PURPOSE: to check the parameters of breastfed babies' oral motor sensory development in their third month of life, with and without the pacifier use and identify the periodicity of pacifier use amongst infants being exclusively breastfed and those who already started weaning. METHODS: an observational study with transversal cut, involving 74 babies born at the Public Maternity, in Recife-PE, and being followed by the Child Welfare Service entity. Data were obtained through interviews with the mothers, followed by observation of the infants during their routine out-patient consultations. RESULTS: in this study, the Infants who do not regularly use pacifier, showed standard symmetric global posture, better response to oral reflexes and more posteriorized tongue (p=0.034). The non-usage of pacifier by exclusively breastfed children was predominant. CONCLUSION: it was verified that infants who did not use pacifier showed better oral structures posture, as well as better response in relation to oral reflexes. There was a statistically significant association between exclusive breastfeeding and the non-usage of pacifier (p=0.001). On the other hand, among children in weaning, pacifier usage was more frequent.
Breast Feeding; Sucking Behavior; Child Development; Stomatognathic System
