will the introduction of pacifier interfere with the baby's ability to latch? (if baby can't latch very well yet)

I've read that pacifiers can cause nipple confusion. That being said, a lot of babies transition smoothly between suckling on mommy's nipples and the pacifier. I reckon you should make sure baby is comfortable with breastfeeding first before introducing the pacifier. Pacifier use in the early weeks may affect milk supply and lead to slow weight gain.