- Jennifer Middleton, MD, MPH
In the designated "Baby-Friendly" hospital where I round, the use of pacifiers is discouraged in breastfeeding infants in the newborn nursery. Advising breastfeeding mothers about the risks of pacifier use contributing to early weaning is common practice, despite conflicting studies regarding the validity of this risk. A Cochrane meta-analysis, reviewed in the March 1 issue of AFP, may put the controversy to rest, as the reviewers found that pacifier use did not interfere with the establishment or duration of breastfeeding.
The Cochrane reviewers identified two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for their meta-analysis, both of which divided breastfeeding mothers of newborn infants into two groups: one where pacifiers were prohibited, and one where pacifiers were permitted. Researchers in both RCTs found no difference in breastfeeding rates at 3-4 months of life between these two groups. Arguments against pacifier use have cited previous observational studies finding that pacifier use correlates with diminished establishment of maternal milk supply; the permissive pacifier groups in both of these RCTs, however, included pacifier use even in the immediate newborn period.
As these RCTs only included outcomes on breastfeeding rates in the first months of life, the AFP reviewers rightly encourage future research focusing on pacifiers' possible effect on additional outcomes including maternal confidence and total duration of breastfeeding. These more robust outcomes may dispel any lingering concerns about pacifier use. Adding pacifiers back to the tools available for comforting newborns certainly may benefit both babies and parents; since nonnutritive sucking is a natural self-soothing reflex in newborns, I suspect many parents would concur with my own experience regarding a pacifier's utility in calming a fussy baby.
If you'd like to read more, there are recent AFP articles on "Strategies for Breastfeeding Success" and "Risks and Benefits of Pacifiers," an editorial on "The Maternal Health Benefits of Breastfeeding," and a patient information page on "Helpful Tips for Breastfeeding." (Although these earlier articles do not reflect the findings of this new meta-analysis regarding pacifier use, they still contain a wealth of useful information for supporting breastfeeding in your practice.) The AAFP has a position paper on breastfeeding which encourages breastfeeding education in medical schools and residencies, breastfeeding-friendly office practices, and community advocacy to support breastfeeding mothers. This Society of Teachers of Family Medicine blog post from 2013 puts a compelling personal spin on the challenges of returning to work while breastfeeding, including suggestions on supporting breastfeeding within our own profession of working mothers.
