SAFE SLEEP: Pacifiers can help a Baby Sleep.

A pacifier can soothe and help your baby calm down when he or she is crying. It can also help your baby relax and fall asleep. Studies have shown that pacifiers can reduce the risk of SIDS.

If you feel that using a pacifier would help your baby sleep, make sure to follow these steps:

• Be sure to use a clean pacifier.
• Do not coat the pacifier in anything (like sugar) to make the baby use it.
• The pacifier shield should be wider than your baby’s mouth, and have air holes in it.
• Buy one-piece pacifiers, as two-pieces can be hazardous.
• Replace the pacifier often. It is best if it is dishwasher-safe.
• Do not tie the pacifier around the baby’s neck or to the crib as this could cause choking.
• For babies who are breastfeeding, be sure to only start using the pacifier when your baby has reached one month.
• Do not force your baby to suck on the pacifier.
• If the pacifier falls out of your baby’s mouth once asleep, do not put it back in.

If you can, always try other ways to soothe your baby to sleep before trying the pacifier. For more tips and information about Safe Sleep and Infant Safety, visit www.SafeSleepDE.com, follow us on Twitter @DEThrives or check us out on Facebook www.facebook.com/DEThrives.