Already while waiting for the baby, mothers think about choosing a pacifier for newborns. The nipple is the best assistant in calming the baby and a substitute for the mother’s breast in her absence. Among the huge variety of offers, choosing the right option is not so difficult if you know the selection criteria. However, one should not be sure that the baby will be satisfied with your choice, he may have completely different views on this subject.
Latex or silicone
To make the nipple, latex and silicone are used. Which material is better and safer for newborns? More on the pros and cons below.
Latex is similar to rubber, it is soft, elastic, nipples from it have a tan color. Such a dummy has a specific smell and taste, which some babies may not like. Natural soft material is fragile, due to the appearance of microcracks in which bacteria can multiply, such dummies require replacement every month.
Silicone is a synthetic material, harder and more durable, has no taste or smell. The term of use is 3 months. Many babies, having tried a latex nipple in the hospital, subsequently refuse silicone. Therefore, if you plan to use such dummies, it is better to take your own bottle with you to milk the baby.
After the appearance of teeth, the baby begins to gnaw a dummy, you need to carefully monitor its condition. It is dangerous to give a baby a torn or gnawed product - it is possible to swallow parts of it or choke.
Both latex and silicone dummies should flatten and restore their shape so that the baby is comfortable sucking it. When buying, it is worth testing the pacifier and this quality. Which pacifiers for newborns is better depends on each specific case.
Right size
The size of the pacifier should correspond to the age of the baby. This information is indicated on the packaging. If it is not, the dummy does not meet the requirements of pediatricians, you should not buy it. Dummies that do not correspond to the age of the child contribute to the formation of anomalies of the maxillofacial part. Each manufacturer has its own size line and its designations.
For premature babies and those born with low weight, there are the smallest soothers. Not always there is a need for their purchase, since such crumbs need it in the mother’s breast and her presence. And the use of an orthodontic dummy during a walk will be justified, since such babies are more likely to experience the skill of incorrect grip of the nipple and abnormalities of the oral cavity.
Correct form
Dummies for newborns are spherical, teardrop and orthodontic. Some babies are very finicky, to please the baby, you have to try everything. What kind of dummy for a newborn should be from the point of view of doctors?
Pediatricians recommend the use of orthodontic soothers. They are flattened on one side (on the tongue) and convex on the other side (under the sky). Such pacifiers resemble the maternal nipple, contribute to the formation of the correct bite. Dentists recommend abandoning a dummy after the appearance of the first teeth.
To hold the product in the form of a droplet in the mouth, the newborn has to suck, the spherical nipple holds itself. If the baby does not wake up from the loss of a dummy, you can continue to use a drop-shaped one. Initially, it is better to choose this form so that the child has the opportunity to learn how to sleep without endless sucking. A dummy drop after falling asleep on the side of the baby (and newborns should sleep only this way) falls out.
The correct protective disk
The base of the pacifier should be large enough to be impossible to swallow, and compact enough not to cause discomfort. For newborns, dummies with a notch under the nasolab are convenient. The absence of a ring prevents injury when turning over and does not allow the baby to pull the dummy out of his mouth with a random movement of his hands in a dream.
A protective cap or box is needed to store the dummy, so as not to run rinse it immediately before use, convenient for going to the hospital or visiting. Do not forget to rinse and sterilize them.
Recommendations for proper care
Before using the dummy, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the instructions from the manufacturer, which indicate the intricacies of the primary treatment, daily care, life, shelf life. According to the recommendations, you should rinse and sterilize the dummy.
For daily care, a latex pacifier should be sterilized by boiling for only 30 seconds, and it is better to pour boiling water over it and leave it to cool. Silicone nipple can be subjected to prolonged boiling, and at the same time it does not change its properties, which is important for young mothers who can not stand and follow the process.
Experienced mothers are advised to buy several dummies at once, so as not to run and not look for her at every need. It is especially important that the nipple is attached with a special chain to walking clothes. Another nipple is needed in the baby's sleeping area. The rest of the time, pediatricians do not recommend giving her baby to calm, you need to distract the child's attention in other ways.
Do you need a dummy
In the maternity hospital and in the first weeks after birth, the baby sleeps soundly and much. During this period, you can do without a dummy, and if he constantly requires breasts, do not refuse. Frequent application helps to normalize the amount of milk needed by the baby, regardless of whether it is a lot or a little. Even with excessive lactation, frequent application is recommended.
In the second month of life, the baby begins to stay awake more, to get acquainted with the outside world. He wants mom to be always there, even in a dream. If it is not possible to lie side by side, relax and gain strength, a dummy is a good option for replacing my mother’s breast. To calm the baby, you can put him to sleep on his mother’s “milk” t-shirt.
Possible harm
With constant suction of the spherical dummy, the baby develops an incorrect bite. Dentists recommend abandoning such a sedative already after the appearance of the first teeth. In addition, sucking can become just a bad habit, so you need to use a pacifier only in extreme cases. Entertain and distract the child yourself, do not just try to close his mouth with a nipple.
With an insufficiently responsible attitude to caring for a dummy, dangerous microbes, pathogens of various diseases can get into the baby's mouth. Licking it and giving it to the baby is not considered a cleansing, in this way you just add additional bacteria that the newborn’s fragile body will have to fight.
Often a dummy is lubricated with honey or sugar so that the baby does not refuse it, as a result of which diathesis, rash, discomfort appears. If a child cries loudly and refuses a dummy, perhaps he is worried about colic or is overworked. In such cases, a warm bath, tight swaddling and music, i.e. complex measures, help newborns.
Opinions of experts
Among experts, you can find opinions for and against a baby's dummy . Doctors, depending on their specialization, respond differently about this subject.
Physiologists explain that the sucking reflex is necessary for the baby to saturate. The less he sucks in between feedings, the more efficiently he sucks milk. Dummies provoke the appearance of improper breast capture, as a result - malnutrition of the baby and a decrease in the amount of milk in the mother. By the year the process of chewing is improved, and the extension of sucking delays the formation of this skill, and subsequently the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted.
Psychologists associate smoking, the use of alcohol and other substances that change consciousness, with the period of the newborn. If the baby was given a dummy with anxiety instead of satisfying a natural need, in adulthood he would not be able to cope with difficulties correctly. Also, children who are thus replaced by attention, in the future choose entertainment on the phone, movies, the Internet instead of kinship and personal meetings.
Specialists in breastfeeding against the use of soothers: with them there is a high probability of a complete rejection of the breast, and the replacement of night-time nipple feeding leads to a decrease in lactation.
Allergists do not recommend latex nipples. There may be a reaction to them, which may not be pronounced - this is sneezing, lacrimation, hoarseness. Is it possible for a newborn to have a dummy with a history of allergy, the parent decides.
Dentists warn about the high probability of the formation of a malocclusion and the occurrence of inflammation of the oral cavity due to the dubious dummy sterility. Parents often pass on to her children through herpes, thrush, stomatitis, caries.
Speech therapists are also not advised to use the dummy for a long time, since it prevents the baby from learning to make sounds, control her tongue and lips.
Given all the opinions, parents must decide on the advisability of using this accessory and on how and when to give a dummy to a newborn.
Manufacturers Overview
Soothers should be purchased only in pharmacies and specialty stores. This ensures the availability of product safety certificates. Among the many worthy offers, you can always choose the appropriate option. Dummies that meet the baby's health safety requirements can vary greatly in price. This is due to the manufacturer, material, equipment. The best baby soothers for babies don't have to be expensive.
Nuby experts say that using their orthodontic soothers promotes early teething. They also produce nipples with a cross-shaped hole, which prevents leakage and is convenient for soldering crumbs.
Chicco brand offers nipples that are very similar to the female breast. Embossed circles are present on them, and active sucking is required to create a flow. The baby, using them, will not feel the benefits of easily accessible milk from the nipple, will not abandon the breast. They should be used for newborns who need additional feeding, if you want to maintain lactation. The design of the nipples prevents the ingestion of air, as a result - the reduction of colic and regurgitation.
Manufacturer Dr. Brown's produces nipples and pacifiers according to the latest recommendations of specialists. The founder of the company is a pediatrician who knows everything about the latest achievements and requirements of medicine for the health and development of children.
Fillips Avent is the best-known manufacturer of baby products. This is due to its narrow specialization. Products are being improved, taking into account customer reviews, own developments and modern requirements.
The Russian brands Kurnosiki, World of Childhood, and Poma offer dummies of decent quality at a much lower price. Included are cute chains-holders for walking.
Each parent chooses the best dummy for newborns, depending on personal requirements and preferences.
Special offers
For babies born weighing up to 1800 g, special nipples and pacifiers are used. They contribute to the formation of the skill of proper sucking. For children with congenital anomalies of the jaw, it is necessary to use the correct nipples and soothers. Using them from birth will allow you to cope with the problem as quickly as possible and without consequences for a more conscious age. Which pacifiers are best for newborns also depends on individual factors.
A dummy thermometer is a very useful invention. The baby needs to take temperature daily, but it’s not at all easy with a regular thermometer. But the nipple-thermometer looks like an ordinary dummy and is perceived by the baby very well. The measuring sensor is located in the silicone part, and the display is on the limiter. Such a dummy will be used with pleasure by the baby and at an older age. Use it instead of the usual dummy is not worth it - bumps and drops will lead to malfunction. When choosing, it should be borne in mind that such products are collapsible, which makes them sterilized. The signal about the end of the measurement can be light or sound, and the latter is not convenient when the baby is in a sensitive sleep during a period of illness or feeling unwell. The ability to change batteries is not provided in all models, it is also worth paying attention to.
On a photo baby's dummies with an original design. They are designed more for laughs, photo shoots and are not suitable for sleep, uncomfortable in shape. However, this product is popular among parents who want to somehow highlight their child. You can buy a dummy for newborns as a bright accessory, but they are not suitable for laying.
A soft toy and a pacifier in one is a very sweet idea. But such a dummy can cause allergies if you do not care about its cleanliness. Soft toys require special care and daily washing.
Dummy Mill Dr. Shuuuuuut is designed to grind medicines and even take them. The tablet is placed in a special compartment, milled, then transferred to the "sucking" part and in small doses it enters the child’s mouth. Thus, the baby will not feel strong bitterness and taking medications will no longer be a pain for mom and child. Which pacifier to choose for a newborn who needs to take pills? Of course, this one.
Biling Biling baby pacifiers are decorated with real diamonds, engraved with the date of birth and baby's name. The product is more decorative than practical, and the price is high.
The question of whether to give a dummy to a newborn, each parent decides independently. It is worth noting that not all children accept this choice. To use such a "sedative" must be correct so as not to harm the crumbs. The main thing - do not forget to timely replace the dummy, monitor its integrity and comply with the rules of operation.