Is it Safe to Give a Baby With Acid Reflux a Pacifier While Sleeping?
Determining what is safe for your baby and what is not safe for your baby is a full-time job. When a baby has a special problem like acid reflux or GERD, the worries grow and multiply.
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Benefits of Pacifiers
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Pacifiers have many benefits for babies up to six months of age. Pacifiers are often used to calm a fussy and cranky baby or as a sleep aid. A pacifier may even reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) if the pacifier is given during sleep times. A pacifier can also help reduce painful acid reflux.
How Pacifiers Help with GERD and Acid Reflux
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Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a disorder in which the stomach acid and contents back up into the esophagus, causing pain, heartburn, spitting up and vomiting. Typically, the esophageal sphinter does not close completely. This is a severe form of acid reflux. Pacifiers help children with GERD and acid reflux because pacifiers cause higher saliva production, which helps to neutralize stomach acid.
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Safety of Pacifiers
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Today's pacifiers are put through several "pull tests" to ensure the pacifier is not a choking hazard.
Choose a pacifier that has a shield with air holes and is wider than your child's mouth to maximize safety.
Teaching Baby to Use a Pacifier
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Some babies will not automatically know how to use a pacifier. Teaching a baby to use a pacifier is fairly simple, although it may take a couple of tries. This is especially true for a baby with GERD or acid reflux, who may be opposed to anything in his mouth. Begin teaching the baby to use a pacifier by putting it in his mouth, then gently pulling on it so the baby feels some resistance. The baby will suck on the pacifier to keep it in his mouth.
Warnings
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Babies given pacifiers before one month of age may have a difficulty learning to breast feed. Babies who use a pacifier to fall asleep may wake up when the pacifier falls out. Pacifier usage is babies may correlate to more inner ear infections. If used after the age of two, pacifiers may cause issues with the child's teeth. Never force pacifier usage.
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