Best For Breastfeeding Babies: Philips Avent Soothie Pacifier
Courtesy of Amazon
Horne says there is no research that has definitively proven one type of pacifier to be better for nursing babies than others. However, she does recommend the Soothie because its wide base more closely mimics a breast and a baby is more likely to keep its tongue in a natural position with it because of its straight nipple.
The pacifier is all one-piece, made from silicone, and dishwasher-safe. The Philips AVENT Soothie is what many hospitals provide to new parents, and the newborn size is safe for babies from birth to 3 months old.
Never Use Pacifiers To Avoid Feedings
It might seem obvious, but a pacifier isnt a substitute for feedings, but this is a problem.
Sometimes, when its coming close to feeding time, your baby will get fussy, and youll give them a pacifier. They suck and might fall asleep, missing a feeding time.
This can be a problem, especially for new babies, with your milk supply and your babys weight gain over time.
What Can I Do When My Baby Wont Take A Pacifier
If you want to give it your best shot, Dr. Harvey Karp at Happiest Baby suggests a sneaky way of getting your little one to stay sucking their pacifier. While your instinct may be to push the paci back into your babys mouth, try the reverse. Every time your baby does suck, gently pull the pacifier out. You may find they suck harder and keep going.
You may even want to try a bait-and-switch approach to get them started. If you breastfeed, attempt to switch over to the paci at the very end of a feeding.
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The 9 Best Pacifiers For Newborns For 2022
Are you a new parent looking for the best pacifier for your newborn? If so, youre in luck! In this blog post, we will be sharing the 9 best pacifiers for newborns for 2022. So, whether your baby is teething or just likes to suck on things, one of these pacifiers is sure to work well for them! Keep reading to learn more.
Pacifiers for breastfed babies are a must-have for any mother who wants their baby to be happy and comfortable. Breastfeeding babies are usually always hungry, so finding a pacifier that is comfortable for your baby to suck on will help them take the edge off while you are out and about. This also gives you time to do other things like eat, drink or go to the restroom without having your baby cry frantically.
Though the best part about using this pacifier for breastfed babies is that you can easily remove it right before feeding your baby. Your baby will have no problem swapping between the pacifier and breast. So neither one of you gets too overwhelmed with one task at a time. Generally, your babys mouth should be more than capable of switching between the two items. However, some babies might take more time to get used to the pacifier.
The Tommee Tippee Closer To Nature Pacifier Has An Orthodontic Design That’s Safe For Toddlers Who Don’t Want To Give Up Their Soother
Pros: BPA-free symmetrical silicone shape
Cons: The design sometimes allows water to get trapped inside, may not stay put for babies younger than toddler age
The Tommee Tippee brand is a well-known maker of baby bottles that are built to resemble a breast, and their pacifiers follow the same design.
Instead of the round bulbous tip on the end like many pacifiers have, the Tommee Tippee “closer to nature” design is relatively larger at the tip, yet is symmetrical and narrows into the base This means that the shape and feel of the silicone are more like a real nipple. It won’t stay put in the baby’s mouth as well as brands that have a bulbous tip, but by the time your little one is a toddler, they can handle that part all on their own.
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Benefits: Why Are Pacifiers Used
Sucking is one of your newborn babys normal reflexes. These involuntary movements can help them find nourishment from breastfeeding or a formula bottle.
As many as 90% of newborn babies might show some signs of trying to suck their thumbs or hands as early as two hours after birth.
Of course, you cant feed them all the time they want or need to suck. Thats where a pacifier can come in handy.
If your little one wants to suck on something in between feedings, they naturally find their thumbs to soothe themselves. However, thumbsucking can turn into a habit that could affect your childs teeth.
Pacifier use can offer contentment between feeds but might be an easier habit to break than thumbsucking because theyre disposable.
The following are some of the possible benefits of using a pacifier:
- It might soothe a fussy baby. Some babies are happy when theyre sucking on something.
- It can help your baby fall asleep.
- It might provide a temporary distraction during vaccinations, certain medical procedures, and similar situations.
- Sucking a pacifier can help ease discomfort or ear pain during flights or high-altitude trips.
- It can assist tube-fed preterm babies in learning how to use a bottle.
So How Can I Get My Baby To Take A Pacifier
Every baby has their own preferences, and introducing a pacifier is no different. What worked for a niece, nephew, friends baby, or even your older child may be completely different than what works for your new baby. Try these steps when helping your little one discover a pacifier for the first time:
- Be sure to thoroughly clean and sanitize any pacifier before its introduced to your baby.
- Gently touch the skin around your babys lips and cheeks with the teat of the pacifier. This will help trigger his or her rooting reflex, often causing your baby to turn their face towards the stimuli.
- Observe your babys behavior. If your little one opens his or her mouth, then they are searching for something to suckle. Place the pacifier gently on their lower lip or on the front part of their tongue, and wait for the suckling reflex to start.
- If the first introduction is successful, your baby will eventually begin to explore and suckle on the pacifier.
Though it may seem hard to believe, your baby is already their own little person with individual preferences and budding interests and you may even find that he or she doesnt care for pacifiers! By carefully observing their reaction upon introduction, you can quickly make the determination as to whether your baby is ready for a pacifier and he or she will likely let you know too.
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Best Pacifier For Tongue
The WubbaNub Brown Monkey pacifier is a two in one pacifier and serves the function of baby pacifier and toy with the attached monkey to its end.
If your baby is not using it as a pacifier, he/she can use it as a toyor both simultaneously.
It can be used by babies up to six months old, and you dont need to get another one after your baby past the third-month mark.
It is also lightweight: hence enabling the pacifier to stay long in your babys mouth and also facilitate a longer suction.
Think about Philips AVENT soothe plus a babys companion, and then you have WubbaNub since they are connected.
This companion friend comes in a variety of animals like monkeys, lobsters, and Giraffe, etc.
WubbaNub is not only an ideal pacifier, but it is also BPA, PVC, phthalate, and latex-free. Coupled with medical-grade silicone, which makes it soft and safe to use.
With its round design nipple, piling dirt up isnt an issue, hence you dont need to worry about gummy fragments.
Pros
- A match for babies between 0-6 months
- It has no BPA, PVC, and phthalate constituents.
- It is difficult to misplace.
Cons
When To Introduce A Newborn Pacifier
Babies are born to suck, and they can usually start using pacifiers right away. Dr. Mudd notes that pacifiers are often given to premature babies to help them develop the reflexes to suck and swallow.
If youre breastfeeding, it helps to avoid using a pacifier for the first two to four weeks until your baby has feeding figured out. If youre bottle-feeding, however, theres no reason to wait.
Pacifiers are safe to use day and night, even when the baby is sleeping. But avoid using the binky to soothe a hungry baby. Pacifiers shouldnt be used to replace or delay meals, so we recommend offering them only when the baby isnt hungry, Dr. Mudd says.
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How And When To Introduce A Pacifier To Babies
Giving your baby a pacifier is a big decision – And you should be able to make an informed, educated decision as to when and how to integrate pacifiers into your baby’s life! Medela is here to help you know when to introduce a pacifier to your baby in a healthy, positive way.
Every parent gets it When their little one is agitated, showing signs of discomfort, or upset, it can be heartbreaking. As parents, were willing to move mountains to comfort our little ones and alleviate any pain they may be feeling. If some calming quiet time cradling, embracing, and rocking your newborn doesnt seem to help, then a pacifier may be a solution that can help your little one learn to soothe themselves whether he or she is a newborn, 3 months old, or even 6 months old.
Wondering how to introduce your baby to a pacifier? What about when you should give a newborn a pacifier? Are there best practices to consider? These questions may confuse you, especially if theres conflicting information easily found online. To help you introduce a pacifier to your baby in a healthy and positive way, weve gathered some valuable, evidence-based advice to share. Heres how you can start giving your little one a pacifier, what techniques help your baby accept their pacifier, and additional considerations for encouraging calm and self-soothing with the help of a pacifier:
Things To Consider When Choosing A Pacifier
Sure there are lots of pacifiers and brands of pacifiers made available for use for your little cutie but remember that every baby is unique, hence there are lots of things you need to consider when choosing pacifiers so that you get the best pacifier for your baby.
Size
The first to consider when making choices of pacifiers is the size. There are lots of sizes of pacifiers in the market so ensure that you get your babys exact size of a pacifier.
Usually, the breakdown is for 0-6 months, 6-18months, and 18+ months. For maximum effect, you should get the one recommended for your babys age bracket to prevent any hazard that could occur from your best intention and goodwill.
Note:
A choking hazard is likely to occur when you give a smaller pacifier to a bigger baby.
Nipple Materials
There are different pacifier materials so you need to pay close attention to your baby during early usage to find out if your baby is allergic to the pacifier material.
There are pacifiers made of silicone and some made of latex. Latex is generally softer but silicone is greatly preferred because of the risk of latex allergies and also because silicone-made pacifiers can also be washed in the dishwasher.
The Shield
Talking about the shield here, I am referring to what stops your baby from suckling in the pacifier fully into his or her mouth. Suckling the pacifier fully into the mouth can cause a choking hazard.
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Choose The Best Pacifier For Your Babys Needs
When you are ready to start giving your baby a pacifier, you want to ensure that you are using the right one. Regardless of the pacifier you opt for, make sure that it is BPA-free, orthodontic, and supports the natural palate development of your baby. Check out more information on how to choose the best pacifier for your baby!
The trick to introducing a pacifier to your baby is to never force it and never let it substitute meal times. A pacifier is intended only to meet your babys natural suckling needs outside of breastfeeding or bottle feeding. Other than that, you are good to go pacifier crazy!
Is It Ok For My Baby To Have A Pacifier During Sleep
Even if your little one isnt crying, sucking a pacifier may help them fall asleep and stay asleep longer which means more sleep for you, too.
Whats even better? Pacifiers are also linked to lowering the risk of sleep-related death in babies. Sudden infant death syndrome is the cause of death in babies between 1 month and 1 year.
Several medical studies have found that giving your baby a pacifier while they sleep may be associated with a reduced risk of SIDS, possibly by more than half.
Medical organizations are taking note, too. The AAPs safety guidelines against SIDS advises that pacifiers help even if they fall out after your baby nods off. So go ahead pop the pacifier in your newborns mouth and rest a little easier.
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What Our Experts Say
“If you are breastfeeding or planning on breastfeeding, its best to avoid giving a newborn a pacifier in the early days. Brand new babies want to suck a lot, which helps establish milk supply. Frequent feeding also helps minimize newborn weight loss. It is best to wait a few weeks until breastfeeding is going well before you introduce a pacifier to a baby.”Jennifer Horne, IBCLC, a consultant relations manager and lactation consultant at The Lactation Network
Disadvantages Of Using Pacifiers
If your little one continues to use the pacifier past her second birthday, there may be dental implications. They may develop what is known as pacifier teeth, which are tooth and oral development complications caused by using a pacifier for too long.
To cut back on the risk of future dental problems, make sure your baby has broken their pacifier habit by the time they are two years old.
There are other disadvantages too:
- They accumulate germs and bacteria: Babies are constantly dropping pacifiers, and often they do it when they are away from home and there is no good way to clean them. Ive seen parents put the pacifier in their own mouths as a way to clean them. But this is a bad idea as you risk introducing additional bacteria from your mouth .
- Weaning your baby from pacifiers can be hard: It can take months to break the habit. The process is often rough on babies and on parents who have come to rely on the pacifier to soothe their baby.
- Heavy pacifier use might lead to a bigger risk of ear infections: Some studies have linked pacifiers to ear infections, a common problem in babies. To reduce your babys chance of ear infections, you can limit their pacifier use to times when they are trying to get sleep and remove it once they are fully asleep .
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Best Pacifiers For Newborns
Furthermore, breastfed babies need pacifiers to rest easily. Hence, a pacifier is the best choice for a newborn baby. It helps a mother to transfer milk while feeding with a baby bottle. A pacifier diminishes fussiness and enables your child to have a peaceful sleep. Studies suggest that to avoid sudden infant death syndrome , a pacifier is vital. Moreover, newborns have a weak sucking reflex and they dont have the ability to suck to transfer milk from breast to bottle. While some infants are born with the ability to suck on their own, there are also some that need more time to develop this skill. Below we have outlined best pacifier for breastfed babies and they are:
1. Solimo Orthodontic pacifier
This nipple confusion orthodontic pacifier is made of medical-grade silicone and BPA free. The orthodontic nipple is soft and has a flat bottom for an easy grip. It is available in different sizes starting from 0 months to 24 months or 12 lbs. Furthermore, it can be reused by sterilizing and comes with 2 pacifiers per one pack at a reasonable price. For your babys mouth, orthodontic pacifiers would be perfect for breastfed babies. Solimo Orthodontic pacifiers are available on Amazon. It will definitely reduce any chances of your baby developing a preference for a specific brand or type of pacifier. In comparison to other pacifiers, this is the best one for a fussy baby and its not very expensive either.
2. Philips Avent soothie pacifier
Cost: $8.29
How To Choose The Best Pacifier
Pacifiers vary in size, nipple shape, and style. These are the factors we considered for evaluating the best pacifiers.
- Size: Pacifiers are generally sized by age, with recommendations posted on the package. Usually, the breakdown is for 06 months, 618 months, and 18+ months. This is important because a smaller pacifier can be a choking hazard for a bigger baby because they can fit the whole pacifier in their mouth.
- Nipple material: Pacifier nipples are usually made of silicone or latex. Latex is generally softer, but some babies may have latex allergies, so you should watch for reactions upon early usages. Silicone is the more popular choice for pacifiers, and it can also be cleaned in the dishwasher.
- The shield: The shield is what stops your baby from sucking the pacifier fully into their mouth, which is a choking hazard. It needs to be big enough to prevent that from happening. A good benchmark is that the guard should be 1.5 inches or bigger.
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