How to choose the right pacifier for your baby?
How to navigate the rather complex world of different pacifier shapes to try and find the best pacifier for my newborn?
This guide will enlighten you and help you choose baby pacifiers more wisely.
Pacifier: the different materials
Pacifiers can be made from different materials, such as natural rubber, silicone, or other soft plastics.
Silicone is the most commonly used material for pacifiers. It is made from silicon, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, which are natural chemical elements.
This combination allows for the production of odor-resistant pacifiers that can generally be cleaned in the dishwasher. However, silicone usually contains chemical softeners and preservatives, which makes some parents hesitant to buy this type of pacifier.
Rubber pacifiers are softer than silicone pacifiers, and many babies prefer this type. Natural rubber is collected from the sap of rubber trees, filtered, dried, and processed without any added chemicals, which reassures many parents about their child using this type of pacifier.
In addition to being all-natural, rubber is softer than silicone, allowing it to better mimic the breast and provide a better feel for breastfed babies.
These pacifiers are also biodegradable.
Please note: rubber is latex, so if your baby is allergic to latex, they cannot use this type of pacifier.
Due to the natural quality of rubber, these pacifiers expand with continuous use. Your baby may use a 0-6 month pacifier, but the nipple will expand and look more like a 6-12 month pacifier. Along with this expansion, these pacifiers start to degrade after 6 to 8 weeks of use.
A good way to extend the lifespan of these pacifiers is to use several at once! You can keep one for the crib, one for the car seat, and a few around the house to rotate their use.
Pacifier: the different shapes
There are 3 different shapes on the market: Physiological, anatomical (round), and symmetrical.
Anatomical, physiological, or symmetrical pacifier: which one to choose for your baby?
Which pacifier should I choose for my breastfed baby?
There is often concern about "nipple confusion" when it comes to pacifiers for breastfed newborns. The general consensus is to wait at least 4 weeks before introducing a pacifier, so that your baby is well-established with breastfeeding and has a good latch before introducing a pacifier (or expressed milk in a bottle).
A symmetrical or round pacifier is better suited for a breastfed baby, as these pacifier shapes are the closest to a natural nipple.
Which pacifier is best if my baby is bottle-fed?
If your child is full-time or part-time bottle-fed, an anatomical (round) or symmetrical pacifier will be more familiar to them than a physiological pacifier. It would therefore be wise to use one of these two types of pacifiers until approximately 6 months of age, then switch to an orthodontic pacifier if desired.
I am concerned about the pacifier's impact on my baby's growing teeth.
We recommend the orthodontic (physiological) pacifier because dentists say it puts the least pressure on baby's gums and teeth.
How to clean a pacifier?
It is very important to regularly clean and sterilize your baby's pacifier to fight against viruses and bacteria.
This is particularly important for young babies, whose immune systems are immature and still developing.
Before using a new pacifier, it should be thoroughly cleaned and then sterilized, either by immersing it in a sterilizing solution (used for bottles, breast pump parts, etc.), or by boiling it in water for 5 minutes. Then let it cool down and, with clean hands, empty any water inside the pacifier's nipple by gently squeezing it before use.
Choosing a one-piece pacifier, like the Hevea natural rubber pacifier, means there are no seams or crevices where dirt and bacteria can accumulate. Ordinary pacifiers usually have a gap where the nipple and shield meet, which can be difficult to clean.
Always make sure your baby's pacifier is clean before use and check that the pacifier is not damaged before each use.