacifier back while certain that it will soon fall out again, Laura Gerson, user of British parenting site ‘The Motherload’ has come up with an ingeniously simple life hack and it is proving to be very popular. “I’m completely amazed that this parenting tip has gone viral!” Laura told Bored Panda. “We put it on The Motherload Facebook group as a kind of humorous post because she looked so cute with them all around her, and cannot believe the response from it.”

Instead of a single pacifier in the crib, which can easily be misplaced or fall down the sides, Laura decided to place 10 or more pacifiers all around the crib. This is like a ‘bar’ for baby Amelia, who can reach out as soon as the pacifier drops and almost instantly find a replacement. “She isn’t a total dummy fiend and doesn’t even have them through the day. But it really soothes her having them through the night, and having more in there makes it easy for her to find one, and hold one (or two), Laura explained. “She loves the comfort of holding them and the fact that she can find them easily without the stress she causes herself of her waking when she couldn’t find one.”

The post was met with gratitude and amazement from parents who couldn’t believe that they hadn’t thought of such a simple parenthood hack earlier. “Lots of people do use this trick already, but lots of people don’t,” Laura told Bored Panda. “The way I see it is that if it helps just one family get a good night’s sleep while raising kids from something so simple, then it’s absolutely worth it. Happy baby, happy mummy!

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Scroll down below to check out Laura and Amelia’s story, and feel free to share your own parenting hacks in the comments!

Being a new parent is hard, especially if you’re sleep deprived

This mum shared a hack on how she sleeps through the night every night

“Since my little one was about 3 months she’s gone to bed with 10 dummies in with her”

“I found that when she cried of a night all she wanted was a dummy, then she’d go back off”

“She isn’t a total dummy-fiend and doesn’t even have them through the day really, but it really soothes her having them through the night”

Immediately after sharing the post, parents started to congratulate her on the hack, agreeing that it does indeed work

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Others had a very different pacifier policy

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And some believe that it’s simply every parents choice, defending those who use pacifiers

stop-daughter-cry-sleep-dummy-laura-gerson-14

What do you think about this hack? Would you try it with your children?

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aliciascheeprs1995 avatar
Alia
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've learned not to read comments, even on here you find people getting mad at just plain drawing posts. Be a better person when you step away from your screen.

neeraz001 avatar
Neeraj Jha
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Had I also learned to not to read comments, I would have missed on this gem - "Be a better person when you step away from your screen." :)

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crabcrab avatar
Hans
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are few topics where you are so quickly judged as when it comes to parenting. This is particularly true for pacifiers. Why black and white thinking? Yes, pacifiers will deform teeth and hamper speaking when worn all day long still by four-year olds. But also yes, pacifies help a lot of babies have a craving to suck, and even for breastfeeding moms it is not feasible to have the baby be on the breast half day long. And would you rather have the baby suck on the thumb, which is equally bad for the teeth if sustained? There is no "thumb fairy", who will eventually come. Thus: being a critical parent is a good choice, judging others is not unless things are really clear.

doulagirl35 avatar
Jay Broderick
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was coming to talk about thumb sucking. Because my brother didn't have a pacifier, he used his thumb and not only sucked it, but pushed up the roof of his mouth leading to way worse dental problems. You can take away a soother but not a thumb! :)

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tessacalogaras avatar
Tess
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I swear the people getting mad about this either had the easiest kids to raise or never have had children. When your baby is crying non stop and you haven't slept for an entirety you do whatever it takes

rafaellabueno avatar
Rafaella Bueno
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd say you're lucky if a pacifier is all it takes. According to my parents, the insomnia I still often deal with is from birth, and I often needed one of them to hold me through the night to sleep or I'd cry, and I never liked pacifiers. My twin brother never needed pacifiers either, and he just slept. You put him in the crib, five minutes in he was in deep sleep, and even me crying didn't wake him up. Babies just are very different.

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amyferguson avatar
Amy Ferguson
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I will repeat the wise advise of my obstetrician when counseling me because I was hesitant to take the "easy" route and have a second C-section instead of a natural birth: " Listen- sometimes easy is good" is what he told me. I think it applies here. Happy babies have less stressed parents, and less stressed parents have happy babies. If you stand up on the pedestal of "one-way parenting" then God bless you, but a sense of humor about this stuff is the best parenting tool ever!

manowce avatar
manowce
Community Member
6 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

so not giving your kid whatever he or she wants means you shouldn't be a parent? :D

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leslierois avatar
Wezbie
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Messes up their teeth? This is the equivalent of anti-vaxxers research for dummies. Kids generally need braces on their big teeth, not baby teeth and the only teeth near dummies are baby teeth! I would walk around with like 3 pacifiers at a time as a toddler and my parents weaned me off. Don't know anyone that has had any kind of trauma from using dummies Babies have the need to suckle and if it isn't a dummy, it'll most likely be their thumb - and that isn't something you can take away to wean them off!

monilip avatar
Monilip
Community Member
6 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

But they do messes up with teeth. Statistically. That is what researches says. Babies has a big suck impuls because (surprise!) they need to suck mommy's nipples to get milk. If baby does not suck, there will be no milk. Babies learn to associate sucking with good thing (eating) & that why they also suck their thumb and other things. Simple biology. That is why they need to suck. It is much healthier to breastfeed kid that give it a bottle-from teeth (or rather occlusion) point of view - because nipple is much more elestic and softer then dummy. Kids should be breastfeed at least until they are 2 year old and can be breasfeed even if they are older. That is why some kids have a need to suck things even as 4 years old. Pacifier is replacement for breast, not other why. Of course, some women cannot breastfeed, some women doesn't want to breastfeed & they have to use bottle and that is okay. But, from dentist point of view, is may generate problems. So does using pacifier or sucking thumb

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lou_delue avatar
Zenozenobee
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was opposed to pacifiers before I had kids. My firt delivery didn't go well and end up in an emergency C-section. With the stress my rise of milk was late (3rd day), he was my first baby, I was lost, hormones went wild and he was stressed too, of course. He needed to suck. I start giving him my little finger all day long encouraged by the nurse because "once you give the pacifier you lose the battle". I couldn't sleep of course. And then, I met another nurse who told me that raising kids was not about battle. That I didn't have to make him my ennemy and that if I could get some rest, I would be in a better state of mind to bound with him and calm him down. Blessed this woman. My daughter didn't need a pacifier, she never had. It's not a mute button, it's about listening to your baby needs. when he/she grow up, you can had rules like "only to sleep".

monilip avatar
Monilip
Community Member
6 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

but this nurse was right - giving pacifier (or bottle when is is not medically neccesery) to a small baby (less than few weeks old) drastically reduces chances for brestfeeding a baby. Too bad this nurse didn't told you to just keep him close to you and your breasts, it usually helps to start breastfeeing, even if kid wants to suck all day and night (which is normal). After c-secsion milk can be delay but it will come. Unless you're one of 2% of woman who are physically not able to breastfed, I don't know your story. Anyway, I'm glad you were able to find your serenity in this stressful situation :)

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thekitten914 avatar
Kim Schroeder
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a Mom of 3, a son and 2 daughters this is my experience with pacifiers. My son, now 23 never used a pacifier. The nurses at the hospital tried to have him use one, he didn't like them. He needed braces. My oldest daughter, now 21 was lactose intolerant whick made her a spitty or wet burpring baby. As I was taught by my beloved grandma who raised me. Babies often confuse belly aches/gas for being hungry so that leads to over feeding and projectile vomiting. She needed a pacifier. Her Dr reaffirmed what my grandma said. I weaned her from using it while she was awake at 6 months and then fully at 1 yr. She never needed braces. My youngest daughter, now 13 was pretty much a carbon copy feeding wise of her older sister. She took a pacifier. My struggle to wean her was a long struggle. Bing so much younger than her siblings made it even harder. Long battle story short, she was 4 before I weaned her. She has perfect teeth. I myself sucked my thumb until I was 5, perfect teeth.

rafaellabueno avatar
Rafaella Bueno
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a twin brother, and none of us ever wanted to suck on a pacifier. He needed braces and I didn't - ot perfect teeth, but only on of my front teeth is slight off. And I used to bite my nails hard when I was around 5 or so. I have bruxism, though. I think a lot of that is just genes, like whether you'll get wisdom teeth or not, and whether they'll need to be pulled out.

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odiasuda565 avatar
Victor Vakaras
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As I was reading her post I expected to see the crib filled with ventriloquist dummies. What an odd term for a pacifier.

diresilverwolf avatar
BREAK YOUr perceptions
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

question, can pacifiers really mess up a child's teeth? like its just their baby teeth, and those suckers pop out. So in the long run does that actually matter?

fredericeeckman avatar
frederic eeckman
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's like everything, it's never all black or white. There are good and bad sides, here is something from the site "knowyourteeth" : ""Contrary to popular belief, there are some positive effects that result from sucking on pacifiers," says Jane Soxman, DDS, author of the study and Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. "One is that they assist in reducing the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Babies who are offered a pacifier do not sleep as deeply as those who sleep without a pacifier. Pacifier sucking makes it possible for the infant to be aroused from a deep sleep that could result in the stopping of breathing. Pacifiers also increase sucking satisfaction and provide a source of comfort to infants." However, parents should be aware of the negative effects of pacifier sucking on an infant's oral health. "Children should stop using pacifiers by age 2," says AGD spokesperson Luke Matranga, DDS, MAGD, ABGD.

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kennykulbiski avatar
Kenny Kulbiski
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Jeez, a cute kid with a pacifier is controversial? Sometimes they just aren't enough hours in the day for me to keep up with the things that are supposed to offend me. Thank God for social media for keeping me up to speed.

jordynmckenzie2424 avatar
SarcasticKitten
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Parents up at every hour really don't care about their kids teeth being a little bit crooked in the future, all they want to do is sleep and get their kid to sleep! And if a dummy works, give the kid 20.

adoracat avatar
adoracat
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh HELL yes I'd do it! Both my beastlings broke themselves of a pacifier by dropping it behind the couch. I told them the dust monster took it away for his own baby. I could live with that lie! In the days of Very Little Sleep, though, pacifiers were a lifesaver.

annaw avatar
Anna W
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't know if this has already been commented, but there are pacifier holders, small bands which you put on the clothing so the pacifier is always there. They are gold too, then you don't have to buy ten :D

charysse-scott avatar
Cheezees
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm still trying to figure out what "of a night" means. I'm dead serious. Does it mean overnight? At night? All night?

craz435yt avatar
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hey...it works on annoying 7 year old brothers too!

wheresheidi avatar
Heidi Reynolds
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love the language difference. They're called dummies there and pacifiers here.

darklumiya avatar
DarkLumiya
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Anyone saying a dummy will mess up teeth configuration, I never used a dummy because i sucked on my thumb.You don't want to know how messed up my mouth was. I needed 5 years of braces and both my palate and jaw had to be broken repeatedly to fix them. I would have preferred if my mother forced me to have a dummy instead.

kjorn avatar
Kjorn
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i'm a Lucky dad my 3 kids never used pacifier. they never liked it

kirstygodman avatar
Kirsty Godman
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Something else to consider most soothers are orthodontic (minimising damage to milk teeth) also so vs. thumb sucking is much easier to stop the habit completely...Some babies have a need to just suck. I agree though seeing older toddlers with a soother is a bit much especially for their speech development plus it encourages them to act up like a baby...

redinflorida avatar
A S Koziol
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, of all the things that can happen to "screw up" a kid, I think you are Free and Clear! Just keep loving them (and sleep when you can)!

puknosh avatar
Kimberly Puchniarz
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I preferred pacifiers over thumbs bc they will ALWAYS have a thumb to suck and mess up their teeth and a pacifier can up and leave anytime I want it to hit the road. 36 years ago

michele_richardson avatar
Michele Richardson
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My brother is a dentist and says pacifiers get a bad rap. The sucking helps with ears and jaw lines. Neither of my daughters would take them and had extensive dental procedure because of their underdeveloped jaw line. Whatever works and is not dangerous. Motherknows best.

rhon avatar
Rhon
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I work in a crèche caring for babies from only weeks old up to 2 yrs old. Some babies won't go to sleep without a dummy while others refuse them. But for tired parents who need sleep, if the baby will take a dummy that's fine. Neither of our babies would take a dummy and both had to have braces fitted as teenagers, (i also worked for a dentist a few yrs ago).

kim_lorton avatar
Kim Lorton
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do what works! Forget the ones who are negative thinkers! A crying baby can learn to self soothe and a binkysprintfast a dummie is a big part of it. If it works, do it

bobbiesamperi avatar
Bobbie Samperi
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love, love dummies. Thought he would go to high school with it but didn’t care if I could sleep.

absangel avatar
Denise Felce
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have three children and all these comments about dummies causing dental problems makes me laugh. Only one of my children would use a dummy and he is the only one without dental problems so I say if your child needs soothing and a dummy works go for it.

bonniealcorn avatar
Bonnie Alcorn
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why the multiple pacifiers (as they're called in the US)? I simply tied a short length of ribbon (not enough to choke on) to the pacifier and pinned the other end of the ribbon to their gown. My girls learned quickly that when the pacifier fell out of their mouth, grabbing the ribbon would bring it right back to them.

jesschiicosplay avatar
Jesstina Chibinski
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There's no perfect way to parent, if the child is comforted and sleeps through the night without risk to their health, then great. I'm going to be a mother really soon (like in 2 months, super scary btw) and my biggest hope is that my baby is healthy, mind and body. If giving them what they find comforting at such a young age means being a bad parent, then I guess I'm going to fail. I just feel like parenting doesn't have to be a struggle, some people just seem to enjoy making it so.

kadybrownell avatar
Paula Graham
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fun to hear of somebody else using the "pacifier fairy". I used this with my daughter, oh, 25 years ago. The "pacifier fairy" took her pacifiers and replaced them with little glow in the dark troll doll. She played with them till she fell asleep.

joolyv avatar
JV
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good hack when you know your baby well. I did it with my first born, because I knew that's what he needed and he knew perfectly the difference between the pacifier and the breast. I even taught him to leave his pacifiers in his crib. Didn't work with my second born, though, he needed to be held (forever!) to fall asleep.

hazelree avatar
Stille20
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why are people so quick to judge when it comes to parenting. People are so terrified they are going to mess up their kid, but are ready to scream at other parents for taking another path.

wringej avatar
GlassOfWater
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I usually avoid commenting on controversial articles but I felt the need to point out that foetuses have been known to suck their thumb while in their mother's womb. So please don't blame the use of a pacifier for a child's thumb-sucking habit. Enjoy your day :)

jessicaslater avatar
jessica slater
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have 3 pacifiers in her crib at night! Absolutely works! I only get up once for a feeding. No more getting up to find her pacifier for her!!!

knastebills avatar
Turd Ferguson
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My son had one when he was a baby and he has perfectly straight teeth.

jay_weigel avatar
Jay Weigel
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Meh. My second one never had a paci. Tried him and he spit the darn things out. He wouldn't take a bottle either. Preferred mommy and his thumb, and he figured out where his thumb was before he was two weeks old. We called him "Mr. Natural". My daughter was born with a little callus on her thumb which the doctor said showed that she had been sucking it in utero. No arguing with that! They both gave it up long before they started school and neither one ever needed braces. So.

creativewritingdias avatar
Amy Dias
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Unless it is harmful to the child, judging about parenting while lauding about yourself shows the type of person you are.

cassiewilliams avatar
Cassie
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have four kids. I initially did not want to give them pacifiers, mostly because of the teeth issues (needing braces later) but one of my sons cried almost non-stop and would not sleep. We tried everything and took him to doctors. For everybody's health I did try giving him pacifiers, but he would take them. Now my kids are all teenagers and none of them ever used pacifiers and, guess what, they all need braces anyway.

give0rtake avatar
Romina
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wanna bet that most of the anti-dummy posters had one themselves growing up. Do they give their parents a hard time for doing that? I doubt it. If you dont want your child to have one? Fine don't and just do it your way. Those who do want to have the right to make that choice.

kerryramsbotham avatar
Kerry
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish my mum used a dummy when I was a baby. Dummies weren't used as widely back then and she was adamant she was not going to use one. Because of this I ended up with a thumb sucking problem till my teens, which did cause problems with my teeth, giving me a large overbite.

manowce avatar
manowce
Community Member
6 years ago

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it's not genius. and i've never heard of a condition that would require a pacifier. it causes teeth and speech problems...

jasmine_park_10 avatar
Jasmine Frantz
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't understand why you are so obsessed with this topic. My advice to you is...Learn to let go. Especially when it comes down to someone else's kids' pacifiers

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aliciascheeprs1995 avatar
Alia
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've learned not to read comments, even on here you find people getting mad at just plain drawing posts. Be a better person when you step away from your screen.

neeraz001 avatar
Neeraj Jha
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Had I also learned to not to read comments, I would have missed on this gem - "Be a better person when you step away from your screen." :)

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crabcrab avatar
Hans
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are few topics where you are so quickly judged as when it comes to parenting. This is particularly true for pacifiers. Why black and white thinking? Yes, pacifiers will deform teeth and hamper speaking when worn all day long still by four-year olds. But also yes, pacifies help a lot of babies have a craving to suck, and even for breastfeeding moms it is not feasible to have the baby be on the breast half day long. And would you rather have the baby suck on the thumb, which is equally bad for the teeth if sustained? There is no "thumb fairy", who will eventually come. Thus: being a critical parent is a good choice, judging others is not unless things are really clear.

doulagirl35 avatar
Jay Broderick
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was coming to talk about thumb sucking. Because my brother didn't have a pacifier, he used his thumb and not only sucked it, but pushed up the roof of his mouth leading to way worse dental problems. You can take away a soother but not a thumb! :)

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tessacalogaras avatar
Tess
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I swear the people getting mad about this either had the easiest kids to raise or never have had children. When your baby is crying non stop and you haven't slept for an entirety you do whatever it takes

rafaellabueno avatar
Rafaella Bueno
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd say you're lucky if a pacifier is all it takes. According to my parents, the insomnia I still often deal with is from birth, and I often needed one of them to hold me through the night to sleep or I'd cry, and I never liked pacifiers. My twin brother never needed pacifiers either, and he just slept. You put him in the crib, five minutes in he was in deep sleep, and even me crying didn't wake him up. Babies just are very different.

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amyferguson avatar
Amy Ferguson
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I will repeat the wise advise of my obstetrician when counseling me because I was hesitant to take the "easy" route and have a second C-section instead of a natural birth: " Listen- sometimes easy is good" is what he told me. I think it applies here. Happy babies have less stressed parents, and less stressed parents have happy babies. If you stand up on the pedestal of "one-way parenting" then God bless you, but a sense of humor about this stuff is the best parenting tool ever!

manowce avatar
manowce
Community Member
6 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

so not giving your kid whatever he or she wants means you shouldn't be a parent? :D

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leslierois avatar
Wezbie
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Messes up their teeth? This is the equivalent of anti-vaxxers research for dummies. Kids generally need braces on their big teeth, not baby teeth and the only teeth near dummies are baby teeth! I would walk around with like 3 pacifiers at a time as a toddler and my parents weaned me off. Don't know anyone that has had any kind of trauma from using dummies Babies have the need to suckle and if it isn't a dummy, it'll most likely be their thumb - and that isn't something you can take away to wean them off!

monilip avatar
Monilip
Community Member
6 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

But they do messes up with teeth. Statistically. That is what researches says. Babies has a big suck impuls because (surprise!) they need to suck mommy's nipples to get milk. If baby does not suck, there will be no milk. Babies learn to associate sucking with good thing (eating) & that why they also suck their thumb and other things. Simple biology. That is why they need to suck. It is much healthier to breastfeed kid that give it a bottle-from teeth (or rather occlusion) point of view - because nipple is much more elestic and softer then dummy. Kids should be breastfeed at least until they are 2 year old and can be breasfeed even if they are older. That is why some kids have a need to suck things even as 4 years old. Pacifier is replacement for breast, not other why. Of course, some women cannot breastfeed, some women doesn't want to breastfeed & they have to use bottle and that is okay. But, from dentist point of view, is may generate problems. So does using pacifier or sucking thumb

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lou_delue avatar
Zenozenobee
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was opposed to pacifiers before I had kids. My firt delivery didn't go well and end up in an emergency C-section. With the stress my rise of milk was late (3rd day), he was my first baby, I was lost, hormones went wild and he was stressed too, of course. He needed to suck. I start giving him my little finger all day long encouraged by the nurse because "once you give the pacifier you lose the battle". I couldn't sleep of course. And then, I met another nurse who told me that raising kids was not about battle. That I didn't have to make him my ennemy and that if I could get some rest, I would be in a better state of mind to bound with him and calm him down. Blessed this woman. My daughter didn't need a pacifier, she never had. It's not a mute button, it's about listening to your baby needs. when he/she grow up, you can had rules like "only to sleep".

monilip avatar
Monilip
Community Member
6 years ago

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but this nurse was right - giving pacifier (or bottle when is is not medically neccesery) to a small baby (less than few weeks old) drastically reduces chances for brestfeeding a baby. Too bad this nurse didn't told you to just keep him close to you and your breasts, it usually helps to start breastfeeing, even if kid wants to suck all day and night (which is normal). After c-secsion milk can be delay but it will come. Unless you're one of 2% of woman who are physically not able to breastfed, I don't know your story. Anyway, I'm glad you were able to find your serenity in this stressful situation :)

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Kim Schroeder
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a Mom of 3, a son and 2 daughters this is my experience with pacifiers. My son, now 23 never used a pacifier. The nurses at the hospital tried to have him use one, he didn't like them. He needed braces. My oldest daughter, now 21 was lactose intolerant whick made her a spitty or wet burpring baby. As I was taught by my beloved grandma who raised me. Babies often confuse belly aches/gas for being hungry so that leads to over feeding and projectile vomiting. She needed a pacifier. Her Dr reaffirmed what my grandma said. I weaned her from using it while she was awake at 6 months and then fully at 1 yr. She never needed braces. My youngest daughter, now 13 was pretty much a carbon copy feeding wise of her older sister. She took a pacifier. My struggle to wean her was a long struggle. Bing so much younger than her siblings made it even harder. Long battle story short, she was 4 before I weaned her. She has perfect teeth. I myself sucked my thumb until I was 5, perfect teeth.

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Rafaella Bueno
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a twin brother, and none of us ever wanted to suck on a pacifier. He needed braces and I didn't - ot perfect teeth, but only on of my front teeth is slight off. And I used to bite my nails hard when I was around 5 or so. I have bruxism, though. I think a lot of that is just genes, like whether you'll get wisdom teeth or not, and whether they'll need to be pulled out.

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Victor Vakaras
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As I was reading her post I expected to see the crib filled with ventriloquist dummies. What an odd term for a pacifier.

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BREAK YOUr perceptions
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

question, can pacifiers really mess up a child's teeth? like its just their baby teeth, and those suckers pop out. So in the long run does that actually matter?

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frederic eeckman
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's like everything, it's never all black or white. There are good and bad sides, here is something from the site "knowyourteeth" : ""Contrary to popular belief, there are some positive effects that result from sucking on pacifiers," says Jane Soxman, DDS, author of the study and Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. "One is that they assist in reducing the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Babies who are offered a pacifier do not sleep as deeply as those who sleep without a pacifier. Pacifier sucking makes it possible for the infant to be aroused from a deep sleep that could result in the stopping of breathing. Pacifiers also increase sucking satisfaction and provide a source of comfort to infants." However, parents should be aware of the negative effects of pacifier sucking on an infant's oral health. "Children should stop using pacifiers by age 2," says AGD spokesperson Luke Matranga, DDS, MAGD, ABGD.

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Kenny Kulbiski
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Jeez, a cute kid with a pacifier is controversial? Sometimes they just aren't enough hours in the day for me to keep up with the things that are supposed to offend me. Thank God for social media for keeping me up to speed.

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SarcasticKitten
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Parents up at every hour really don't care about their kids teeth being a little bit crooked in the future, all they want to do is sleep and get their kid to sleep! And if a dummy works, give the kid 20.

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adoracat
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh HELL yes I'd do it! Both my beastlings broke themselves of a pacifier by dropping it behind the couch. I told them the dust monster took it away for his own baby. I could live with that lie! In the days of Very Little Sleep, though, pacifiers were a lifesaver.

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Anna W
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't know if this has already been commented, but there are pacifier holders, small bands which you put on the clothing so the pacifier is always there. They are gold too, then you don't have to buy ten :D

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Cheezees
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm still trying to figure out what "of a night" means. I'm dead serious. Does it mean overnight? At night? All night?

craz435yt avatar
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hey...it works on annoying 7 year old brothers too!

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Heidi Reynolds
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love the language difference. They're called dummies there and pacifiers here.

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DarkLumiya
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Anyone saying a dummy will mess up teeth configuration, I never used a dummy because i sucked on my thumb.You don't want to know how messed up my mouth was. I needed 5 years of braces and both my palate and jaw had to be broken repeatedly to fix them. I would have preferred if my mother forced me to have a dummy instead.

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Kjorn
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i'm a Lucky dad my 3 kids never used pacifier. they never liked it

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Kirsty Godman
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Something else to consider most soothers are orthodontic (minimising damage to milk teeth) also so vs. thumb sucking is much easier to stop the habit completely...Some babies have a need to just suck. I agree though seeing older toddlers with a soother is a bit much especially for their speech development plus it encourages them to act up like a baby...

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A S Koziol
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, of all the things that can happen to "screw up" a kid, I think you are Free and Clear! Just keep loving them (and sleep when you can)!

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Kimberly Puchniarz
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I preferred pacifiers over thumbs bc they will ALWAYS have a thumb to suck and mess up their teeth and a pacifier can up and leave anytime I want it to hit the road. 36 years ago

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Michele Richardson
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My brother is a dentist and says pacifiers get a bad rap. The sucking helps with ears and jaw lines. Neither of my daughters would take them and had extensive dental procedure because of their underdeveloped jaw line. Whatever works and is not dangerous. Motherknows best.

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Rhon
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I work in a crèche caring for babies from only weeks old up to 2 yrs old. Some babies won't go to sleep without a dummy while others refuse them. But for tired parents who need sleep, if the baby will take a dummy that's fine. Neither of our babies would take a dummy and both had to have braces fitted as teenagers, (i also worked for a dentist a few yrs ago).

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Kim Lorton
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do what works! Forget the ones who are negative thinkers! A crying baby can learn to self soothe and a binkysprintfast a dummie is a big part of it. If it works, do it

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Bobbie Samperi
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love, love dummies. Thought he would go to high school with it but didn’t care if I could sleep.

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Denise Felce
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have three children and all these comments about dummies causing dental problems makes me laugh. Only one of my children would use a dummy and he is the only one without dental problems so I say if your child needs soothing and a dummy works go for it.

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Bonnie Alcorn
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why the multiple pacifiers (as they're called in the US)? I simply tied a short length of ribbon (not enough to choke on) to the pacifier and pinned the other end of the ribbon to their gown. My girls learned quickly that when the pacifier fell out of their mouth, grabbing the ribbon would bring it right back to them.

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Jesstina Chibinski
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There's no perfect way to parent, if the child is comforted and sleeps through the night without risk to their health, then great. I'm going to be a mother really soon (like in 2 months, super scary btw) and my biggest hope is that my baby is healthy, mind and body. If giving them what they find comforting at such a young age means being a bad parent, then I guess I'm going to fail. I just feel like parenting doesn't have to be a struggle, some people just seem to enjoy making it so.

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Paula Graham
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fun to hear of somebody else using the "pacifier fairy". I used this with my daughter, oh, 25 years ago. The "pacifier fairy" took her pacifiers and replaced them with little glow in the dark troll doll. She played with them till she fell asleep.

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JV
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good hack when you know your baby well. I did it with my first born, because I knew that's what he needed and he knew perfectly the difference between the pacifier and the breast. I even taught him to leave his pacifiers in his crib. Didn't work with my second born, though, he needed to be held (forever!) to fall asleep.

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Stille20
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why are people so quick to judge when it comes to parenting. People are so terrified they are going to mess up their kid, but are ready to scream at other parents for taking another path.

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GlassOfWater
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I usually avoid commenting on controversial articles but I felt the need to point out that foetuses have been known to suck their thumb while in their mother's womb. So please don't blame the use of a pacifier for a child's thumb-sucking habit. Enjoy your day :)

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jessica slater
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have 3 pacifiers in her crib at night! Absolutely works! I only get up once for a feeding. No more getting up to find her pacifier for her!!!

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Turd Ferguson
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My son had one when he was a baby and he has perfectly straight teeth.

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Jay Weigel
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Meh. My second one never had a paci. Tried him and he spit the darn things out. He wouldn't take a bottle either. Preferred mommy and his thumb, and he figured out where his thumb was before he was two weeks old. We called him "Mr. Natural". My daughter was born with a little callus on her thumb which the doctor said showed that she had been sucking it in utero. No arguing with that! They both gave it up long before they started school and neither one ever needed braces. So.

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Amy Dias
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Unless it is harmful to the child, judging about parenting while lauding about yourself shows the type of person you are.

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Cassie
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have four kids. I initially did not want to give them pacifiers, mostly because of the teeth issues (needing braces later) but one of my sons cried almost non-stop and would not sleep. We tried everything and took him to doctors. For everybody's health I did try giving him pacifiers, but he would take them. Now my kids are all teenagers and none of them ever used pacifiers and, guess what, they all need braces anyway.

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Romina
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wanna bet that most of the anti-dummy posters had one themselves growing up. Do they give their parents a hard time for doing that? I doubt it. If you dont want your child to have one? Fine don't and just do it your way. Those who do want to have the right to make that choice.

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Kerry
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish my mum used a dummy when I was a baby. Dummies weren't used as widely back then and she was adamant she was not going to use one. Because of this I ended up with a thumb sucking problem till my teens, which did cause problems with my teeth, giving me a large overbite.

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manowce
Community Member
6 years ago

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it's not genius. and i've never heard of a condition that would require a pacifier. it causes teeth and speech problems...

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Jasmine Frantz
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't understand why you are so obsessed with this topic. My advice to you is...Learn to let go. Especially when it comes down to someone else's kids' pacifiers

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