April 2007
Features to consider Pacifiers
Handles. Some pacifiers have knobs on the back; others have rings. Babies don't care either way, though some parents do. Ring handles make pacifiers easier to retrieve from the bottom of a diaper bag and other locations where pacifiers land, but they can give your baby a "charging bull" appearance.
Snap-on caps. Some pacifiers, like the Avent brand, have a snap-on cap. It's one more thing to keep track of, but it can help keep your baby's pacifier clean when you're out and about and it's not in use. Don't let your baby play with the cap, though; it's a choking hazard.
Illumination. Some pacifier handles glow in the dark, which helps you find the pacifier in the crib in the middle of the night.
Carrying cases and clip-on ribbons. Carrying cases and short, clip-on ribbons that attach the pacifier to clothing and prevent it from ending up on the floor or the street are available separately. We don't recommend using clip-on ribbons.
Sound. Some pacifiers, like the Baby Buddy Rattlin' Pacifier (www.babybuddy.com), feature a soft rattling sound. Baby Buddy also makes a musical pacifier that plays "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" or "Rock-a-Bye Baby." Our opinion: Sound is nice, but not necessary.
Self-closing models. Keep-it-Kleen (Razbaby, $4.99) and AlwaysClean Pacifier (BébBéSounds, $3.99) have built-in covers that snap closed if the pacifier is dropped.
Handles. Some pacifiers have knobs on the back; others have rings. Babies don't care either way, though some parents do. Ring handles make pacifiers easier to retrieve from the bottom of a diaper bag and other locations where pacifiers land, but they can give your baby a "charging bull" appearance.
Snap-on caps. Some pacifiers, like the Avent brand, have a snap-on cap. It's one more thing to keep track of, but it can help keep your baby's pacifier clean when you're out and about and it's not in use. Don't let your baby play with the cap, though; it's a choking hazard.
Illumination. Some pacifier handles glow in the dark, which helps you find the pacifier in the crib in the middle of the night.
Carrying cases and clip-on ribbons. Carrying cases and short, clip-on ribbons that attach the pacifier to clothing and prevent it from ending up on the floor or the street are available separately. We don't recommend using clip-on ribbons.
Sound. Some pacifiers, like the Baby Buddy Rattlin' Pacifier (www.babybuddy.com), feature a soft rattling sound. Baby Buddy also makes a musical pacifier that plays "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" or "Rock-a-Bye Baby." Our opinion: Sound is nice, but not necessary.
Self-closing models. Keep-it-Kleen (Razbaby, $4.99) and AlwaysClean Pacifier (BébBéSounds, $3.99) have built-in covers that snap closed if the pacifier is dropped.
