Stick a Paci In It

There seem to be a lot of babies around.  Am I the only one who has noticed?  Maybe it's because I'm getting the age where everyone I know seems to be getting married or knocked up.  Or maybe because it's because I get to spend many-a-days with a beautiful 6 month year old little girl.  Either way, I think about babies often... which, as any parent or care-taken knows, leads to endless thoughts about "what if?" and "what's best."  With all of the information floating around out there, how do you know what to believe and what to blow off?
Pacifiers seem to be a hot topic in the world of parenting and child care.  I recently read a pretty good, and fair, article about the pros and cons:

http://www.fitpregnancy.com/baby/baby-care/pacifier-pros-and-cons

All in all, the article talks about benefits and risk, but it also talks briefly about what I think is the whole point:  WHY do parents resort to a pacifier?
Now, I must come clean about my opinion on these cry stopping tools up front: I'm not a fan.  It's not because of the dental risks, or the many recalls on pacifiers, or breast feeding cessation although those are valid points.  Babies cry.  Surprised?  You shouldn't be.  By 6 weeks babies spend an average of 3 hours crying everyday!  Makes you want stick a paci in it, huh?!  Well hold on a minute.  According to Rowena Bennett, RN, RM, RPN, CHN there are 13 main reasons babies cry:

1.  Hunger or thirst
2.  Discomfort
3.  Temperament
4.  Feeding Problems
5.  Over-stimulation
6.  Over-tiredness
7.  Boredom
8.  Colic
9.  Separation Anxiety
10.  Loneliness
11.  Teething
12.  Stress
13.  Illness

Notice something interesting?  None of these reasons are due to a need for a pacifier.  Babies cry for a reason.  When a baby cries there are many things that parents and caregivers can do to help.  Nurse, swaddle, diaper changes... But of course their are reasons that are out of our control, like colic and temperament.  So use a pacifier then, right?  Not necessarily.  It is important that babies learn to self-sooth, and the earlier the better.
Bottom line... whatever you choose, choose wisely.  It is easy to run to the pacifier early on, but remember breaking that habit probably won't be so simple.