Baby pacifiers: types, review of the best models, expert opinion on the benefits and harms. How to choose a pacifier for a newborn - types of pacifiers and their features

13.09.2019

Not all parents know that an incorrect bite significantly affects the facial features of a child, and the prevention of his anomalies should begin literally from birth, since the formation of a bite begins long before the baby's first teeth erupt.

One of the most important factors in the normal formation of the baby's dentition is breastfeeding. Normally, in the process of each feeding of the child, a large load should be created on the muscles of the tongue and perioral muscles, both chewing and mimic. As a result of such myo-training in an infant, the growth of the lower jaw is actively stimulated, which at birth is, on average, 1.5 cm in length behind the upper jaw. It is clear that for normal chewing of food, it is necessary to match both sizes. Why is the lower jaw naturally underdeveloped? This is a forced measure, since during childbirth, the child actively rotates his head, and the lower jaw, being the only movable bone of the skull, is easily dislocated. Subsequently, this underdevelopment is compensated for by its rapid growth during breastfeeding, and normally the child's lower jaw catches up with the upper jaw in size by 6 months.

When sucking at the breast, the child is forced to make much more effort to get the required dose of milk than when feeding from a bottle with a nipple, and therefore the muscles of the lower jaw during artificial feeding do not receive the functional load necessary for its growth.

This is why it is imperative that you use the correct physiological teats when bottle feeding. Their hole is located in such a way that the stream of the nutrient mixture is directed to the hard palate, which imitates the process that occurs during breastfeeding. Normally, the sucking reflex fades away in children by 9-10 months, and a timely transition to spoon feeding stimulates this process.

If the sucking is inadequate or proceeds incorrectly, then the growth retardation of the lower jaw is aggravated, and the child develops a distal bite. In children transferred to artificial feeding at the age of 6 months, malocclusion anomalies are formed about 2 times more often than in children who were breastfed.

Distal occlusion, observed in 13% of the population, accounts for 30% of the total number of detected dentoalveolar anomalies; in children with a milk bite, distal occlusion and deep incisal overlap (up to 42%) take the first place among the anomalies of the dentoalveolar system.

In this regard, pediatricians have developed rules for artificial feeding.

Feeding should be done with a nipple that matches the shape of the mother's nipple, elastic, with a small hole. The nipple is put on a bottle with a wide neck. As the firmness and elasticity decreases, the nipple should be replaced with a new one.
It is necessary to provide conditions for active sucking: gripping and holding the nipple with the lips, movements of the lower jaw should ensure that milk is squeezed out and swallowed.
The position of the baby in the arms should correspond to the position during breastfeeding.
During feeding, the bottle should not put pressure on the lower jaw, as this leads to its displacement back and, as a result, a change in the shape of the jaw. The bottle should be held strictly perpendicular to the child's face.
You cannot leave the bottle in the baby's hands unattended, since he will not hold it in the air for a long time and will certainly find a fulcrum in the form of his own chin.
Feeding time should be 20-30 minutes.
It is necessary to completely exclude nutrition from the nipple by the age of 2 years.

With artificial feeding, parents generally make two mistakes: using irregularly shaped nipples and with a large hole. Orthodontists have found that with long-term use of round nipples, dentition abnormalities often occur.

Today the pharmacy chain offers over 30 types of pacifiers and teats of domestic and foreign production. How do they differ from each other? Firstly, they are made of different materials: latex ones are yellow, silicone ones are white. Both latex and silicone are strong and wear-resistant, but silicone has a number of advantages: it is heat-resistant (such pacifiers and nipples can be boiled many times), odorless and tasteless. Secondly, nipples differ depending on what age they are designed for. Thirdly, the nipples have different openings: small, medium, large and even x-shaped, which are used in accordance with the type of food.

Silicone nipples are very good, they have an oblong hole, which allows you to regulate the rate at which the contents of the bottle enter the mouth, depending on which side the nipple is turned: special risks are applied to it, which should be located opposite the baby's nose. Perfectly flat opening edges do not obstruct food passage and provide a fixed flow rate. Thanks to the special design, these nipples never stick together.

The size of the nipple should increase with the growth of the baby. Size I is for 0-6 months, size II for 6 months. and older.
Structurally, the nipple is divided into the nipple and areolar parts. The size of the nipple depends mainly on the length of the palate, the areolar - on the height of the upper lip and the length of the mouth. Therefore, nipples can be selected for both premature and full-term babies.
The bottle-nipple system should contain an air valve, which makes it possible to exclude the swallowing of air during feeding: the baby will feel more comfortable and the nipple will not slip out of the mouth.
The contents of the bottle should determine the size of the teat opening.
When using a nipple with a one-sided beveled surface, the tongue will press on this part and will be located more widely, which will promote the growth of the lower jaw. The strongly convex other side of the nipple will stimulate the development of the palate and upper jaw.
If the opening at the top is slightly offset from the crown of the nipple, it will ensure the proper flow of food into the oral cavity and naturally aid digestion.

Round long nipples have a significant drawback: they thus change the position of the tongue, which disrupts the myodynamic balance between its muscles and masticatory. The functional load on the circular muscle of the mouth in this case is increased, the child's cheeks are strongly retracted when sucking, since he cannot independently regulate the volume of the nipple captured into the oral cavity. Possible consequences of using such a nipple are air swallowing, narrowing of the upper jaw, the formation of a deep and narrow (domed) hard palate, sunken cheeks. Since the child's lower jaw does not move forward, its growth slows down, and insufficient work of the maxillofacial muscles leads to hypotension and myofunctional disorders.

Does the baby need a dummy?

The sucking reflex, satisfied through the tactile contact of the lips, tongue and larynx with the dummy, is innate and very important for the infant. In artificially fed babies, the need for a pacifier is much higher, since the sucking reflex is not satisfied due to the weak load on the masticatory muscles during feeding. Nervousness and excitability of a child largely depends on this unmet need, and to take away a pacifier from him by force means plunging him into a state of stress. That is why it is very important for such cases to choose the correct shape and size of the pacifier, which promotes additional training of the jaw muscles, massage of the palate and oral cavity between meals.

What is better for a child - to suck a pacifier or a finger? The answer is simple and obvious: a dummy is better, because after 2 years it is easier to wean it off. But a newborn from 6 to 12 weeks already knows how to purposefully move the arms, and the path of the finger to the mouth is not far away. Therefore, before he begins to satisfy the sucking reflex in this way, it is better to choose the right pacifier in time. After all, from the habit of sucking it is her child that can be weaned up to 3-4 years. The habit of thumb sucking sometimes lasts until school age, which will certainly lead to the formation of serious maxillofacial deformities.

What are the rules for using a pacifier?

The dummy must be clean. Be sure to wash a new pacifier with soap and water. For disinfection, you can sometimes soak it for a few minutes in a solution of vinegar and half with water. Then the pacifier should be thoroughly washed, dried and stored in a special box.
Use the right pacifiers and keep several of the same in stock: babies tend to get used to one type and refuse others.
Never lick a pacifier before giving it to a child.
Use the pacifier attachment attachment with care. Never use long laces - they can strangle your child.
If your baby loses the pacifier while sleeping and is not crying, do not put it back in his mouth.
Try other ways to calm your child down. Don't use the pacifier as a lifesaver. Sometimes a change in position, motion sickness is all a child needs.

So, if in the 1st year of life sucking is a natural need, then after 2 years it is already characterized as mental dysfunction, which should be given special attention. The natural change in children's habits occurs in stages, but sometimes due to a lack (or excess) of attention to the child, this process can be disrupted. In such cases, the sucking reflex is fixed as a defensive reaction, and subsequently can lead to the development of such childhood neuroses as stuttering or even bedwetting.

The sucking habit that persists up to 2 years of age inevitably leads to deformation of the dental arches. In this case, the time of critical impact of foreign objects (pacifiers, fingers, blanket corner) on the formation of bite is about 6 hours a day.

The harmful habits of children that interfere with natural physiological development are very diverse. These, in addition to sucking fingers and pacifiers, include lip and tongue biting, lip or cheek sucking, mouth breathing, and infantile swallowing. The latter often arises precisely as a result of prolonged addiction to a dummy. The child himself often cannot break the habit of these habits, since they have biomechanical reasons, and often such children need the help of a psychotherapist.

In addition, one must not forget that the dummy is often used by parents not so much for the satisfaction of the named reflex of the child, but for their own peace. Naturally, in this case, the child experiences an even greater deficit of attention on their part, and this leads to the consolidation of bad sucking habits.

Thus, both the toe and the dummy interfere with the proper development of the dentition. This statement is true to this day, despite the emergence of physiological pacifiers, which were proposed back in the 1950s. German doctors Müller and Balters. Of course, at that time it was a step forward: the unsuccessful long and round nipples-balls were replaced by new pacifiers, declared as preventive and stimulating the development of the dentition.

However, from the point of view of the orthodontist, any pacifier or nipple interferes with the development of the front teeth. This happens as a result of the separation of the bite due to the weak but constant pressure of the pacifier neck on the teeth of the anterior region, which leads to deformation of the upper dentition and the formation of a cross bite. The improper position of the tongue in the oral cavity, formed by prolonged sucking on the pacifier, can lead to snoring and even apnea (stopping breathing during sleep) in the child.

Recently, experts have proposed a fundamentally different dummy model. It is distinguished by a thin neck and a special step, which sets the correct interposition of the incisors. The head flattened from the bottom fits snugly to the upper jaw when sucking, which allows the child to train the correct position of the tongue in the oral cavity, contributing to the natural expansion of the upper jaw arch.

The domed plate is pressed tightly during sucking, ensuring the correct position of the pacifier in the mouth. When the baby is lying on his stomach, the flat button and ring help equalize the air pressure. Additional safety is provided by two air holes located along the edges of the plate.

Thanks to this sophisticated design, the soother prevents open bite formation. But even if it has already begun to develop, such a dummy prevents the tongue from getting between the dentition, and this contributes to the correction of such malocclusion.

Pacifiers, like nipples, have several sizes: I - for children from 0 to 6 months, II - from 6 to 18 months, III - from 18 months. The largest pacifiers were finally withdrawn from the market after numerous protests from pediatricians and orthodontists.

Weaning from the bad habit of sucking

It is quite possible to wean a child from sucking a pacifier at 2 years old. This requires kind attention and help from parents. But it would be wrong to simply take away the nipple from the baby or forbid thumb sucking. At first, he will need a psychological replacement for the missing objects. And until recently, such a replacement existed only for children from 3 years old - in the form of a vestibular plate made of elastic plastic. For younger children, there was no alternative to a dummy, and after all, the process of self-regulation is most likely exactly at 2-3 years old, after 2 years this possibility is significantly reduced.

Therefore, a special elastic substitute for the nipple "Stoppi" was developed, which is made from medical hypoallergenic silicone and has special bridges in the lateral sections for biting them with chewing teeth. Thanks to them, the plate fits comfortably in the mouth, successfully replacing the baby's dummy and preventing deformation of the upper dentition. If the child already has an open bite, it closes naturally, because when using the plate, the child's front teeth do not interfere with closing.

Soft bite bars.

There are no foreign objects between the incisors.

The scutellum is in front of the incisors.

Other factors affecting bite formation

The bite formation process is also greatly influenced by the position of the baby's head during sleep. It is not recommended to place a cam or pad under it, as excessive pressure on the jaw can lead to cross-bite. You should also avoid the head thrown back or, conversely, pressed to the chest.

The timing of the eruption of the first milk teeth is also of great importance for the correct formation of the bite. At 6-8 months. the child usually erupts the first incisors - first on the lower, then on the upper jaw. Then the lateral teeth begin to erupt, and normally by the 2nd year of life the baby should already have eight teeth. It is advisable that at this age the child is examined by a pediatric dentist or orthodontist. The doctor will definitely pay attention not only to the size and color of the teeth, but also to the frenulum of the lips and tongue. The length of the frenum of the tongue at this age is especially important, since its shortening can not only complicate the child's mastering of certain sounds due to limited mobility of the tongue, but also have a restraining effect on the growth of the lower jaw.

During the period of teething of milk teeth, the child can become excitable, capricious. To alleviate this condition, it is recommended to apply a special pain relieving gel to the gums, which may be advised by your pediatrician.

Thus, disorders in the development of the dentoalveolar system manifested at an early age are effectively prevented with the help of timely diagnosis and the use of the proposed simple measures and standard means of early prevention.

Chapala V.M., Cand. honey. sciences,
dentist, Ramenskoye, Moscow region.

Discussion

Thank you for the article. I'm just getting ready to become a mom. I bought some pacifiers in advance. I was in Detsky Mir, where I was advised by the Swiss Bibi. I took an orthodontic and a round cherry. I sit on them admiring. Very beautiful. The caps come with them.

My Older Son Sucked Fake Nipples! I don't know if they are to blame, but he has a wrong bite - the lower jaw is pushed forward! The article states that the lower jaw will be underdeveloped due to the nipple. We do the opposite. Until now, we cannot fix it, it is necessary to switch to braces.

My eldest only admitted a bit, and then only up to 3 months and only on the street, and my daughter generally spat everything out. So it does not depend on the desire of the mother.

I read a lot about nipples on the detroc.ru website, there is a very detailed description, too, and with pictures at the same time.

Comment on the article "Pacifiers and Pacifiers: The Right Choice"

Pacifiers. Baby care. A child from birth to one year. Care and upbringing of a child up to one year old: nutrition, illness, development. Section: Baby Care (Tell me, who gives a pacifier to their baby?) Pacifiers.

Discussion

I have the Nukovskys and the Chikkovskaya dummy - she likes the last one more ..

My second does not take ANYTHING. I already spat. My sucking reflex satisfies on me, sucks everything except the nipple-hand, igruhi, diaper. And the older one could not be pulled away from the nipple.

Newborn pacifier - which one to choose? Tell us which pacifier your baby loved. They say that if a child does not like nipples, then the nipple is incorrectly selected ... Nipples and pacifiers: the right choice.

Discussion

Girls, this topic comes up with regularity once every two months ... (search, search, search again !!) every time they come to the conclusion - how much is necessary - so much let it be ... And again everyone is tormented by the question - how? ?? weren't late ??? he doesn't go to school with a pacifier. You have two children - yes, the younger one has a little less attention than the older one at her age, the nipple is a kind of substitute for mom's comforter. If the child needs it, let it have a pacifier. When she grows up she will throw it up, no one has gone to the school with lisps. And he begins to suck his fingers - and this habit may remain for a much longer period. it will be much more difficult to wean! When Mitya was 2 years old, I put on an elastic band from the nipple, so he fell asleep until three, holding a plastic ring from it in his fist. At three he said - I have already grown up, no need for shusyun.

Until recently, we could not sleep without a bottle, and the bottle was more to calm down, although Ksyushka ate decently ... and recently the bottle has turned into just a ritual - it eats before bedtime, then throws it away and sleeps !!! She does not ask for a bottle, she calms down herself, she no longer eats a liter per night, but half as much, i.e. at night she eats a bottle 1-2 times (and before it happened 10 times a night she gave her)

which nipples are suitable for avent ?. Baby care. A child from birth to one year. Mine, too, did not take pacifiers Avetovsky, I also bought snub-noses. Sucks with pleasure. But he takes avent's bottles without any problems.

They say if a child does not like nipples, then the nipple is incorrectly selected, the main thing is to choose a good one. My first child, too, did not suck on a pacifier, although I didn’t offer her one. And now I want to choose the right one.

Most babies under one year old know what a dummy is, but why are there constantly discussions about the benefits and dangers of this accessory? Up to a certain age, the nipple often helps parents and the baby, but as the child grows up, it often becomes a problem.

How to choose the “right” dummy? How to wean a baby from a pacifier? What are the best newborn pacifiers? Let's figure it out.

Why do babies need a pacifier?

The sucking reflex manifests itself in the crumbs even in the womb. The need for active sucking is noticeable in a baby in the first 4–5 months of life. Sucking movements inhibit motor activity, calm down, and suppress negative emotions. The baby enjoys the milk from the mother's breast, but the baby cannot constantly feed.

How to satisfy your sucking instinct? How to prevent excessive excitement due to muscle hypertonia in the first weeks of life? The child quickly finds a way out of the situation: the baby sucks a finger. But this is harmful: in addition to hygienic aspects, the bite is often disturbed.

In such a situation, baby pacifiers come to the rescue. A nipple made of non-toxic, fairly dense material is an excellent replacement for a finger.

Note! A dummy is useful only in the early stages of life, when, without a mother's breast / nipple, the baby cannot calm down, fall asleep or satisfy the need for sucking. After 6 months, it is time to wean the baby from a useful accessory, otherwise an abnormal bite will appear, and psychological dependence on the nipple will develop.

How to teach a baby to nipple

How to teach a child to use a dummy? Most pediatricians believe that with enough milk from the mother it is undesirable to offer a pacifier on purpose. The baby is fed on demand, the need for sucking is fully satisfied. The baby should get used to the mother's pacifier, not to the latex or silicone substitute.

If you had to transfer a newborn to formula milk or lactation was disturbed from the first days, most likely you cannot do without a nipple. Often the baby does not calm down well after feeding and cannot sleep.

A correctly matched nipple will prolong the effect, as with prolonged breastfeeding. Some "artificial" sleep well, do without a nipple. In this case, it is undesirable to specially accustom the baby to the new accessory.

Don't worry about dummy habit. If the baby needs it, the baby will quickly figure out that this is a useful device. It is harmful to force, forcibly push into a tiny mouth even the most modern orthopedic nipple.

How to choose the right accessory

Pacifiers come in many shapes, sizes and colors. Consider several nuances when choosing a fixture. An incorrectly selected accessory forms an abnormal bite, interferes with the baby, causes irritation, and crying.

The size

Choose a suitable accessory in a pharmacy or a children's store, taking into account the age of the baby:

up to 3 months;
up to six months;
from 6 months to one and a half years.

Advice! If the baby is large, consider a larger pacifier. Buy two or three accessories, see which one suits the baby.

Form

Before buying, read what pacifiers are:

classic form. A regular nipple has a traditional, rounded shape. The product looks like a mother's breast, suitable for all babies. Material - latex;
orthodontic pacifiers. Products have the shape of "cherry" or "droplets". The volume of rubber is less than in the usual version. Advantages of the orthodontic form: minimal impact on the gums, the risk of allowance defects is reduced several times;
anatomical dummy. Manufacturers offer options for smaller / larger children. Advantages: the nipple is slightly flattened or lengthened; when sucking, the pressure is evenly distributed over the palate. The maximum length of the nipple is 1.5 cm. Some babies do not use the anatomical nipple quite correctly: the concave part is adjacent to the tongue. Don't worry, there won't be any harm from this use.

Material

In the package, all nipples appear to be the same, but this is not true. Not all young parents know that manufacturers use materials of different quality to make pacifiers. It is important to choose a product that is age-appropriate.

Peculiarities:

latex pacifier. Non-toxic material, soft, more suitable for newborns and children up to six months. With prolonged use, the surface hardens, swells, you cannot use such an accessory. Latex products require more frequent replacement;
silicone pacifier. Strong, durable material, the surface is difficult to bite through. Stiffer products are not suitable for the first weeks of life. Silicone pacifiers are recommended after 6 months.

Protective disc

Few parents know how important this detail is. When choosing a nipple, adults are often guided by the principle "if only it was beautiful and original." It turns out that the wrong shape / size of the protective plate negatively affects the condition of the baby's skin and interferes with the sucking process.

When buying a pacifier, pay attention to the following points:

the protective disc should not be too large and heavy. If the plate covers the baby's nose, it is more difficult for the baby to breathe, it is inconvenient to make sucking movements;
the shield should be wide enough so that the baby does not swallow the papilla;
see if the disc consists of several parts or monolithic casting is used. Choose a solid plate so that the pieces do not break off, do not accidentally fall into the baby's mouth;
check if the ring for which the parents are holding the product is securely fastened. If a silicone chain is attached to the ring, inspect this part as well;
holes for ventilation are a prerequisite. It is no coincidence that high-quality nipples from well-known manufacturers have an original look with holes of different shapes. A flat surface without holes fits too tightly to the chin, saliva accumulates under it, irritation occurs.

Terms of use

The nipple will last a long time if several conditions are met:

boil the product before using it for the first time. 2-3 minutes is enough for all harmful bacteria to die;
store a useful accessory in a special container with a lid to protect it from dust and dirt;
keep latex or silicone products away from central heating radiators, sunlight. Partially dried material cracks, with low quality products, even melts;
if a useful object has fallen into the dirt, do not disinfect it: some compounds easily irritate delicate mucous membranes. Throw away the pacifier without regret, replace with another;
check if latex or silicone is intact. Cracks, tears, a sticky surface (or when squeezed, the inner part sticks on both sides), deformation of the soft part - a reason to replace the nipple;
buy silicone products every three months, latex - every two weeks;
for sleeping, choose a device without a chain and ring so that the baby does not accidentally pull the useful accessory out of his mouth.

Review of popular manufacturers

What are the best baby pacifiers? Listen to the opinions of parents and pediatric dentists.

Avent

Features of Avent pacifiers:

excellent quality, non-toxic silicone;
the Philips Avent brand has received many positive reviews;
wide assortment for different ages, designs for every taste;
options for day / night;
the set includes a protective cap;
there is no excessive pressure on the palate, but the product has an imperfect shape. Moisture sometimes gets in through the ventilation holes.

Nuk

Features of Nuk pacifiers:

orthopedic model, made in Germany;
comfortable shape with a depression and a slightly flattened papilla;
minimal pressure on the gums;
the natural shape resembles the nipple of the mammary gland;
due to the presence of a small depression, the product holds well in the mouth;
prevents malocclusion;
minus - a fairly high price.

Find out about the rules for taking laxatives for constipation in babies at the address.

Baby

Peculiarities:

variety of models, nice design;
colors: from delicate, light to bright, original;
parents can easily pick up silicone or latex for children of a certain age;
ventilation holes, soft edges of the protective disc;
options for night / day;
models of classical, anatomical and orthodontic forms.

Canpol

Peculiarities:

high-quality dummy, made in Poland;
anatomical shape, two types of materials: silicone / latex;
original design, wide range of models;
convenient air valve;
acceptable cost.

Bibi

Peculiarities:

with such a pacifier, your child will certainly attract attention;
original design, interesting models;
on the surface - bright inscriptions that attract attention;
strong, durable two-component silicone;
papilla - "cherry" is suitable even for large babies, if desired, it is easy to find the right size;
there are 2 options on sale. Choose a traditional product for the day, a luminous version for the night;
there are no ventilation holes, the models are quite expensive.

Chicco

Features of Chicco pacifiers:

orthodontic form;
suitable for children from an early age, material - latex;
soft, comfortable papillae are correctly positioned in the mouth;
good durability, but be sure to replace the accessory after two to three weeks.

How and when to wean from a dummy

How to wean a child from a dummy? Psychologists advise to think about this issue in six months. The optimal time to forget about a dummy is between six months and a year. During this period, the sucking reflex gradually fades away, the child quite easily refuses a useful device.

Unfortunately, many parents skip this period, taking the pacifier after 12 months. By this time, the grown up baby gets used to the pacifier, often does not want to part with it. Weaning off the nipple turns into a real war.

What to do? Psychologists recommend more often explaining to the child that he is already big, and only babies walk with a pacifier. Offer to give the accessory to a teddy bear or bunny, and buy a beautiful, bright cup ("like an adult") for your son or daughter as a reward for refusing a dummy. If the crumb has no desire yet, try again anyway.

Helpful hints:

act gently, carefully, do not think that the child will wean from his favorite nipple in a day;
remove the pacifier from your eyes, make sure that the baby himself cannot get a useful accessory;
keep the child busy so that he is tired during the day and falls asleep quickly;
make life as interesting as possible, constantly highlight successes and achievements. Sincere attention, love and care will help wean your baby from his favorite nipple. Trust is one of the important conditions;
create a calm, welcoming environment. Then the child will be less upset, naughty, and the mother will not have to stop the "show" with the help of a saving pacifier.

What not to do:

smear silicone or latex with hot sauce, pepper or mustard: possible poisoning, burns of the esophagus and stomach;
cut the surface to make the sucking process uncomfortable. The pieces often come off, easily enter the esophagus or even the respiratory tract, which is life-threatening;
laugh at the child, tease, shame at home or in public. You can’t spank the kids or shout, make them look funny, for which he is “like little”. The kid can withdraw into himself, get psychological trauma;
to scare Baba Yaga, an evil uncle or a bogeyman who will take a pacifier or a baby if he is naughty. Fright, anxiety, childhood neuroses are difficult to treat;
do not deceive grown-up children, explain that the teeth will become crooked if the baby walks with a pacifier for a long time. On the street, on the playground, in the park, the child will see that older children do not use the pacifier, and he will refuse it.

Now you know how to find a good pacifier. Offer a useful accessory in time, if the child does not fall asleep well without it, "catch" the moment when it is time to wean the child from the nipple. Take on the advice of psychologists, pediatricians and experienced parents.

More helpful tips for choosing pacifiers - pacifiers in the following video:

The nipple is an indispensable item for eating and satisfying the sucking reflex of newborns who are mixed or artificially fed. The teat regulates the flow of formula or expressed milk as the baby sucks it in.

The pacifier calms the baby and promotes the development of the chewing reflex. How to choose the right pacifier for a newborn, in order to ensure the most comfortable and safe feeding, will be told by the consultants of the Dochki-Sinochki online market.

How to choose a bottle nipple

A bottle with a standard neck is perfect for feeding a newborn. Nipple bottles are sold as sets and separately. On our website you can buy nipples and bottles of various shapes and sizes. The defining criteria when choosing a nipple are the shape, size and material from which it is made.

Classic models are considered universal because they have a standard round nipple shape. Currently, a more convenient option for the baby is gaining popularity - an orthodontic nipple, flattened on one side and with a cut nipple.

The pediatrician will certainly advise parents on the choice of a nipple. The approach should be individual, but there are several guidelines that cannot be ignored.

How to choose a pacifier for your baby? It is enough to follow a few rules:

the length of the soft part of the nipple should not exceed 1.5 cm;
the number of holes depends on the age of the baby;
the shape of the nipple should follow the mother's nipple when feeding;
the strength of the nipple flow depends on the type of food;
the material should be soft and elastic.

From the first days of life, babies need nipples with a flow for newborns, after a month - with a slow flow, then with a medium one. For half-year-olds, fast flow teats are suitable. These models are used for liquid food, water and tea. There are special nipples for feeding with thick liquid.

Important!

Orthodontic nipple manufacturers strive to mimic the shape of a mother's nipple as closely as possible, which is formed when a baby is nursing. This allows the newborn to be emotionally satisfied and to form the correct bite.

Which pacifier is best for a newborn: silicone or latex

Bottle nipples and pacifiers are made of two materials - natural latex and silicone. Latex products are soft and elastic. For this reason, it is latex nipples that are recommended for newborns from the first days of life. Also, these products are indicated for premature babies. The material is good, but not durable, the nipple needs to be changed frequently.

When choosing a nipple for a newborn, be sure to take into account that silicone models are odorless and absolutely anti-allergenic, unlike latex. The silicone accessory is tougher, therefore it is indicated for healthy children for the development of the jaw.

Table 1. Comparison of silicone and latex nipples

Criteria	Silicone	Latex
Material features	Elastic, elastic, boil-resistant. No smell, transparent color	Soft, elastic. Has a characteristic yellowish color
Indications for use	Promotes the development of the chewing apparatus. For babies prone to allergies	For feeding premature babies, newborns in the first weeks of life
Flaws	Rigidity. Not recommended for weak, premature babies.	May cause allergies. Poorly tolerates boiling. Changes color when exposed to the sun
Lifetime	5-6 weeks	3-4 weeks

Expert opinion

“For premature or weak babies, we strongly recommend purchasing soft latex nipples. Products made from this material will allow you to feed your baby without undue effort. Models equipped with an anti-colic valve, which prevents air from entering the baby's intestines, have an advantage.

In our online store you can order both silicone (for example, Canpol round, Chicco Natural Feeling, Step Up) and latex (Nuk First Choice, Classic) classic or orthodontic nipples. "

Specialist of the online store "Dochki-Sinochki"
Antonova Ekaterina

conclusions

When choosing a nipple for a newborn, you need to pay attention to the shape, size and material from which the product is made. Most accurately imitate the nipple of the orthodontic model. They fit comfortably in the oral cavity and stimulate the development of a correct bite. The size of the nipple should not be more than 1.5 cm so that the baby does not choke.

For newborns in the first weeks of life, a soft latex nipple is ideal. Elastic silicone is recommended for strong babies.

The history of modern pacifiers dates back to 1900. Christian Meinecke was the inventor of the first pacifier made of rubber and equipped with a plastic holder. Disputes about the pros and cons of using pacifiers are ongoing among professionals and moms. In the article, we will consider the advantages and disadvantages of using pacifiers, their classification, popular models of pacifiers.

Do I need a pacifier for a newborn - the advantages and disadvantages of using a nipple

The use of pacifiers often causes controversy associated with quality baby care. The solution to this issue must be approached reasonably and not to go to extremes. If the baby is happy to take the pacifier in her mouth, do not deprive him of a kind of "relaxation"; if he resists sucking the pacifier, do not force the child.

Important!

Benefits of using a pacifier:

Satisfy the sucking reflex. The first reflex that appears in a baby is sucking. This reflex must be fully satisfied. When a toddler is breastfeeding on demand and has no shortage of feeding, he may ignore the nipple as his needs are met.
By sucking a pacifier, the baby feels some kind of security , which is accompanied by calmness, good mood, the baby sleeps much better.
Doctors noted that when a toddler uses a pacifier while sleeping, 30% reduced risk of sudden death syndrome (CID) ... To this day, this phenomenon is shrouded in mystery and is the biggest nightmare for parents.
The use of the nipple helps to strengthen the muscles of the oral cavity in the infant ... Especially the sucking reflex needs to be developed in premature babies, because it has been proven that by sucking a pacifier, they gain weight faster.
A dummy "lesser evil" than a child's finger. In the end, the pacifier can be thrown away and the child will get used to the idea that the nipple is gone, and if the baby has likened his finger, this is where the real problem is hiding, since it is more difficult to wean such children from this process.

Disadvantages of using a pacifier:

Do not give a pacifier to a newborn at least 1 month of age, otherwise you can completely break the GW. Also, it is worth postponing with a pacifier if the baby does not feel the difference between the nipple and the breast. He must understand that the breast is a source of nutrition and energy, and a pacifier is only for satisfying the sucking reflex. Nipples should be applied first and then applied.
Children are addicted to pacifiers. In most cases, they get used to the nipple, and this often leads to the fact that parents wake up in the middle of the night from the loud cry of the baby, which dropped the nipple from its mouth and felt discomfort.
Pacifiers are dangerous if parents are not hygienic. Due to the microbial, non-boiled nipple, the child may develop dysbiosis or an infection may enter his body. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor which nipple you give him and boil it regularly.
If mom has chosen the wrong pacifier for her baby or the nipple just does not fit him in size, this can cause early.
The baby's bite is formed long before the first teeth appear. A the nipple interferes with the formation of teeth and correct bite.

Each parent decides for himself whether to give the child a dummy or not. But if you decide to use a pacifier, do not delay this process, because the baby needs a pacifier only in the first year of life. After a year, the use of a pacifier is not harmless to the baby.

Which pacifiers are better: types of nipples in shape, material, size

If you decide to purchase a pacifier, then you need to competently approach the purchase of this product, since the nipples differ in shape, size and material. The tables below provide a nipple classification to help parents determine the correct pacifier model.

Varieties of pacifiers in shape

Types of pacifiers by shape	pros	Minuses
Classic- reminiscent of the old style pacifiers with a rounded nipple.	You can give the baby a nipple with any convenient side. It is convenient for the baby to suck, since the shape resembles the mother's nipple.	With continued use, the baby may develop an irregular bite.
Anatomical- have an oblong, flattened nipple.	They have different sizes, you can choose a suitable option for the weight of the baby. The shape corresponds to the structure of the baby's gums, so it is convenient for him to use it. Such a dummy evenly distributes the pressure on the palate of the child. Develops a correct bite, does not allow excess air to be swallowed.	Only the child's personal dislike for the shape of the anatomical nipple.
Orthodontic there are several types: Cherry- for kids with a big sky. Butterfly- for babies who like to sleep on their tummy. Heart- to form the correct bite.	Cherry pacifiers are the most popular, as their teardrop shape is the most natural for the baby's mouth. The baby grips the nipple like a mother’s breast, so he is calmer for a long time. The heart teat reduces the risk of tooth deformation.	Some children do not accept this type of pacifier, but in very rare cases.
Protective disc pacifiers ... Designed to protect the teat from swallowing.	The protective disc protects your baby from improper sucking on the pacifier.	The disc may be heavy and fall out of your baby's mouth. Sometimes the plastic sticks to the mouth. In this case, it is better to buy monolithic discs with a pimply "breathing" structure so that the baby does not have irritation and does not accumulate drool.

Types of nipples depending on the material

Types of pacifiers by material type	Features / pros / cons
Latex	The latex pacifier is made from rubber, which is why it is so elastic and flexible. Well suited for newborns, and also indicated for premature or weak babies. Latex is short-lived, it cannot be boiled, it darkens in the sun, and increases in size with constant use. Sometimes latex is allergic due to the protein it contains. You need to change the nipple from such material every month.
Rubber	This material is slowly becoming a thing of the past. It is short-lived and can cause diathesis on the cheeks of babies. But when teething, rubber pacifiers will come in handy.
Silicone	Silicone pacifiers are made from synthetic material. They are more temperature resistant (boiling) than latex. They are odorless, transparent and anti-allergenic. However, silicone is more rigid in structure, therefore, when teeth appear, you need to change the silicone nipple to latex or rubber, in order to avoid deformation of milk teeth. You need to change the nipple every 5-6 weeks.

Pacifier categories by size	Features / pros / cons
Category A (0 to 6 months)	Designed for newborn babies and has a small shape. The downside is that you won't use such pacifiers for a long time, since with an increase in the mass of the crumbs, you need to use a different size of the product. There is also a category for premature babies. Some manufacturers produce a line of such pacifiers with a weight indication of less than 1,750 kg.
Category B (6 to 18 months)	Usually the manufacturer always indicates what age the dummy is designed for, but children develop in different ways and you can not guess with the size.
Category C (over 18 months)	This category is not so in demand as parents try to wean their children at this age. The downside is, if a mom needs a nipple of this size, it is harder to find it on store shelves.

Review of the best baby pacifiers

Popular pacifiers: price, features, pros, cons

Pacifier manufacturer	price, rub.	Peculiarities	Pros and cons
Nuk Genios	280	German brand for the production of physiological pacifiers. Patented product.	Orthodontic pacifier, soft and elastic. Safe for the child's body.
Pigeon	150	Japanese brand of natural baby teats.	Inexpensive brand of orthodontic pacifiers. Beautiful design and hypoallergenic material are the main advantages of this manufacturer's pacifiers. Of the minuses: recommended for children only up to 4 months.
Phillips avent	260	English manufacturer of quality baby pacifiers.	The pacifiers have ventilation holes at the mouthpiece to prevent irritation around the mouth. Has an anatomical shape for the baby's mouth.
Hevea	390	High quality rubber, latex pacifiers.	Pros: large assortment. There are beveled, round, orthodontic pacifiers. There are ventilation holes. Cons: expensive cost.
Bibi	290	Silicone pacifiers.	Quality nipples for the little ones. Minus: some children are allergic to the composition of silicone. Expensive and small ventilation holes.
Canpol babies	120	Polish brand of inexpensive pacifiers.	The manufacturer produces pacifiers of various sizes and materials. You can choose the option you want. The presence of an air valve, an affordable price, high-quality material are the advantages of the pacifiers of this brand.
Baby land	150	Silicone pacifiers in various sizes.	The brand is famous for its cheapness and quality. The only negative is the material that is not suitable for every kid.
Chicco	270	Soft, anatomical, comfortable pacifiers.	Pros: functional pacifiers, 98% suitable for a child (not rejected by him), high-quality nipple, reliable design. Minus: usual, unpretentious design, latex will not last long.

To choose a good and high-quality pacifier, it is not enough to pay attention only to the brand and the price. Focus on the crumbs' preferences and needs. Pay attention to the position in which your baby sleeps. For example, it is better to purchase a butterfly pacifier if the baby sleeps on his stomach. And if your baby has a big mouth, then no doubt buy a "cherry".
Focus on the age and weight of the baby , then it will be easier to find the right pacifier.
Give preference to hypoallergenic nipples , especially when picking up a product for a newborn.
Try to buy several options for baby pacifiers. Let it be a budget brand, but you can find a suitable model with less losses, and then, if you wish, buy a famous brand with a bright and colorful design of pacifiers.

Experts' opinions: whether to give a dummy

Doctor Komarovsky:

A very interesting thing that allows the child to satisfy his sucking reflex and not interfere with the mother. The thing is interesting, but not at all obligatory - he doesn’t want to, and don’t need to, you could even say this: he doesn’t want to, well, very good. If there are any problems with the amount of breast milk, the use of a pacifier is undesirable.

If you don't make a cult out of a dummy, then you can teach the baby to it, because some children want to satisfy their sucking instinct, even after a hearty dinner, when they are absolutely full. Children follow their instinct, so it is not good to rid them of this process.

The opinion of the breastfeeding consultant G. Eltonskaya:

Someone succeeds in living with a dummy, someone does not. And many more mothers do not succeed! When using a pacifier, attachment is unambiguously affected. Those. sucking quality. For some, this translates into cool chest problems, for others, nothing. In addition, there may be health problems for the child - hind milk contains immunoglobulins, and the child does not receive them if sucking poorly. In addition, he lacks the enzymes necessary for digestion, with all the ensuing problems.

The use of a pacifier often leads to psychological problems: it can interfere with the establishment of a deep emotional connection between the baby and his mother. I wrote about it psychoanalytic classic Donald Woods Winnicott :

Part of the love, affection, gratitude intended for a mother is automatically transferred to an object that replaces her breast - a bottle or a pacifier. If they provide a feeling of safety when falling asleep, comfort in difficult times, help to survive fear and discomfort, then the mother is perceived very consumer - only as a supplier of food, and not an object of deep and trusting relationship. Offering a pacifier in response to a request to kiss the breast, the mother herself refuses the tenderness that her long-awaited baby wants to give her, thereby further alienating him from herself.

Y. Palchevskaya, GW consultant:

The use of a pacifier is justified only sometimes, during the absence of the mother and in the absence of another opportunity to calm the child. In addition to psychological issues, a dummy almost always provokes an incorrect latch on the breast. Sucking on a pacifier, even an orthodontic shape, can cause malocclusion and, subsequently, speech defects.

W. and M. Serz in their book "Your Child" write:

Soother or finger: which is better?

We vote for the finger. It is easy to find it in the middle of the night, it does not fall on the floor, it tastes better when the baby wants to suckle, it has something. Nipples get lost, get dirty, they constantly fall to the floor. Opponents of thumb sucking may say that when weaning a baby off a nipple, it is easier to lose it than a finger. Indeed, intense thumb sucking for three to four years can lead to abnormal tooth growth. Parents of tiny finger flukes, don't rush to find them an orthodontist. All children suck their thumb for a while. Most will safely pass this stage, and if the sucking instinct was satisfied in infancy, the habit of sucking the thumb is forgotten. (...)

Our advice: in the first weeks, the baby should have only the mother's nipple in the mouth. If your baby really needs a pacifier, use it, but don't abuse it, and try to get rid of it as soon as possible.