While strategies like bouncing, singing, and feeding can come in handy for encouraging sleep, so can using a pacifier. But you might be wondering about the safety of a baby sleeping with a pacifier in their mouth, and whether there are any precautions to consider. We turned to the experts to learn more about how to safely utilize this tool to help your baby sleep, plus the benefits it can provide.
What Parents Should Know About Pacifiers
The short answer is that it is safe for your baby to sleep with a pacifier in their mouth—as long as it is not too big or too small to avoid choking risk. “Pacifiers should be of appropriate size and as babies grow, their pacifier should grow with them,” notes Natasha Burgert, MD, a pediatrician in Overland Park, KS and a Philips Avent partner. If you are unsure of the correct size pacifier to use for your child, it’s a good idea to check with their pediatrician or healthcare provider. Not only is it safe, but having your baby sleep with a pacifier can promote positive outcomes for their sleep (and yours), as well as their health.
Benefits of Sleeping with a Pacifier
There are multiple benefits to having your baby sleep with a pacifier, especially as infants. Here are the biggest ones.
It Helps Them Fall Asleep
If your little one is constantly fighting you at naptime, a pacifier can help. “A baby’s sucking reflex stimulates the brain hormones that promote tranquility and rest,” explains Dr. Burgert. “Pacifiers are tools that support this need to suck, and therefore encourages relaxation.” Once the pacifier has calmed a baby down, they might drift off to sleep more easily. That said, you may not want to rely on a pacifier every single time your baby needs to sleep. “While it’s generally safe for a baby to sleep with a pacifier in their mouth, it’s not the most ideal situation for them to get good sleep,” says pediatric sleep consultant Ronee Welch, owner of Sleeptastic Solutions. “When a baby has a pacifier in their mouth, the act of sucking can keep them in a lighter stage of sleep longer than they normally would. This means that they’re possibly getting less deep, quality sleep.”
Pacifiers Reduce the Risk of SIDS
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), offering a pacifier at naptime and bedtime is recommended to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). While the exact mechanics are still unclear, the AAP reports that studies show a protective effect of pacifiers, even if the baby falls asleep sucking and it falls out of the infant’s mouth. That’s right: you do not need to put the pacifier back in your baby’s mouth if it falls out. Other essential ways to reduce the risk of SIDS include putting your baby down on their back to sleep on a firm, flat surface; room-sharing with your baby for at least the first six months; and keeping soft objects and loose bedding out of your infant’s sleep area.
Pacifiers Can Help Parents Drop Nighttime Feeds
Once your baby reaches the age at which you can start stretching the time between feeding sessions, a pacifier might help you drop that pesky 2:00am feed. “It can help babies get back to sleep faster and possibly without a middle-of-the-night feed that isn’t biologically needed anymore,” notes Welch. Often, babies may get used to a feed and look forward to it only for the comfort of sucking on the bottle or the breast, not because they are actually hungry. In these cases, a pacifier may satisfy them—and help you get back to sleep faster.
Safety Precautions
Pacifiers are perfectly safe when used correctly and on their own. “Pacifiers should not be attached to devices that pose a strangulation or choking risk,” says Dr. Burgert. That means no pacifier clips, holders, or leashes. Pacifiers with small stuffed animals attached are okay for observed napping, but should not be used for overnight sleep or anytime a caregiver isn’t supervising, as they would qualify as a soft object in the baby’s rest area. If you are breastfeeding or hybrid feeding your infant, the AAP recommends delaying the introduction of a pacifier until breastfeeding is firmly established. This means that you have a sufficient milk supply, your baby is latching consistently and successfully, and they are gaining weight appropriately. In addition, pacifiers should not be used 24/7. “It’s important to remember to take the pacifier out when you’re at home with your child so that they can practice their sounds, expressions, talking, etc.,” says Welch. In other words, resist the urge to use a pacifier every time your baby starts to fuss.
A Word From Verywell
Pacifiers can be a safe tool for helping your infant—and their sleep-deprived parents—catchvaluable shuteye. In fact, offering a pacifier at naptime and bedtime can reduce the risk of SIDS, as well as calm your baby down to help them fall asleep. To keep things safe, it’s important that the pacifier is not attached to a clip or leash. And if you’re breastfeeding, it’s recommended to wait until you are in a comfortable groove before introducing a pacifier. If you have any questions or concerns about your baby using or sleeping with a pacifier, contact their pediatrician or healthcare provider.
