JoAnne Burke Snyder, I completely agree.  Having been helping moms for 22
years, I've found pacifier use at the root of many, many problems at all
stages of breastfeeding. Not all pacifier use leads to problems. But most of
the problems I see involve pacifier use. I've yet to find any documentation
or even a really scientific explanation that establishes routine pacifier use
in the breastfed baby as necessary or even useful except in rare, theraputic
situations (which is not routine).

I am convinced that the primary biological purpose of sucking is to bring in
calories, because gut enzymes are released every time a baby sucks.  Of
course, suck DOES other things in addition to taking in calories. The point
is that suck and calorie intake are always joined in biology.  Pacifiers
interrupt this - they separate suck from calorie intake. How does this
benefit the baby? Why would nature release gut enzymes in the absence of
food?  What does this do to the baby?

And why are some people so passionately attached to these devices?

Linda Smith, expecting some vigorous debate on this one!  Dayton, OH