Are you not sure what the best pacifier for a breastfeeding baby is? Here are the top choices from breastfeeding mothers to help you decide – these options tend to encourage breastfeeding while offering a great soothing option.
Pacifiers can be a controversial topic for various reasons – especially in the breastfeeding community.
However, many parents want their children to take a pacifier. It can be tricky to know which one is best for a breastfed baby, but in general, what is my advice for the best pacifier for a breastfed baby?
The Best Pacifier is the one your baby will take!
Okay, maybe it’s not that simple. Some pacifiers are a better shape for encouraging sucking skills, which I will discuss. But at the end of the day, if you need to use a pacifier, sometimes you go with what your baby likes.
If you are trying to decide whether or not to offer a pacifier to your breastfed baby, you may want to read this article: Pacifiers and Breastfed Babies: What All New Parents Need to Know.
However, if you are just here looking for recommendations on what pacifier to offer (or maybe you are frustrated because your baby won’t take one!), you are in the right place.
I did a survey on my Instagram page a few months ago, asking moms what pacifier their baby took to the most. I got hundreds of responses, and the vast majority of those who follow my page are breastfeeding mothers, so I think it’s a pretty good place to look for recommendations!
I have combined these recommendations with my knowledge as an IBCLC. The first recommendations are pacifiers that are best for oral function – the second part of the list are ones that moms recommend.
Best Pacifier for Breastfeeding Baby
When looking for a pacifier, you should get a pacifier that has a cylindrical shape. This allows the baby to cup the pacifier with their tongue and is better for encouraging good sucking behavior.
Philips Avent Soothie
The top pacifier I recommend is the simple and traditional Avent Soothie. It’s inexpensive, easy to find, and the cylindrical shape allows the tongue to wrap around it, which can promote better function of sucking and muscles of the mouth.
This has been my go-to pacifier for all of my children. It’s the one they have taken most easily. They are easy to find and inexpensive, and I don’t see that they disrupt breastfeeding at all. I also love being able to put your finger in the back to help soothe the baby even more.
Many other mothers recommended this pacifier as well for breastfeeding babies.
They come in 0-3 months and 3+ month sizes and are a one-piece design, which allows them to stay in more easily and be less of a choking hazard. They come in blue, green, pink, and purple.
It’s certainly not the cutest pacifier in town, but it works well. They have the “shapes” version of this pacifier, which looks like a little teddy bear. I’m not sure if it has much of a different function beyond looking a little cuter.
These are made from 100% medical-grade silicone and are designed with orthodontia in mind.
Other cylindrical pacifiers should work fine as well.
NinniCo Pacifier
This is a newer pacifier on the market, but it’s one of my favorites. It is excellent for encouraging appropriate oral function, and it can be beneficial for babies with oral restrictions and oral function issues to help them (keep in mind if they have unresolved issues, it may not work for them for soothing until those are fixed).
Because of how it’s designed, your baby cannot use any compensations to keep it in, as it doesn’t allow for only pressure in the palate. It also allows a baby to keep their mouth slightly more open than some pacifiers.
These pacifiers are more expensive than most pacifiers, and they can take some time for a baby to get used to. They definitely have a different feel than most pacifiers, but I find that with time, most babies without oral restrictions take them quite well. They can collapse but you just need to work with the baby to get them to take it.
I use these a lot with rehabilitation for babies pre and post-tongue tie release.
You can use the code KATH10 for 10% off anything. on the Ninnico Website.
MAM
This was, by far, the most mentioned brand of pacifier in my survey when I asked about favorite pacifiers. MAM comes in various sizes and styles, with various options for different sizes.
From a lactation point of view, this one can be helpful after a release, it can encourage baby to push tongue up, and it also can be beneficial with suck training.
Nuk
This brand is fairly inexpensive and easy to find. It can help to allow the tongue to elevate and have a similar movement to the breast
Here are some additional articles you may also want to read:
- 7 Reasons Your Newborn Won’t Latch
- Proper Breastfeeding Latch: Step-by-Step Guide for Easier Latching
- Why is Breastfeeding Painful? 5 Common Causes of Pain While Breastfeeding
- How to Heal Cracked Nipples Fast
Mom-Favorite Pacifiers
These are pacifiers that moms have said worked best with their babies. These don’t necessarily make my list of the best pacifiers, shape and function-wise, but they are ones that a lot of people love.
BIBS – Popular choice from parents
This brand is popular but not necessarily the best from an oral function standpoint. It can hinder oral function and forces the tongue back. There are some babies that will only take this one, which may actually be indicative of oral restrictions if this is the only one a baby will take
Unlike many pacifiers, they are made from natural rubber. This is meant to help encourage natural sucking, and it’s designed to mimic the shape and feel of the breast as a way to encourage an easy transition back and forth.
They are made from 100% natural latex and are lead and pthalate free.
Here are a few other mom-popular brands.
So tell me – what is your breastfed baby’s favorite pacifier?
More Posts You May Enjoy:
- Breastfeeding and Introducing Solids: Everything You Need to Know
- Is Your Breastfeeding Baby Biting? Here’s What You Should Do.
- The Ultimate Guide to Dairy-Free Breastfeeding (From a Dairy-Free Mom)
