That is really interesting.  Thanks for sharing.  I wonder if there could
be a study done on pacifier use and the relationship to infections,
antibiotic use, or asthma, as he mentioned a type of mold that can
contribute to asthma.  I wonder how you would do that and control for
everything else.

I also wonder if the same is true for nipple shields, and if there should
be a limit on the amount of time one uses a shield.

All of this brings up the issue of germs.  If babies crawl around on the
floor and put things in their mouth, are they being exposed to the same
germs as the ones highlighted in the pacifier study?  And is that exposure
to germs "good" because it helps build our immune system?  Or is it "bad"
if it exposes us to harmful germs, molds, and yeasts?  And how do you
differentiate?  If we are producing more and more dangerous germs through
antibiotic use, how does that affect it?  Do we need to be also be exposed
to those to build up resistance to the more dangerous germs?  Or is
exposure to those germs not good for us?  So many interesting things to
think about there!

Sonya

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