Pacifier Shapes: do they matter?

Ah pacifiers, as a dental hygienist I don’t like them- as a mom, I love them.

There are so many products on the market now, many claiming to be “orthodontic” with varying shapes. Like many first time moms, I picked a few options I saw on all the “top baby products” lists I saw on social media and forgot about it. Then my baby arrived and she spit out every “cute” “pacifier I bought. She seemed to hold the Philips Avent Soothie in the longest that the hospital provided for us, however, she still spit it out at night and would wake up crying until I gave it back. When we transitioned her to her crib, we wanted something she could find herself in the night so we switched her to the Wubbanub and she loved it. Naturally with our second baby I bought a new Wubbanub and one other with similar shape just in case. Man was I wrong again! I think I tried nearly every pacifier in that isle by the time I finally found one she would accept even for a little longer than the others. I was about to give up and say she just was one of those babies who didn’t like a pacifier, but with her other symptoms, I had a suspicion it could be related to her posterior tongue tie and lip tie that we were having released. After the release, she finally did accept a pacifier, the Tommee Tippee Ultra Light. Two fairly different shapes for each of my kids.

So that brings us back to the point. Is there a “best” pacifier? All pacifiers have many benefits for babies. Babies are born with the sucking reflux to help eat and comfort themselves. They encourage self-soothing and lower the risk of SIDS. But pacifiers are known for causing many difficulties in speech, oral development and increases in otitis media, which can create a snowball of problems into adulthood. That being said, there is no “best” pacifier in my opinion from a myofunctional and oral growth/development stand point. Pacifiers all prohibit the tongue from resting on the palate. When the tongue rests on the “spot” it provides a positive neuromuscular feedback of comfort. Sometimes the thumb replaces the tongue or in this case the pacifier. However, I know I could not go without the pacifier for those long, late newborn nights or the long car rides and so on. So I don’t expect anyone else to either.

Instead, I want to focus on time rather than style. The length of time and the frequency of time the pacifier is in the mouth is more likely to contribute to developmental issues. Start by trying to limit pacifier use to sleep times, long car rides or other emergency moments. This will aid in promoting speech development during activities to allow for cooing and babbling, a pacifier in their mouth can change the way they learn to articulate as they work around it. Babies also naturally explore with their mouths, limiting a pacifier aids in sensory development as babies can put toys in their mouths (make sure they are not choking hazards) . Chewing is essential for jaw growth, jaw growth helps airway development. Around 12 months, I highly encourage beginning the weaning process, if not completely then down to the rest times mentioned above. The American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Family Practice both recommend reducing and stopping pacifiers early as well. By age 3 the pacifier should be eliminated completely in an ideal world.

Every parent and every child is different. Some babies and parents may be more dependent on the pacifier. It is essential that the time is right for your family and your child. I want this process to be a positive experience and easy for everyone. Having these strategies in place early will help ease the transition and allow you to prepare before hand. By having an elimination plan early and mindful of the time and frequency, you can enjoy the benefits of the pacifier without the mom guilt.

If you’d like to learn simple strategies or you need some extra help, check out our habit elimination or mini myo program!