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Dummies reduce the risk of SIDS

Is this true? Make your call, then see what the science says.

Short answer: It depends. The evidence is mixed.

The science says Mixed Moderate evidence

Babies who use a dummy for sleep have a lower rate of SIDS in observational studies, and Australian and US guidance backs it. But no randomised trial has tested it, so cause and effect is unproven.

AI-generated summary of the research cited · not reviewed by a medical professional · checked 13 October 2026 · How we check

What the research found

Observational studies have long linked dummy use at sleep time with fewer SIDS deaths. A 2005 meta-analysis pooled nine case-control studies on this. A 2014 review said several systematic reviews show a strong link between no dummy at the last sleep and SIDS, but it is unclear how dummies might protect, or whether they are just a marker for something else.

A 2017 Cochrane review looked for randomised trials of dummies and SIDS and found none. It concluded there was no trial evidence to support or refute dummy use for preventing SIDS.

Despite that, guidance leans towards using them. Red Nose Australia says consistent dummy use is associated with reduced SIDS risk. A 2022 US safe sleep statement lists pacifier use as a SIDS risk-reduction step, and a 2025 review does too. A 2021 review said dummies during sleep protect against SIDS.

What it doesn’t mean

  • A dummy is not a substitute for the main safe sleep steps, such as putting baby on their back to sleep in a safe sleep space. Dummies are an extra step.
  • Dummies have downsides. Red Nose advises waiting until breastfeeding is established (usually four to six weeks), not forcing one on a baby who refuses, and not reinserting it if it falls out in sleep. Phase it out from age one and stop between two and four years to protect teeth. If your baby has recurrent ear infections, speak with your GP.

Sources

Do pacifiers reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome? A meta-analysis.Pediatrics, 2005Infant pacifiers for reduction in risk of sudden infant death syndrome.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2017Dummy (pacifier) use and sudden infant death syndrome: potential advantages and disadvantages.Journal of paediatrics and child health, 2014Sudden infant death syndrome prevention.BMC pediatrics, 2021Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Common Questions and Answers.American family physician, 2025Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2022 Recommendations for Reducing Infant Deaths in the Sleep Environment.Pediatrics, 2022Using A Dummy Safelyrednose.org.au

General information only, not medical advice. KIDS fact-checks are generated by AI from published research and are not reviewed by doctors or other health professionals. They can be wrong or out of date. Always talk to your GP or child’s doctor about your child, and call 000 in an emergency. Spotted a problem? Tell us.

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