Pacifiers sometimes get a bad rap…but they can be lifesavers in so many ways. Not only do they allow babies to satisfy that need to suck without nursing or eating 24/7, they also have been shown to decrease the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
If your baby already uses pacifiers or if you are about to have your first, you might be wondering how many pacifiers you should have on hand. You’ll want to have enough that you aren’t constantly searching for a clean one…but you don’t want to spend lots of money on pacifiers you won’t need or use. But what is the optimal number of pacifiers?
We are here to help you with the ins and outs and ins and outs and ins and outs of pacifiers. 😉
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Does My Baby Need a Pacifier?
You might be wondering if a pacifier is a necessity. Honestly, you won’t know if your baby will take a pacifier until they are here! However, you will definitely want to pacifiers available to try as soon as you bring the baby home.
Babies are born with a natural sucking reflex, and the motion of sucking helps them feel comforted and calm down. This will happen when they are nursing or eating, but they cannot eat all day and night…so enter pacifiers!
The benefits of pacifier use is that your baby will be able to be comforted when they aren’t feeding. The drawbacks are that babies (especially newborns) won’t be able to keep the pacifier in their mouth all the time. Sometimes they will be asleep enough that losing their pacifier won’t be a problem. Sometimes when they lose their pacifier they will start screaming.
Be warned that not all babies will take pacifiers. While the shape and material of a pacifier is meant to imitate a nipple, some babies can tell the difference and will reject a pacifier.
Benefits of Using a Pacifier
There are many benefits to introducing your baby to a pacifier, including:
- Reduce SIDS risk: A study has shown that when a baby uses a pacifier their risk of dying from SIDS is reduced.
- Satisfy baby’s need to suck without overeating or mom spending all her time breastfeeding: Some babies want to suck and suck and suck… for breastfeeding babies, that’s fine (you can’t overfeed them) but mom might need a break and constant comfort sucking can take its toll on hardworking nipples. For bottle fed babies, constant sucking can mean overfeeding and spitting up, a pacifier can really help!
- Help baby “self-soothe:” While using a pacifier isn’t completely self-soothing since it relies on an object, babies who use pacifiers will be able to soothe themselves without parent(s) in the room.
How Often Should You Replace Pacifiers?
Unfortunately, pacifiers are not indestructible and will need replacing. It is recommended that you replace pacifiers every two months for hygiene reasons.
However, if your baby has teeth and/or is teething, you should check the pacifier for wear before each use.
What wear are you looking for? Any tear in the latex or silicone nipple of the pacifier. If you see any wear or tear or signs of mould, throw the pacifier away. If the nipple is weakened, it can fall off and cause choking. However, this is very rare!
How Long Should a Baby Use One Pacifier?
If your baby is happily using a pacifier, when should you take it and replace it with a fresh one?
- Spit-up/Food: If the baby spits up or there is food on the pacifier, go ahead and give them a fresh one!
- Dirty: If the pacifier falls out and lands on a dirty surface, definitely give baby a fresh one if possible.
- Periodically: It’s not a bad idea to have a few times a day that you trade out for a fresh pacifier. Changing the pacifier before morning nap, and before bedtime would be good healthy pacifier habit.
How Do You Clean Pacifiers?
Experts recommend sterilizing pacifiers for babies under six months old before each use. After six months old, you should clean the pacifier often and sterilize (or replace) it after sickness.
How you clean your baby’s pacifier will definitely depend on where you are at, but there are quite a few options for cleaning, including:
- Boiling water: Place the pacifier in boiling water for five minutes to sterilize it. This is recommended before using a pacifier the first time and at “regular intervals” thereafter.
- Microwave Steam Sterilizer: Add water and put the pacifier (or bottle nipples) in the microwave for 2 minutes to get them thoroughly sterilized.
- Pacifier Wipes: When you are out and about, pacifier wipes will get the pacifier germ-free.
- UV Light Sanitizer: This small rechargeable box uses UV light to kill 99.9% of germs in 59 seconds.
- Soap and water: When your baby is older than six months, a standard cleaning with soap and water will be sufficient.
How to Choose the Right Pacifier for Your Baby
Trying to pick from the many types of pacifiers available can feel overwhelming. Here are some tips on choosing the right type of pacifier for your baby.
- Age Range: Most pacifiers come with an age range listed on the packaging. This has to do with the size of the pacifier nipple and the size of your baby’s mouth. You will want to choose a pacifier within the correct age range.
- Shape: The two most common shapes of pacifiers are rounded (also called ‘cherry’) or orthodontic. Rounded pacifiers may be easier for babies under six months old to keep in their mouth. The flat shape of orthodontic pacifiers are better for normal teeth formation (which you should start worrying about when your baby has teeth).
- Design: Your baby might be the one who calls the shots on which pacifier design they prefer. There are one-piece pacifiers (like Philips Avent or Chicco), where the entire pacifier is made of one material. Or there are two piece pacifiers that have a silicone or latex nipple with a plastic base ( like Dr. Brown’s or MaM).
- Material: The two main materials that pacifiers are made of are silicone and latex. Silicone is a man made industrial material. It is free from phthalates, BPA an PVC. Because it is industrial material, silicone is less likely to break down because of heat, saliva or air. Latex is a type of naturally occurring rubber. It is softer and more closely resembles a woman’s nipple than silicone, but will break down faster from exposure to heat, saliva and air.
What are the Risks of Using Pacifiers?
Using a pacifier does come with some risks.
- Breastfeeding problems: Lactation consultants recommend waiting to introduce a pacifier until breastfeeding is well established so it doesn’t cause latching problems.
- Dental Problems: Prolonged pacifier use (more than two years) may cause dental issues in some cases.
- Dependence: Your baby could become dependent on the pacifier, causing sleep problems and disruption when the pacifier is lost or falls out of their mouth.
When Should I Stop Using a Pacifier?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends weaning your baby from a pacifier in the second six months of life to prevent otitis media (inflammation of the middle ear).
Which Pacifier Brand is Best?
The best brand of pacifiers is pretty subjective…unless you are choosing a very specific material or design.
And, honestly, your baby might lead this decision making process! Some babies have very specific pacifier preferences…which is why it is a good idea in the beginning to have several different options so you can determine which one baby likes best.
Here are some of our most recommended pacifiers:
MAM Night Pacifiers
These pacifiers can easily be snagged from Amazon or from your local grocery store. We really like glow in the dark pacis, especially for newborns as it makes it easier to find a stray pacifier in the dark at 2 a.m.!
FRIGG Natural Rubber
These rubber pacifiers have a stylish simplicity. The shape reduces the contact on baby’s sensitive skin and the colors are so cute!
Philips AVENT Pacifier
This pacifier is a one piece silicone with the rounded shape that is best for newborns. It comes in tons of colors and is easy to clean and sanitize.
Tommee Tippee Silicone Pacifier
This ultra light one-piece silicone pacifier will stay in baby’s mouth easier and the symmetrical nipple means it can go in baby’s mouth either direction.
Dr Brown’s Advantage Pacifiers
More of a classic style of pacifier, Dr. Brown’s have a symmetrical nipple and a handy ring that makes it easier for baby to hold the paci by themselves.
The Final Word On How Many Pacifiers You Need
Paci, Binky, Soothie, Dummy…no matter what you call it, a pacifier can help soothe babies and give parents a breather! There are many benefits that make using a pacifier a smart choice for your baby.
But how many pacifiers do you need? Before you bring baby home, we recommend having 3-4 different types of pacifiers…including a one piece silicone like a Philips Avent Pacifier, an open shield pacifier like the MaM paci in case your baby has sensitive skin, and a classically styled pacifier like Dr. Brown’s Advantage Pacifier. Having a variety of pacifiers will allow you to see which design and material your baby prefers.
Once your baby has shown a preference, you’ll want to purchase 5-6 of the same type of pacifier so that you can have a clean, sanitized binky available all the time. And don’t forget that you need to change out the pacifier about every two months for health and safety reasons!
