NIPPLES AND PACIFIERS OH MY
I’m pregnant with my third child, and although I feel like a seasoned mom, I still want to make sure I’m choosing the best bottles and pacifiers for my baby’s development while supporting my breastfeeding goals. Yes, I’m definitely a paci mom, and for good reasons—pacifiers help reduce the risk of SIDS and, honestly, they make life a bit easier.
When it comes to bottles and breastfeeding, I always wait a few weeks before introducing a bottle. The trick is to use a slow-flow nipple so the baby still has to work for it, just like they do at the breast. While I feel confident in my breastfeeding knowledge, I wanted expert advice on the best bottles and pacifiers for babies. That’s where Bianca Rammairone comes in. Bianca is a phenomenal speech therapist based in NYC, and she’s been working with my kids since 2019. Her knowledge is incredible, and her training gives her a unique perspective that goes far beyond what I would typically consider. Below, she shares her picks for the best bottles and pacifiers:
Bottles (would ideally like to make the products into a widget)
- Pigeon SS Nipple fitted on Avent glass bottles (important to switch out the Avent nipples because their shape is not ideal)
- Lansinoh (the Pigeon SS Nipple also fits on these if you want a slower flow)
- Dr. Brown’s Narrow
- Evenflo Wide Neck
When looking at bottles, I think about nipple shape first and foremost. It’s important to aim for either a wide soft slope nipple (think shape of a mountain), like the Pigeon SS, Lansinoh, and Evenflo OR something more narrow that maintains that same slope, like Dr. Brown’s Narrow. It’s important to avoid a lot of the bottles that are marketed as “breast like” that may mimic our idea of what a breast looks like, but not what occurs with the breast during an optimal feed. Anything with a wide base and prominent nipple sticking out from it (like the Comotomo or Avent) is not ideal. These type of bottles promote a narrow latch and can lead to inefficient feeding and poor oral development.
Next I think about nipple flow rate. Unfortunately, there are lots of inconsistencies in how flow rates are labeled. One brand’s definition of “slow” is not equal to another brand’s same label. My go-to is the Pigeon SS (super slow). It’s most beneficial for babies to use a slow flow nipple, as this allows them control over their intake and works their suck! You also do not need to increase flow rate as baby ages. This is a marketing tactic to get parents to continue to purchase more products. Ideally as baby continues to grow and develop, their feeding will become more efficient and there will not be a need to increase nipple flow to a faster rate.
If baby has difficulty with slow flow nipples or any of the nipple shapes suggested above, this may be an indicator of some sort of oral dysfunction. A lot of the times, these are things that can be easily worked on (and should be!). You can seek out help from an IBCLC with knowledge of bottle feeding, or an infant feeding therapist (usually an SLP or OT).
Pacifiers (would ideally like to make the products into a widget)
Just like with bottle nipple, we want to mimic that soft slope, cylindrical shape with pacifiers too! I prefer this shape because it promotes much better tongue cupping and suction than other paci shapes. I do not recommend pacifiers with a large bulb or a flat side.
If baby has difficulty keeping in either the Ninni or Avent Soothie, there may be some underlying oral dysfunction or sucking weakness. Again, it may be helpful to seek out an evaluation from an infant feeding therapist.
With all pacifiers, we want to start limiting use at 6 months and removing by 12 months.
*I told her I felt personally attacked by the last sentence.