Pacifier’s History
A pacifier is a mother's breast substitute for a baby. Its history goes back to ancient times, when the struggle for survival, obtaining the food and search for a shelter from wild animals was the only purpose of human life. It has not survived to the present day. We can only content with a few images, they were very funny and clumsy. A mother could not take care of the health and safety of the baby every minute. Children often cried, were ill, hungry and simply capricious. To calm or distract the child, parents used various make-shifts means resembling a breast.
Since time immemorial, people have used the skin of animals for the pacifier. Archaeological digs show that the first soothers had various forms and were made of a stone, metal or clay. Later folks applied the piece of cloth wetted in sugar or honey, or the slice of the soaked bread wrapped in fabric. But the baby was in danger in this situation, as he could choke with a pacifier, or swallow its contents. Also in the Middle Ages and up to the XVIII century, mothers used sponges sodden with a wormwood, which helped kids quickly fall asleep. Our great-grandmothers sometimes carried out even more shocking things giving a toddler poppy stalk containing opium.
During archaeological digs of Stern on places of ancient Greek settlements, scientists found items pertaining to children, mostly made of ceramics such as horns for feeding, rattles, figures of animals and birds, dolls, etc. Sponges replaced pacifiers in 18th century.
From the beginning of XX century parents have been using rubber pacifiers of a round shape more convenient for feeding as they are very soft. In the 40th years of the XX century the German doctor Muller on the basis of results of long researches, proposed the form of a pacifier called orthodontic (anatomic or physiological). Soothers based on prototype of this pacifier are currently used to comfort our kids.
Thankfully we have the opportunity to live in a civilized world, rather than resorting to ancient methods. Now there is a huge choice of rubber and latex dummy teats, with and without drawings, with chains for fastening and clothes pegs, funny pacifiers with caps and various trinkets. Latex pacifiers are made of natural material - rubber, they are softer and less wear resistant, but dust easier sticks to them. Silicone pacifiers are more resilient. Anyway, only a mother knows that it is better for her lovely kid. The choice is yours.
