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March 29, 2024
As an expecting parent, finding the perfect pacifier will be a guessing game. Why? Your baby has to make the choice! But, you can get prepared. Soothe Beginnings founder Lindsay deOliveira did all the research after her baby refused what felt like hundreds of pacifiers. So let’s find the perfect pacifier from a true expert!
Like anything motherhood, some moms swear by a pacifier while others never need to use one! It never hurts to be prepared, so we asked Lindsay of Soothe Beginnings to share why she loves pacifiers!
Why? Because babies are born to suck. It is so important, they start practicing in the womb! Sucking is one of their primary soothing mechanisms and can lower their heart rate and reduce crying.
Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and SIDS Institute recommend using pacifiers during sleep. Several studies have found a correlation between a lowered risk of sleep-related death and the use of pacifiers (SIDS.org).
Pacifiers are also known to help babies suffering from reflux as well as improve digestion! A pacifier allows the baby to suck for comfort and salivate, coating the esophagus and reducing pain (Corvaglia et al., 2016). Plus, the suck-breathe-swallow coordination practice helps babies get the most out of actual feeding sessions.
If you ask your mom friends what is the best pacifier, you’ll probably get a wide range of answers. This conversation can get heated! That’s because pacifiers come in many many different shapes, materials, and designs. The options alone can be overwhelming, but more importantly they also have pros and cons. So let’s break it down!
Pacifier nipple shapes vary, all claiming to be the best. Research elevates three shapes to be the best! The kind your baby will prefer might depend on how he or she likes to eat.
Why is there hot debate around what is the best pacifier? Because babies have preferences! The top three shapes are:
Up first, let’s talk about the standard cylindrical shape. This is the shape most commonly given out at the hospital. It comes in as the top rated shape for quality non-nutritive suck.
These ones are flatter and squarer. Dentists tend to like this shape, hence the name. It is more out of the way of teeth once they come in. This is the second rated shape for quality non-nutritive suck.
This is the best shape for babies that are breastfed and ones with oral ties. This shape mimics the proper latch for a nursing baby, and the recommended latch for an oral tie baby: deeper and wider. It stimulates heavier use of the masseter muscle which is more in use with this latch.
Seeing as pacifiers go in your baby’s mouth for hours at a time, material is important. The three main options are:
Many parents are looking for plastic-free baby products. Not only for the health of their child, but for the planet. Steering clear of allergens like natural rubber (latex) pacifiers is also important. Food-grade silicone is an easy, non-toxic choice for safety, BUT it can also be recycled!
Pacifiers go everywhere - and they will get dropped. You should plan to clean them at least once a day. Make sure there are no cracks or grooves that will be a pain to clean. Some are dishwasher safe (Yahoo!).
Note: You should plan on replacing the pacifier every 4 to 6 weeks!
Yup. This thing is going to go everywhere with you. Think about appearances in all your pictures. Make sure you like the color and how it looks.
I founded Soothe Beginnings because it’s what I needed when navigating early motherhood. My own struggles with my daughter rejecting pacifiers and not knowing what to try next is why this solution came to be. I also care about our planet. Soothe Beginnings makes giving your child an eco friendly product the EASIER thing to do.
Our kit comes with the three best nipple shapes so you can safely swap them in the system. You will have everything you need to see what your baby prefers! We have you covered as you try to navigate needing a bottle or breastfeeding latch nipple. No more pacifier reject drawers- which was incredibly wasteful in our experience!
FINALLY, a modern looking pacifier in colors moms actually want. The recycled paper and eco resin cap and shield are unlike any other pacifier. People immediately know it’s different.
You can engrave your pacifier with your little one’s monogram or name. Nanas everywhere will have fun ordering custom pacifiers in different colors.
The interchangeability feature makes for more thorough cleaning. Pacifier nipples should be replaced every 4-6 weeks for safety and hygiene. You can subscribe for automated nipple replacement so it isn’t one more thing to think about. PLUS the nipples and caps and shields are dishwasher friendly.
As a mom, safety was top priority in the design. Assembled or not, no component poses a choking hazard. In addition to that, we go above and beyond industry standards for testing so you have peace of mind when you give your baby our pacifier.
The line will eventually expand to add teething and weaning nipples as well!
Paci, Binky, whatever you want to call it, we hope this guide helped you find the perfect match! Want more of Soothe Beginnings? Learn more!
