Does giving pacifiers to breastfed babies will result into nipple confusion?

Pacifiers may be used to provide comfort to a baby by easing the baby’s need to suckle. However, they are artificial nipples and may lead to nipple confusion. The use of a pacifier may affect breastfeeding as different sucking techniques are involved. Therefore, switching between breast and pacifier will be confusing for a newborn still learning to breastfeed. If an infant starts to spend less time breastfeeding, the mother’s supply will naturally be affected. That being said, for babies who are older, the pacifier could be offered to help calm the baby when the mother is unavailable. In all, practice care when using the pacifier to help reap the benefits while minimizing the potential effects it may have on breastfeeding.