Few things elicit such divided opinions as the pacifier. Some love it, some hate it, some resort to it out of sheer desperation. Others assume it's a necessary part of parenting. And like many other aspects of parenting, the decision on whether or not to use a pacifier will be different for every family.

There are pros and cons to pacifiers. They can provide coveted rest and quiet to overwrought mothers and sucking stimulation to needy babies. But they can also put a baby at risk of inadequate physical and emotional nourishment.

Exhaustion, a continuously crying infant and the agony of painful, sensitive nipples loom gigantic when compared to a tiny bit of silicone and plastic. Not all mothers choose to be tied to their infants in the way nature has designed the system. For these mothers, pacifiers can be lifesavers which, when used for short periods of time and on limited occasions, provide valuable respite to a weary mother.

Nadine Knelson of Abbotsford, British Columbia,, loves the pacifier. "The 'Wonder-Plug,' we called it," she says with a laugh. "Both my kids used it, and I'm sure the baby will, too." Pregnant with her third child, Nadine remembers the peace brought by the soother. "I wasn't the kind of nursing mother to let them nurse every time they wanted something to suck, so the pacifier worked well for us."

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, published by La Leche League International, suggests that the pacifier is best considered a short-term substitute until the breast can be offered again, an emergency measure rather than an item of daily use.

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