Pacifiers are magnificent things, but why do pacifiers have holes? Hole placement is carefully considered in order to allow air to penetrate to the skin of the baby so that yucky pacifier rash doesn’t occur around the mouth area of the baby.
The holes in the pacifier are for airflow to make it less likely that saliva will get stuck or collect inside. This is one of the biggest factors in deciding what kind of pacifier to use. If your child has eczema, allergies, or moisture issues, they’ll need a more lightweight pacifier with minimal holes for this reason.
It’s also worth noting that sucking on an empty bottle can relieve teething pain until you’re able to give relief directly with some ice & water droplets.
The holes are placed on the so-called shield side of the pacifier, enabling more air to flow through the newborn’s skin. This can reduce drool rash, skin marks, irritations, and other conditions that the parents can notice on the baby’s skin.
Why do some pacifiers have finger holes?
As opposed to other pacifiers with handles, a soothie has a hole where your newborn can put its finger inside once it has developed coordination. Thumb can be comfortably inserted into the hole, which helps the baby keep the soothie in place.
That is so your baby can have more control over the pacifier. Some babies are soothed by holding it between their thumb and pointer finger. I hear they also come with a clip to snap them onto the diaper or clothing so that they don’t fall on the floor or brush off.
They are also very popular with kids who use orthodontic braces because no matter how tightly you bite down on them, they won’t dislodge from where you put them!
Finger holes usually found on pacifiers are also designed to keep a young baby’s hand occupied. Newborns need pressure stimulation to calm, relax, and sleep.
A thumb can be used as a pacifier for self-sucking. The Wubbanub is another form of the “open loop” pacifier that helps provide constant pressure by stabilizing it between your child’s two fingers or thumbs.
Are Soothie pacifiers bad for babies?
Soothies are not bad for babies and they are completely safe, however, they can cause some problems like habit-forming and dental issues. It is one type of pacifier, so it has some of the same disadvantages as the classic pacifier. It can develop into a habit that’s hard to break and can have an impact on the development of your baby’s teeth.
Overall according to parents, soothies were tested average to very good in terms of value, quality, and ease of use. It is pretty safe to give your newborn this type of pacifier because it is late-free and Bisphenol A (BPA) -free.
There are more than 2,000 hospitals in the United States that use the Soothie pacifier. Designed according to the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines, the one-piece design is safe for newborns. Therefore dear parents, if you are in doubt whether to use soothie or not, the answer is totally clear.
There is currently no conclusive research that shows that soothie pacifiers are bad for babies. What’s more important than anything is finding the right pacifier for your baby, and trying to find out what will keep them calm.
Soothie pacifiers can be habit-forming for some children so try to stay away from those if you’ve noticed it’s causing problems like fussiness or tooth grinding.
Can babies choke pacifiers?
If the pacifier is still in good shape, there is no risk of choking hazard. All pacifiers have a lifespan, so babies are at risk of injury if these break down over time. It can happen without you even noticing it, the guard and tip of the pacifier can separate, potentially resulting in baby choking on the piece that separated.
If a pacifier falls on its side, there’s a chance it can wind up in the back of the mouth. A baby might cough and gag, but the real danger is if he or she sucks on it until it gets lodged in their throat. This happens if the pacifier breaks down over time, rather than using the good-shaped pacifier.
If your child starts to show signs of agitation or coughing more often when using a pacifier, take note, stop use and replace it with something new.
The real danger here is not necessarily choking – although that’s also possible – but developing a dental problem called “malocclusion.” When you suck something for very long periods of time every day as babies do with a pacifier, teeth start shifting into weird shapes without you even realizing it. You eventually grow into this
Why do hospitals not give pacifiers?
Newborns no longer receive pacifiers in U.S. hospitals as a way to encourage breastfeeding. However, some studies question the effectiveness of this practice. The removal of pacifiers during the hospitalization for birth may adversely affect exclusive breastfeeding rates.
Other than this reason, which stems from personal preference, nothing has been found to say that there is anything wrong with giving a baby a pacifier or even bottles.
A lot of people worry about nipple confusion if you switch between bottles and breastfeeds but in reality, it’s surprisingly hard to cause any confusion at all. This is especially during the first few days when the breastfed baby will refuse nursing for hours after being given a bottle.
Summary
Pacifiers have been used for a very long time. Even though they obviously have side effects such as habit-forming and dental issues, they can be very soothing for the little one. Before parents give the first pacifier to their baby they ask a lot of questions.
One of them is regarding its shape and looks, such as what are pacifiers made of, as well as why do pacifiers have holes. The main reason for that is for the airflow to go through so it makes it less likely for saliva to get stuck and cause eczema, irritations, drool rash, skin marks, and so on.
