Critics came after mother and actress Kate Hudson after she shared a photo of herself holding her 3-year-old daughter, Rani. In the photo, Rani can be seen with a pacifier in her mouth, something that people were quick to go after Kate about. Many worried that the little girl was far too old for the soothing device.
Kate shared the photo of her and Rani last week
In the photo, Kate's daughter can be seen with a popular stuffed animal–style pacifier. The binky is blocking her mouth while Kate holds her. Rani's crib and nursery are clearly visible in the background of the shot.
While the cute snap seemed to be a candid moment in the life of the mother-of-three, judgy people of the internet immediately jumped into the comments section to voice their concerns about Rani.
People said the tot was too old for the pacifier, and they were worried it could damage her teeth
One concerned fan posted that they worried Rani's teeth could be "compromised" by the pacifier, while another accused the actress of already allowing her daughter's teeth to get "jacked up" from its use.
Another person said that Rani was not only too old for her comfort device but also for her crib. "Time to grow little girl, you are 3," they wrote.
The American Academy of Pediatrics does warn against long-term paci use
According to the pediatric organization, there can be consequences for children who use pacifiers after the age of 2. "If your child sucks strongly on a pacifier or his thumb or fingers beyond 2 to 4 years of age, this behavior may affect the shape of his mouth or how his teeth are lining up," the organization's website says.
Fortunately, a lot of the damage can be reversed on its own
Parents of children Rani's age don't have to worry too much, the American Academy of Pediatrics says. As long as they stop using the pacifier before their adult teeth come in, they should be fine.
"If your child stops sucking on a pacifier or his thumb or fingers before his permanent front teeth come in, there's a good chance his bite will correct itself," the organization states. "However, if the bite does not correct itself, and the upper adult teeth are sticking out, orthodontic treatment may be needed to realign the teeth and help prevent broken front teeth."
And, really, who hasn't had braces as a teen?
We're sure Rani is going to be fine in the long run
While experts agree that you really should gently wean your child off their pacifier before they get too old, it sounds like Rani still has a bit of time before she has to say goodbye to her binky.
And since Kate has already gone through this with two older kids, we're sure she'll know just how to help her through it when the moment is right.
