Why does my baby wake up when the pacifier falls out?

Your baby may wake when the pacifier falls out because they’ve learned to associate the pacifier with falling asleep. During normal brief awakenings, they may notice it’s gone and cry to get it back. If they don’t yet know how to soothe themselves without it, they may fully wake up.

A few practical options:

• Help them replace it themselves once they’re old enough and able to do so safely. Putting a few pacifiers in the crib and practicing during the day can help them learn to find one.
• Wean from the pacifier if it’s leading to repeated night waking and you want to reduce the dependence.
• Keep replacing it for now if your baby is very young and not ready to manage it themselves.

If you’d like, I can also help you figure out whether this sounds like a normal pacifier sleep association or something else waking your baby.