A pacifier is an artificial nipple designed for babies to suck on for comfort. Some suck their thumbs or fingers. Babies as foetuses start sucking their thumbs before they are born, so they have an innate need for sucking.

The need to suck varies from baby to baby. Some have stronger needs than others. An infant starts sucking when he or she is bored or tired. Sucking provides comfort to an infant and because of this, many parents consider pacifiers as must-haves, along with diapers etc.

Whether babies should be given pacifiers is often debated; they can be used throughout baby’s first year. Pacifiers are treated as a transitional object that helps the children to adjust to a new situation. However, breast feeding is the most effective way to calm infants.