A pacifier may help lower the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Sucking on a pacifier during naps and at bedtime may lessen the risk of SIDS. Pacifiers are discarded. When it's time to quit using pacifiers, just dispose of them. There are safer ways to soothe your baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend using pacifiers as sleep devices past the age of 1 year. Leaving a pacifier in your child's crib to help them sleep may cause injury to their neck if they wake up during the night. Try one of these methods instead: rocking, singing, reading stories, or using a white noise machine.