Oh Crap! Realization of the Day … Pacifiers

As my family was sitting at the restaurant last night, inhaling our food because of our ticking time bomb, our 11-month-old known affectionately as, “Bear,” I realized how much I absolutely love the pacifier (paci, binky, naw naw, num num, plug, dummie, tup tup, bee bee). I could literally mouth kiss the person who invented this simple, yet sanity-saving device.

Then, I thought back to when I was pregnant with my first (the twins), and swore I would never give them a pacifier. I was one of those people who read way too much on the Internet while I was pregnant. I remember being so angry with the nurses in the hospital after the twins were born, because they gave them pacifiers in the nursery without checking with me. I was all, “I’m not going to give my babies a pacifier. They’ll never learn to latch. They’ll never learn to talk. They will have a problem with ear infections.”

About 90 seconds after we were home, I threw that whole theory right out the window, along with the number to the lactation consultant who told me I shouldn’t use them. They latched just fine. They talked when they should have (maybe early). They had maybe one ear infection.

I used them until they were 2, and weaning them was no problem at all. We tried at 18 months, but found it was somewhat of a battle. At 2, they understood so much more and were talking so they could communicate with us about the situation. One evening, the kids and I gathered up all the pacis and put them in a bag. We left them for the Paci Fairy, who was going to take them to new babies. The next morning, the Paci Fairy left an interactive stuffed animal that said their names, sang songs, and played games. They never once asked for the paci after that.

I truly think I may have been institutionalized had it not been for the pacifier. This is just one parent’s story, though. I’d love to hear yours!

For daily Crap, hit "Like" at www.facebook.com/crapnoonetellsyou