Breastfeeding Patterns In Relation To Thumb Sucking And Pacifier Use

This document describes a study examining the relationship between breastfeeding patterns, thumb sucking, and pacifier use in 506 mother-infant pairs in Sweden. The study found that pacifier use was associated with fewer breastfeeds per 24 hours, shorter suckling duration, shorter exclusive breastfeeding duration, and shorter total breastfeeding duration compared to no pacifier use. These associations were not found for thumb sucking. The negative effects of pacifiers on breastfeeding seemed related to frequency of pacifier use.