Whether you call it a pacifier, a dummy, a binky, a paci, a soother, a Nuk, or a sucky, almost every parent has had a discussion before their baby is born about whether they should use one.
Everyone has an opinion. Grandma and Auntie may say, “Don’t start that!” while friends might be quick to recommend their favourite brands.
As a retired speech-language pathologist, my focus is on speech and language development. Although prolonged pacifier use can potentially affect opportunities for talking and, in some cases, speech sound development, I still recommend pacifiers for babies who are soothed by sucking.
My reasoning is simple. If your baby is soothed by sucking and doesn’t have a pacifier, they may find their thumb instead. Eventually, you may want to wean them from sucking for comfort—and it is much easier to get rid of a pacifier than a thumb!
When Should You Start Pacifier Weaning?
The key to using a pacifier is to have a plan to eventually get rid of it—and that process can start early.
As your baby gets older and becomes more active, social, and vocal, begin putting the pacifier away during happy, awake times. Give your baby plenty of opportunities to babble, make sounds, smile, play, and interact without a pacifier in their mouth.
You can still save the pacifier for times when your baby truly needs soothing, such as naps, bedtime, or particularly difficult moments such as an immunization or a “bad owie.”
As your little one approaches their second birthday, it’s a good time to think seriously about getting rid of the pacifier entirely.
Can Pacifiers Cause Speech Delay?
Parents often wonder whether pacifiers can cause speech delay. A pacifier doesn’t automatically cause a child to have delayed speech, but frequent daytime use may reduce opportunities for talking.
Think about a toddler walking around with a pacifier in their mouth. To say something, they have to stop what they’re doing and take the pacifier out. Their little hands may already be busy holding toys, snacks, or treasures they’ve collected along the way!
It can simply be easier to point and grunt than to remove the pacifier and try to say sounds or words.
Children learn to talk by practising. They need plenty of opportunities to babble, experiment with sounds, imitate words, and discover what their mouths can do. That’s one very good reason to give older babies and toddlers lots of pacifier-free time during the day.
Can Pacifiers Affect Teeth and Speech Sounds?
There is another important reason to phase out prolonged pacifier use: it can contribute to changes in the position of the teeth and the way the teeth come together.
When the front teeth don’t come together as they should, some children may have difficulty producing sounds such as /s/ and /z/. Instead of a crisp /s/, the tongue may come too far forward, making it sound more like “th.”
As Sylvester the Cat would say, “Thufferin’ Thucotash!”
You don’t need to become an expert on all the possible dental effects of pacifier use. The simple message is this: as your baby grows into a toddler, gradually reducing pacifier use—especially during the day—is a sensible step for both speech and dental development.
How to Wean a Toddler Off a Pacifier
Some children have extreme difficulty giving up their soothers. It can be hard on everyone in the house! As a rule, a gradual approach often works well.
In “the olden days,” parents sometimes gradually snipped away at the end of a pacifier until it was no longer satisfying to suck. Today, there are commercially available pacifier-weaning systems that use a series of progressively different pacifiers to achieve a similar gradual effect without altering the pacifier yourself.
One example is the Frida Baby Silicone Paci Weaning System. I have no stake in this product, but it does look like an interesting option for families who want to try a gradual approach.
Other methods include the “Paci is broken!” approach, where you show your child a pacifier that can no longer be used. This will likely result in some tears and at least a few challenging bedtimes.
A similar approach is the “Binky is lost!” method. You can even go on a hunt together but, unfortunately, the pacifier simply cannot be found!
Again, there may be some upset at naptime and bedtime. Every parent knows their own child best and has to decide what their child—and the rest of the household—can tolerate.
One Thing You Can Do Today
If your older baby or toddler regularly has a pacifier in their mouth while happily playing, try putting it away for part of the day.
Give your child plenty of pacifier-free time to babble, make sounds, try words, smile, and interact with you.
A Thought from Cheryl
If you’re trying to wean your child from the pacifier, give yourself some grace. Some children are simply more attached to sucking than others, and some have personalities that make giving up their favourite soother more challenging.
Just keep trying—especially during the day. Very few children head off to kindergarten with a soother still tucked in their backpack!
The Bottom Line
Every parent wants their baby to be soothed. If you have a baby who is comforted by sucking, I would choose a pacifier over a thumb.
Just have a plan to gradually reduce pacifier use as your child grows. Give older babies and toddlers plenty of pacifier-free time during the day to babble, talk, play, and connect with you—and as the second birthday approaches, start working toward saying goodbye to the pacifier altogether.