How to help your baby find their pacifier at night

Falling back asleep after a pacifier falls out is hard on everyone. It isn’t easy for your baby to find a lost pacifier in the dark, and going in over and over again to retrieve it for them can prevent both of you from getting a good night’s sleep ❤️

The dos and don’ts of using pacifiers for sleep

• DO place a few extra pacifiers in the crib or bed with them, so they don’t need to reach far to find one and put it back in their mouth.
• DO teach your baby how to retrieve a pacifier on their own. Instead of putting the pacifier directly into their mouth, put it in their hand. The next time you go in to help them, guide their hand to where the pacifier is in the crib, and let them do the rest.
• DON’T tie or clip a pacifier to your baby or their crib with a rope, ribbon, or string. This is a major safety hazard—the pacifier shouldn’t be attached to anything.
• DON’T offer a pacifier during naps and at night if your baby continues to need constant help. If they spit their pacifier out repeatedly and don’t retrieve it, it may be time to take it away. At that point, the stress of using a pacifier outweighs the soothing benefits to either one of you.

Note that pacifiers can affect speech development if used too frequently. When your baby is alert and happy, limit pacifier use so they have plenty of opportunities to practice making noises, cooing, and babbling. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and speech and language therapists recommend starting to wean your baby from the pacifier between 6 and 12 months, and weaning completely before a child’s third birthday at the latest. Learn more about the pros and cons of pacifiers.