Real Parent Question: What Dummy Should I Choose?

New parents need a few tools in their artillery when it comes to soothing a newborn baby. Between the cries and the constant feeding, sometimes parents just need something they can rely on to soothe their baby and provide them with a few moments of peace! 

A dummy is an excellent tool for this! But with so many dummies on the market, it’s important to work out which one is best for you and your baby.

What makes a dummy so effective?

From birth babies have a natural sucking reflex. It is not only a vital reflex for the baby to get food but sucking also has both a calming and soothing effect, reminding the baby of something safe and familiar. Sucking both lowers the heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels and it even has a pain-relieving effect. Because of the calming effect sucking entails, a dummy can make it easier for the baby to sleep, soothe the baby if it is distraught, and provide security when they feel upset or tired.a dummy can make it easier for the baby to sleep, soothe the baby if it is distraught, and provide security when they feel upset or tired.

What are the different kinds of dummies?

Dummies can be found in a range of shapes and made with different materials. This can make choosing one your baby will like all the more challenging! There are traditional rounded teats, more ergonomic angled teats and also narrower symmetrical teats. In addition to that, dummies are also available in natural rubber latex and silicone, both of which draw different infant fanbases!

How do you know which dummy is for you?

With so many dummy variants on the market, it can be difficult - and expensive - to find the one your baby will like best! Babies have different preferences, different sucking techniques, and different mouth anatomy. Therefore, there are different dummies that meet all these different needs. It’s for this reason that BIBS have launched a Try-It Dummy Collection, where you’ll receive four different types of dummies, so that you can discover exactly which kind your baby prefers!

In the BIBS Try-It pack of four dummies you will have a pacifier from 4 different categories with a selection of all teat types (Round, Symmetrically and Anatomically) and materials (Natural Rubber Latex and Silicone).

What is the difference between natural latex and silicone dummies?

Natural rubber latex is a natural material and is affected by sunlight, high temperatures, and moisture, which can accelerate the aging process of the latex. Therefore, the material changes its properties and can become brittle or sticky. Whenever you experience a change in the material the pacifier must be replaced. Natural rubber latex dummies must be replaced when you see the following signs:

• Changes in the surface
• Changes in size
• Change in shape
• Rupture in the material
• Becomes brittle or sticky
  
  

Silicone is an industrially manufactured hypoallergenic, odorless, and taste-neutral material that is known for its purity. It is 100% free of harmful and endocrine-disrupting ingredients such as BPA, PVC, and phthalates. The smooth transparent nipple is not as soft as natural rubber latex, but it retains its shape, does not age, and can withstand high temperatures.

Should you use a different dummy at night time?

That is completely dependent on the individual, however, many parents find using a glow-in-the-dark dummy useful at night time. This is because it means that parents can easily find and replace the dummy during the night with minimal interruption, and likewise, the baby can easily locate and replace the dummy when it falls out - once they’re old enough to do so! BIBS Night Glow Pacifier Features a glow-in-the-dark ring that, while not too bright, can help you to easily locate your baby’s dummy - even in the middle of the night! Made from natural soft latex, with BIBS most popular cherry shaped nipple and matte lightweight shield, this dummy is designed to be the most similar shape to a mother’s breast and is therefore recommended by midwives to support natural breastfeeding.