Pacifier-sucking and breast-feeding: a comparison between the 1960 s and the 1990 s

Pacifiers and their forerunners have been condemned in past centuries, probably beginning in the 17(th) and 18(th) centuries when alcohol and opiates were incorporated as fillings in sucking rags in Great Britain. Nowadays, the modern pacifier is criticized for reducing breast-feeding time and encouraging weaning. The purpose of this study was to analyze if pacifier-sucking has been detrimental to breast-feeding in the past few decades.

In the present study, 2 groups of young children born 30 years apart (1967 and 1995 to 1997) in the same geographic area were analyzed in the first 6 months of age regarding their sucking and feeding habits, including initial and prolonged pacifier-sucking and breast-feeding.

Findings do not support the commonly held opinion that pacifier-sucking reduces breast-feeding time. In the 30 years that separate the 2 groups, the pacifier-sucking habit increased by 32% and prolonged use of a pacifier increased. At the same time, breast-feeding at 6 months old has increased 20-fold in the contemporary group (born between 1995 and 1997) as compared with the 1967 group.

The results suggest that mothers might be unable to satisfy their child's sucking urge through breast-feeding alone, and that they use the pacifier as a supplement. Pacifier use does not negatively affect the prevalence of breast-feeding.