I will admit it, I am one of those moms that truly believes that God’s gift to mothers was the pacifier. I was exhausted, hardly sleeping with a very cranky baby. I did not want to give him a pacifier as I did not want to ‘confuse him’ (I was breast feeding) nor hook him on something that would cause a greater headache later on. One especially hard day, my mom gave him a pacifier and ..... shhhhhhhhh..... silence. My son was soothed. He was calm and quiet. He was just one of those babies that needed to be sucking on something and this little sucker (pun intended!) did the trick. Yes, it can be a pain to get your child unhooked after they are hooked , but in my eyes they really can do no harm. Or can they?

Every child and every parent is different, but if your child does use a pacifier, the fact that our babies are sucking on this foreign object for hours at a time makes it extra important to make sure that what they are sucking on will not harm them.

Here are some easy steps to follow when choosing a pacifier model for your baby......

WHAT TO CONSIDER

1. Plastic components: BPA free plastic: this really means nothing today, because BPA free usually means it has been replaced with a similar substitute chemical, like BPS or BPF, that have equally harmful endocrine disrupting capabilities. Even if the nipple is made of silicone, be weary of a plastic handle since the entire paci will eventually be sucked on

2. Latex/ natural rubber: I love natural rubber pacifiers like those from Hevea and Natursutten- however make sure you child does not have a latex allergy

3. Silicone: can be a great option- make sure it is medical grade or food grade silicone and made from a trusted source. Lower quality silicone can have lead so the grade matters.

Which did I use for my son?
10 years ago there were not that many options and we choose The Gumdrop Pacifier (the one I was given at the hospital) which is made out of medical grade silicone. It is PVC, Phthalate, paraben and BPA free. However, its skeleton is made of polycarbonate. So watch out for any wear and replace it if it’s thinning out. I was quite vigilant and would replace immediately at the first sign of wear. Since the pacifier comes in many sizes, it is quite comfortable at all stages. (buy the one without fragrance of course!)

Which one did I use for my second baby?
Natursutten Natural Rubber Pacifiers are made from pure, natural rubber from the tree Hevea brasiliensi. It has no artificial color, no chemicals softener; it’s parabens, PVC, phtalates and BPA (bisphenol-A) free. It is recommended that you replace these every couple of weeks so could be a more pricier option that others.

Other Options
Ecopiggy: Natural rubber (latex)

Naturesutten: natural rubber (latex)

Hevea (natural rubber)

Doddle and Co: silicone

Nanobebe : silicone

Choosing a Non-Toxic Teether
And while we are on this topic, might as well give some guides to choosing safe teethers.

1. Always look for plastic free. This includes BPA, PVC, and Phthalate free. All plastics have shown the capability to be estrogenic- this means that all plastics have the ability to have an effect on our hormones. While some plastics are more stable than others, a teether and a pacifier are constantly being sucked/ bitten/ cleaned/ sanitized which stresses plastic and could increase the ability of the plastics to leach harmful plasticizers and chemicals

2. Consider using teethers made of ‘natural’ materials like wood, GOTS organic cotton and natural rubber. For wood make sure it is solid wood (maple is a great choice) and if finished make sure it is finished with a certified organic edible il like jojoba

3. Silicone: choose food grade or medical grade silicone. Lower grade silicone can contain lead. Hand wash.

My son loved biting and sucking on a small wet towel (I would put it in the freezer for a bit and give it to him)

BRANDS I LIKE:
Natursutten: pure, natural rubber from the tree Hevea brasiliensi. It has no artificial color, no chemicals softener;

Rock Love Peace teethers are hand made in the USA of FSC certified cherry wood in the shapes of hearts, stars and peace signs finished with all natural beeswax.

Camden Rose teethers are made from maple wood and hand finished with non-toxic beeswax and/or organic jojoba oil

Olli and Carol

Hevea

Loulou Lollipop

Under the Nile

Finn and Emma

Sugar Booger Teethers (silicone)

Oli and Carol Chewable Bracelet

Oli and Carol natural rubber fruit and veggie toys

My Problem with Vulli's Sophie la Giraffe
Vulli, a French toy company, offers several teethers that are hand made in the French Alps with natural rubber and non-toxic food-grade paint. Sophie the Giraffe and the Chan Pie Gnon mushroom-shaped teethers are BPA, PVC and phthalate-free. Vulli also makes non-latex teethers that are free of BPA, PVC and phthalates.

This past December, 2 well known French newspapers (Le Monde and Que Choisir ) printed a report claiming that Sophie la Giraffe had tested positive for potentially cancer causing nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are a known possible carcinogen that are illegal in baby bottles and pacifiers in Europe. Vulli, the company that has made Sophie the Giraffe for fifty years, quickly released a statement saying their toy was safe. There is a level of nitrosamines allowed and considered safe in TOYS in both Europe and in the US, and Sophie’s levels fall below this number.

The article in Que Choisir, acknowledges that the levels of nitrosamines detected in Sophie meet the current EU toy safety standards, but points out that should the Giraffe fall under the regulation for 'teats and soothers', the teether would be taken off the market (it is considered a toy and thus the acceptable levels of nitrosamines are higher)

The manufacturer, Vulli, continues to refute the allegations, insisting that Sophie has been safe for 50 years, and “will continue to be so for generations to come”. They are promising further legal action should anyone continue to “release information that is unfounded and unwarranted in any way that is harmful to Vulli.” The regulatory bodies in Europe and the Us seem to agree and Sophie is still as popular as ever.

Even so, it leaves me feeling uneasy when I think back to how much my son (and most kids I know) love this toys, and the countless hours he chewed on it and I let him chew on it positive it was a safe alternative. Unlike other toys, I would encourage him to put Sophie in his mouth... and he did so more than the ‘teats’ that the EU regulates more stringently. I guess a seed of doubt has been placed in my head and I just can’t shake it off.... so I probably won’t be buying this as a gift any time soon!