The times are hard, we prepare for battle once again. The “mothership” chooses to once again enforce her rules and views and expect me to acquiesce to her every whim and parental fancy. But I must stay strong, I must not waver in the face of adversity. The battle that the mother and I have decided to fight once again, is the rights to so called “binky” or pacifier. Mummy dearest aka the enemy has decided that I’m just too old for something called a soother..what next mother soon you’ll have me applying for college or getting to drive to the shops! . Mummy darling wants to do away with the soother completely..YES! SHOCK! HORROR!..I of course feel that I can’t live without my precious binky. I am a binky boy..and I will be for the rest of my life, so deal with it MOTHER!!!

Okay let’s just roll back the one year and few months to the day I first arrived. Whilst I was crying away in my cot..hey I was just communicating, but my parents thought I was crying and after an all night crying fest, they decided enough was enough. No they didn’t put me up for adoption. Though after a particular crying session, where I just bellowed it out and gave it my all. “Just Dad” got up and ran out of the house, that’s strange behaviour did just quieten me down for a bit. What’s happened to him I thought? Is that anyway to behave infront of a baby?..Here I was giving him the low down on this whole experience called the birth and he just runs out on me. Before I could ponder about it anymore he comes rushing back, he’s been to the shops it seems like, unpacks something in lightning speed and before I could say “Bob's your Uncle”, shoves something in my mouth.

Wow, what wondrous thing is this I thought, it feels soft in my mouth, warm and squidgy and I can suck on this to my heart’s content. Mum sees me with this thing called a soother in my mouth and gives a little scream. “You are going to disfigure the child!" she shouts, "His teeth will rot and he’ll be a slow speaker. You’ve abused your child for life!” Mind you in my first 48 hours of existence I cried like 40 and she’s only had about three hours of sleep, so she was a tad incoherent. As the adults called my parents quarrel back and forth about the pros and cons of this magical device called the soother, I fall asleep, comforted and at peace. Dad is a miracle maker..welcoming the silence my mother mutely gives in and welcomes soothers into her house.

Of course, a year later, she’s back with a vengeance and she wants to get rid of them. She goes on about how bad they are for me and what a clever boy I am. The sweet talkings not going to get you anywhere O mummy dearest. If the soother goes I go!!! After two hours of back and forth serious negotiating where I cried a lot, Mummy gives in and allows me to regain control of the twenty hour all access soother. Battle won today, 1 to me, 0 to mummy. Now must round up the troops, teddy and rubber ducky and head back to camp, for our fight will ensue once again tomorrow. Off for a nap now, baby peeps. Stay strong and fight hard! Viva the soothers!

Should I give my baby a pacifier?

As a new parent, comforting your baby is one of your highest priorities, and you may find a pacifier very helpful. Some babies can be soothed with rocking and cuddling and are content to suck only during feedings. Others just can't seem to suckle enough, even when they're not hungry. If your baby still wants to suck after she's had her fill of formula or breast milk, a pacifier may be just the thing. A pacifier isn't a substitute for nurturing or feeding, of course, but if your baby is still fussy after you've fed, burped, cuddled, rocked, and played with her, you might want to see if a pacifier will satisfy her.

What are the benefits of a pacifier?

Some studies have shown that babies who use pacifiers at bedtime and nap time have a reduced risk ofsudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). These studies don't show that the pacifier itself prevents SIDS, just that there's a strong association between pacifier use and a lower risk of SIDS.

What are the disadvantages of using a pacifier?

Pacifier use may increase the risk of middle ear infections in babies and young children. Because the risk of these infections is generally lower in young babies, using a pacifier until your baby's half birthday (when his need to suck is greatest) and weaning him from it soon after may work just fine – especially if he's prone to ear infections. It used to be thought that babies who used a pacifier before they got the hang of nursing sometimes experienced nipple confusion, which interfered with successful breastfeeding.

By Mayuri Jayasinghe