soothers - how long to use?

I think it is better to not use them at all.
Breastfeeding is much better for jaw and teeth development.

cheers from Ruth
www.lalecheleague.org<BR>

At around two years old we established with my son that the pacifier was for bedtime only - no walking around with it, no trying to talk with it in his mouth.. Then I think my son used it at bedtime until about three years old, then gave it up gradually.

There is nothing wrong with using it. It has nothing to do with the development of jaw and teeth. Breastfeeding is terrific for infants but many people in the US, including me, find it odd to see a toddler being breasfed, and many mothers have to work.

soother facts

Ideally, I have been told you should avoid using them - but as #2 says, sometimes you just need them. Personally, we have just used them as a temporary stop gaps - eg. on planes, visiting churches - but if we had 'a screamer' maybe it would be different.

yeah.. the least use of pacifier the better and BEST for child.. My daughter has never used or seen one.. and believe you me, during flights my breast if her pacifier:)!

I hate these 'one size fits all' replies. Using a pacifier depends on the child. I have read research reports that give both negative and positive views on using pacifiers, one report I read said that kids that use pacifiers are smarter! While I don't believe that, it goes to show what is best for the individual child is just opinion or (as in Japan) perhaps cultural/traditional.

The most important thing is buy a good quality pacifier (I use NUK) that suits the childs mouth size and they are cleaned and replaced on a regular basis.

My son is 3.5yrs and still uses a pacifier day & night with no bad effects. His teeth condition are excelent and no jaw mouth problems. My daughter on the other hand never took to a pacifier at all and had a lot of problems with her teeth. I don't think there is a relation between using the pacifier and the dental problems, its just one of those things.

In the end of the day, if the kid (and Mom & Dad) is happy with a pacifer, let him have it.

kids can develop a space between their teeth so the sooner they're gone the better. that said it'll be shame to see because it's the end of the toddler / baby phase which i love.

Do what seems right for you and your child. If they are going to be desperately unhappy with no soother then let them keep it. When they are a bit older you'll be able to do a deal with them to swap it for something they really want and get rid of it with their agreement. Enjoy your child and go with the flow !

I agree with #6 & 8 - depends on the child. With my first one, she didn't need it after 2 yrs - i just took it away and she forgot all about it. With my second child, he cries for it or he'll bite something if he doesn't have it (he's bitten me, the sofa, etc) - he's almost 2 and it doesn't seem like he's going to let go of it soon. But I think I'm going to draw the line at 3yr, going on 4 yrs - once preschool age starts, he's going to need to let it go. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it though. Anyway, that basically changes my answer to depends on what you consider appropriate and how your child will handle it. For traveling, I'll stick with it for awhile if it makes them feel better about exploring new places. Good luck!