Pacifiers certainly comfort... and quiet... some babies. For them, it apparently satisfies an urgent need. All infants have a need to suck, and this need varies from one child to the next.

For many infants, the thumb or the fist is a built-in mechanism for self-comforting through sucking.

When you offer your child a pacifier, you are offering an alternative. A pacifier is probably a good idea for a baby who cries a lot and is soothed by nothing else. But be cautious about overusing it. And if you are breast-feeding, keep in mind that use of the pacifier could reduce the amount of time your baby spends nursing and therefore could affect your milk supply.

If you do find that a pacifier is a good solution for your baby, try to avoid getting into the habit of offering her a pacifier the moment she begins to cry. Instead, try to first figure out why she might be crying. Maybe she wants to be held, she's hungry, or she needs to be changed or burped.

If a baby is given a pacifier every time she cries, she will be less likely to learn to comfort herself in other ways. And over time she might begin to think she can only be happy with something in her mouth.

If you do use a pacifier, make sure that it's well constructed and in good condition.

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