Walking through the baby aisle in your local store will have you bombarded with options of soothers. What is the right one? Which will the baby like? Does the mom even want to use soothers? All excellent questions.
All the options…
Soothers come in many different shapes, sizes, brands and materials. A few of the options are listed below:
Materials:
- Latex
- More flexible than silicon
- Possible allergen
- Does not last as long as it is softer
- Silicone
- Firmer
- Easier to clean and sterilize
- Does not hold odor
Shapes:
- Gumdrop
- This is a new shape that is long with a bulb on the end
- Some babies may not like this particularly if breastfed
- Orthodontic
- Designed to fit in the mouth better than the standard shape
- Flatter than the standard shape and many babies will take these without problems
- Standard
- Tried and true; most babies will take these without issue
- May lead to issues with bite issues (under or over)
- Sizes
- Age
- It is important to get the correct size for your child’s mouth as a child under 6 months has a much smaller mouth than one who is older than 6 months and therefore requires a different shape/size
- Age
What’s the right soother?
So as far as what the correct soother is, it all depends on the parents and the child the soother is for. Most children get attached to their soothers and will develop a preference for a certain shape and material. My boys each had the silicon ones however; my younger one preferred the orthodontic version whereas my son preferred the standard nipple shape.
Is a soother appropriate?
Some parents will not want to use soothers especially those who have decided to exclusively breastfeed as it can cause nipple confusion. These babies are usually fine with a soother after they have been feeding well for a month as they will be able to distinguish between their mother and the soother itself. These issues can be found with thumb-sucking however, and that is much more difficult to stop as a soother you can take away when you feel the baby is too old for the soother, whereas you cannot take away their thumb.
Soothers can be found in almost any department store, baby boutique and supermarket. The only part you will find difficult about purchasing a soother is deciding between the brand, material and shape.
In all, soothers are a good choice for a baby shower gift and most parents will be thankful for the quiet they will get on those nights that the baby wants an extra little bit of support.