[bass chick]

Which type of soother is better as far as being the least toxic? Silicone or latex? I think the latex ones taste gross, but it is my understanding that latex is natural and silicone is synthetic. Does anyone have preferences?

 

[vermontgirl]

I really want to know the answer to this question. I have heard sillicone is better for the baby but i dont want to belive everything i hear. I hope we get a lot of answers for this. I have the sillicone pacifiers and the latex bottle nipples.

 

[lmkirche]

We choose silicone for everything! Silicone is awesome stuff. It is non porous, so it can be easily cleaned and completely sterilized unllike laytex. Laytex is also allergy prone. Silicone is not. Silicone warms up quickly and retains body heat, excellent for soothing. It is also completely safe. The silicone used in nipples and pacifiers is hard and can't be absorbed into the body. I highly reccomend silicone!

 

[alicia622]

I prefer silicone for the simple fact latex is UGLY!

 

[writermommy]

My ds will only take the silicone. I think it's the taste of the latex that he doesn't like.

 

[Maggie'sMomma]

we chose silicone bc the store only had one style of latex and it wasn't the style dd was used to. seems latex may be getting phased out? i'm glad to read thepros of silicone- thx for posting this!

 

[HappiLeigh]

I'm a little creeped out by sticking either one in my DD's mouth, but we went with silicone because, as PP mentioned, it is easier to clean. Also because I think the latex smell is icky.

 

[Hevyne]

I like latex only b/c my kidz only like the latex. I know that silicone is better b/c it cleans easy to clean and doesn't break down but it is more slippery in their mouth and their nuks slide right out. My ds won't take a bottle with a silicone nipple (I have avent) so I had to go out and buy a playtex nurser with a latex nipple just in case he has to take a bottle again if I go out. So, I say try the silicone first but if they don't take it, you may have to try the latex. I'm stuck with it myself!! Good luck!

 

[blessedwithboys]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alicia622 I prefer silicone for the simple fact latex is UGLY!

i know all the other reasons...we never used bottles or paci's, but just the other day i was telling a friend why she might want to avoid latex. i told her all about latex allergy, etc.

but inside...i was just thinkin how much prettier silicone is!

 

[MidwifeErika]

I stick to silicone as I am allergic to latex. I figure my kids might be more prone to latex allergy as well and the more you are exposed to latex, the more likely it is to develop an allergy to it.

 

[Swirly]

Latex is not *natural.* It is a synthetic polymer, same as silicone is a synthetic polymer. Silicone is more biologically inert and I feel safer with it than with latex.

 

[mom2nat&will]

with my daughter we only used silicone...however my son will have NOTHING to do with silicone, when I returned to work he had to learn to take a bottle of expressed bm and we tried ALL kinds and finally I bought Latex nipples for the platex bottles we already had it WORKED woo hooo so Latex is what he gets

 

[alegna]

Well, the best is none. Pacifiers can cause quite a few nursing problems. We never used one and never missed it.

-Angela

 

[runes]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna Well, the best is none. Pacifiers can cause quite a few nursing problems. We never used one and never missed it. -Angela

:

 

[Joannarachel]

Well, latex IS natural...comes out of trees, after all

But we use silicon. I have a latex allergy and the last thing I needed was my baby sucking on a binky, then trying to nurse and having my poor booby break out in hives!

 

[bass chick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna Well, the best is none. Pacifiers can cause quite a few nursing problems. We never used one and never missed it. -Angela

In my defense, we have tried showing DS his hands and fingers, but he doesn't suck on them well....and he just cries while doing so. I can't let him suck on my fingers all the live long day since I have a toddler and a house to look after, and I also can't let him suckle on my boob all day - mostly because my milk supply is so abundant that he has yet to empty a breast yet. He needs to suck on something and he took to the soother the first time we tried it. If he likes it, then the best is NOT none.

Not all babies are alike and some do not need a soother nor would never miss a soother. Some, however, need so suck more than others. We didn't use a soother with DS#1. He is a champion thumb-sucker at 2. We also regret not pushing a soother with him because he will likely have orthodontic problems because of it that he probably would not have had with a soother.
Thanks for the replies about your preferences. We started with silicone and it looks like we will stick with it. He likes it.

 

[SillyMommy]

Good question! We chose silicone but my DS prefers the latex. For DD we got a silicone one but she's not fond of it and I'm wondering if the latex feels more like skin than the silicone, kwim?

I'd like to know what nursing problems they cause. I hear this but haven't ever heard any problems listed. DS used one (still does) and never had a problem and I've given DD one because, like DS, she wants to suck to sleep but gets angry when she gets milk.

 

[MidwifeErika]

Pacifiers in and of themselves are not evil, they are simply another tool that can be used in parenting. Like any other tool, they can be abused.... if it is shoved into a baby's mouth constantly instead of the breast being offered it can cause problems.

In response to Angela- my 2nd child never had a pacifier and never missed it. He just nursed and did comfort nursing. I almost became uppity about pacifier usage and how they shouldn't be used at all and the types of moms who use them and how non-AP they are..... and then my 3rd kiddo was born. I now have an overactive letdown and LOTS of milk. She only wants to nurse to eat and does not want to comfort suckle at all, not one bit. She wants fingers and so finally we tried a pacifier. She is happy, we are happy, she is still gaining weight and nursing very well. I always am sure to offer her the breast first, it is only when she refuses my breast that I give her the pacifier. She has such a high need to suck that she has something in her mouth 24 hours a day, she just never ever stops wanting to suck (totally not exagerating here either and there is just no way that a mom can keep up with 24 hours of a breast in babies mouth).

 

[becca29]

I was wondering the same thing. We've been using silicone too.

With my first son I never used a pacifier and never expected to with our second. But I have a huge milk supply and when he is full, he gets very upset when he wants to suck and keeps getting milk. A pacifier has helped out a lot.

 

[homemademomma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotwings640 I now have an overactive letdown and LOTS of milk. She only wants to nurse to eat and does not want to comfort suckle at all, not one bit.....and so finally we tried a pacifier. She is happy, we are happy, she is still gaining weight and nursing very well.

me too. also, my first dc cried non stop in the car. it was horrible, i barely ever went anywhere bc of it. i WISH he would have taken a plug, but i never tried one bc i was vehemently antiplug at that point. my dd (2 months) cries in the car occassionally, and the plug is really helpful for that. also, when i got back to work PT in a few weeks, my dp can use it so she can comfort suck. she doesnt like fingers. i think plugs are like anything else- they can be a great tool and a comfort for your child, or they can become a mommy substitute. there is nothing inherently evil about them.