I have used a pacifier for a total of about 60 minutes during my motherhood
(three breastfed children).  When I was making holiday cookies and my oldest
was 7 months old, I thought I just HAD to get the cookies done so I dug up a
pacifier I had received as a freebie in our Lamaze class.  I plugged it in
and Nat sat quietly sucking for an hour.  I suddenly realized I couldn't see
him smiling and that my social interactions with him had almost nonexistent
while he was being "pacified."  I threw the pacifier away and haven't used
one since.  This aspect of pacifiers has always bothered me, the way that
they interfere with the baby's ability to nonverbally communicate with the
people around him/her.  People often comment on my children's smiles and the
way they draw people to them nonverbally at an early age.  Based on my
sample of n=3, I attribute their nonverbal sociability to not having used
pacifiers.  I'd rather see a baby's smile than a pacifier!

Sara Dodder Furr, breastfeeding volunteer and advocate
Lincoln, Nebraska

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