Someone asked what parents did to pacify babies before pacifiers.  My
grandmother told of putting honey on dried pieces of bread for the babies to
suck on, evidently a common practice around 70-80 years ago.  I am not sure
pacifiers are worse than that practice.  In many ways I am an idealist, but I
have to side with the realists here.

I warn parents about use of pacifiers in the first 3-4 weeks to give time for
the baby to learn to suck and plenty of opportunity for mom to establish a
good milk supply.  I also tell mothers that the need to nurse the baby
frequently in the first few weeks is an opportunity for them to get the rest
THEY need.

However, I think that if a baby is willing to take a pacifier and it is not
overused, it can be a useful tool. (The self-comforting concept relating to
fist or finger sucking has its merits as well.)   I, for one, would like to
see a "breastfeeding friendly" pacifier that is long and has a wide base.
 Even if you disagree with this for casual use, we need something to use for
hospitalized babies who are not yet well enough or mature enough to be fed
orally, but who need comfort and/or sucking practice.  Bonnie