Artificial Nipple Use and Breastfeeding Patterns

Abstract

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021) identifies that “One of the most highly effective preventive measures a mother can take to protect the health of her infant is to breastfeed.” Infants who are breastfed are seen to have a lower risk of developing many conditions later in life including asthma, obesity, type I diabetes, and ear infections to name just a few (CDC, 2021). The mother also receives benefits as well such as lower rates of some cancers. Acknowledging the benefits that breastfeeding offers both the infant and the mother, it can be understood why it is imperative that it is established and maintained following birth when possible. The World Health Organization recommends that infants are exclusively breastfed for 6 months and then continued to be breastfed for up to 2 years with complementary foods (2022); however, many factors contribute to the success of breastfeeding, with one factor in particular that has been associated with potentially having an influence on how well infants continue to breastfeed. That factor is the use of artificial nipples. In this case, artificial nipples refer to pacifiers or bottles used throughout infancy. The purpose of this review is to determine whether artificial nipple use in infancy truly has a significant influence on an infant’s breastfeeding patterns. Nurses can use the information gathered from this review to educate mothers on the use of artificial nipples. Mothers and caregivers can then be more informed on whether or not to introduce their infant to products such as bottles or pacifiers.