A Short History of the Pacifier

What do you know about the history of the pacifier (also known as a soother, dummy, or binky)? With a little research I learned that the pacifier was invented at the beginning of the 20th century, but other soothing devices were used much earlier. A soothing rag even appears in a painting of Madonna and Child from the 16th century!

Before the pacifier that we know today was invented various objects were used to soothe babies.  These include corn cobs, knotted rags dipped in honey or brandy, wooden beads, and teething toys made of bone, ivory, or coral.

In a 1506 painting by Albrecht Durer the baby Jesus holds a soother of sorts. It appears to be a cloth pouch, perhaps filled with poppy seeds or sugar.

“Madonna with the Siskin” by Albrecht Durer, 1506

The first recognizable pacifier was patented in 1901 by Christian W. Meinecke, who called it a “Baby Comforter.” It consisted of a nipple made of India rubber and a disc-shaped shield.

Later innovators added a ring to the pacifier. The nipples were processed with sulphur and some were tinted white, contaminating the pacifier with lead. Bone, ivory, and aluminum were used for the shields.

Eventually latex and silicone replaced the rubber nipples and plastic was used for the shields and rings. The pacifier hasn’t changed much since the 1950’s.

Sources

6 thoughts on “A Short History of the Pacifier

  1. Jeremy C Laury says:

    So basically the pacifier doesn’t have to be used. There are no significant uses to its purpose such as teaching a baby how to sick, breathe and swallow at the same time?
    Overall should a baby go without one to avoid become attached to an item for comfort?

      1. Dave Kinard says:

        Short answer: No, its not necessary, but if you don’t use something, babies will tend to suck on their thumbs which parents usually find a harder habit to break then pacifiers.

  2. Ben says:

    It’s fine to provide a pacifier and has been linked to reducing the risk of SIDS, aiding in breathing during bedtime, promoting safer sleep.

    The alternative for children is to shift to using their thumb or other available objects for comfort.

    It’s ultimately easier to gradually remove the pacifier and its reliance on it, than it is to prevent them from using their thumbs.

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