babies are born with a natural desire to suck. When

All babies are born with a natural desire to suck.
When babies suck on fingers, toes, thumbs
or pacifiers, it is called non-nutritive sucking.
Non-nutritive sucking helps babies to calm
and soothe themselves between feedings.
Sucking on a pacifier during all sleep periods
is recommended by the American Academy
of Pediatrics to help prevent Sudden Infant
Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Are There Benefits to
Non-Nutritive Sucking?
What If I’m Breast Feeding
My Baby?
Will Sucking a Pacifier Affect
My Baby’s Teeth?
Babies can suck non-nutritively on an empty
breast, their fingers or thumbs, or on a
pacifier. Some babies suck their thumbs in
the uterus before they are born. If your baby
was born prematurely, non-nutritive sucking
has shown many benefits including a shorter
hospital stay and better success at breast
feeding and bottle feeding. The American
Academy of Pediatrics has also found that
sucking a pacifier significantly reduces the
risk of SIDS.
The American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends that nursing babies begin
using a pacifier once the baby is nursing
successfully, around one month of age.
Regardless if you are breast feeding or
bottle feeding, pacifiers should be offered
after or between feedings, when you are
sure your baby is not hungry.
According to the American Academy
of Pediatric Dentistry, there is no reason
to worry about a sucking habit until the
permanent teeth are ready to come in
(around age 4-5). Many pediatricians and
dentists prefer a baby suck on a pacifier
because the parent can determine the
appropriate age to remove it. It’s much
harder to take away a baby’s thumb!
Children’s Medical Ventures • www.childmed.com
Customer Service: 800-345-6443 • Parent Line: 888-SOOTHIE
Wee Thumbie®
Wee Soothie®
NICU Soothie®
Soothie®
WubbaNub™
Super Soothie®
<30 weeks gestation
30-34 weeks gestation
>34 weeks gestation
babies without teeth
babies without teeth
babies with teeth
For Hospital Use Only
For Hospital and Home Use
Parents may purchase Soothies at major retail outlets, by calling 888-SOOTHIE or at childmed.com
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GYER KB 1/4/06 MCI 4100429 PN 1031719