8 Best Pacifiers for Newborns 2024

Sucking brings babies comfort and can help them stop crying when nothing else seems to work. That's why pacifiers are on every new parent's newborn checklist and why they're one of the essentials in Amazon's free baby registry welcome box.

And pacifiers have also been shown to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) when used at night. Think your baby is ready for a pacifier? It's time to shop the best pacifiers for newborns.

What to look for in the best pacifiers for newborns

The best pacifier is simply one that is safe, easy to clean and that your baby loves. Look for BPA-free materials and pacifiers that are all one piece or as few pieces as possible. The more pieces, the more places there are for dirt to hide and more opportunities for a piece to break off and become a choking hazard.

Silicone is easy to sterilize and most pacifiers are dishwasher safe. Worried about your baby's future smile? While extended pacifier use can affect kids' teeth, if you ditch the soother before age two or three, there are unlikely to be any long-term dental effects—no matter the shape or type of pacifier you choose.

The best pacifiers for newborns

We sifted through all the best newborn pacifiers on the market, spoke with pediatricians and pediatric dental experts and did the hard research to find the best options for your baby.

Best overall: Philips AVENT Soothie Pacifier

This popular Philips Avent pacifier is often used in hospitals and recommended by doctors. It features one-piece construction from hospital-grade, BPA- and latex-free silicone and has a five-star average rating on Amazon—and more than 50,000 shoppers have weighed in. A single-piece means this soothie won't pose a choking hazard.

It's also easy to sterilize or throw in the dishwasher and parents can pop their finger into the nipple to help hold it in baby's mouth until they stop screaming and start sucking. We love the overall design, versatility and affordability of this paci.

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Best for fussy babies: Tommee Tippee Ultra-Light Silicone Pacifier

Pacifiers don't usually weigh down your diaper bag, so why is an ultra-light soother like this one from Tommee Tippee beneficial? Because it's easier for babies to keep in their mouths, which means you don't need to pick it up off the floor and clean it as often.

The Tommee Tippee pacifier is also symmetrical with the curve of baby's nose on both sides, so there's no wrong way to put it in your child's mouth. That's a surprisingly tricky feat when your newborn is screaming. Best of all, this pacifier is accepted by 97% of babies, meaning that your squirming, screaming, soother-dropping baby will probably like this one. Phew!

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Best for breastfed babies: MAM Original Start Newborn Baby Pacifier

It's important to make sure that breastfeeding is going well before introducing a pacifier, but if you're still worried about nipple confusion (which, just FYI is highly unlikely with pacifiers), this Mam paci is the perfect choice. Not only does it feature textured silicone that's made to feel like skin, but the nipple also flattens and extends.

Shape-shifting makes it just like the real thing, because real-life nipples conform to the shape of baby's mouth. And this two-pack comes with its own sterilizing case. Just put the pacifier inside, add water and pop in the microwave.

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Best budget pacifiers: NUK Orthodontic Pacifier Value Pack

This three-pack of newborn pacifiers is a great price, but that doesn't mean it compromises on quality. These Nuk soothers feature asymmetrical, BPA-free silicone nipples, a shape some babies prefer. It's also a breeze to attach to most pacifier clips.

"I bought these for my daughter because they are recommended by orthodontists," says Sadie on Amazon. "She loves them and they are the only ones she will take. I bought so many different kinds but these are the best."

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Best fashionable pacifier: Itzy Ritzy Sweetie Soother Pacifier Set

Okay, so your baby probably doesn't care what their pacifier looks like, but you might. Want to coordinate their soother to their ensemble? This is the pacifier for you. The Itzy Ritzy silicone pacifier comes in a range of different colors with adorable shaped handles. There are bows, braids, arrows and a cable design to choose from.

Did we mention how bright and cheerful the colors are? Aside from the design element, this makes it easy to find your newborn pacifier at the bottom of a diaper bag or one of those clever baby bassinet side pockets.

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Best for NICU babies: Philips Newborn NICU Soothie Pacifier

Pacifiers are important for premature babies. Oral stimulation helps pre-term babies develop the muscles they need to feed from the bottle and breast. And soothers reduce the risk of SIDS when babies sleep, something that is more of a concern in infants born before 37 weeks.

This silicone, hospital-approved Philips soothie has a notched design that allows room for CPAP, ventilator or feeding tubes. NICU parents swear by these and babies actually reach for them. The design adheres to American pediatrics standards, and they're distributed in hospitals nationwide for good reason. A win-win.

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Best for fast finding: Tommee Tippee Night Time Glow Pacifiers

Does your baby sleep best with a pacifier? This six-pack of Tommee Tippee glowing pacifiers features glow-in-the-dark handles so you're not rooting aimlessly around the crib at 3:00 am. And if you still can't find the soother? You've got five more ready to soothe your little one.

Like other Tommee Tippee pacifiers, these are symmetrical so they're easy to put back in baby's mouth—even in the dark. And that's something real parents can't stop raving about.

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Best orthodontic design: Smilo Baby Pacifier

Smilo offers pacifiers in four stages, each made specifically to have the right shape and fit for your baby's mouth at different ages. Developed by a pediatric dentist and approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Smilo soothers can help prevent common orthodontic issues like crossbites. These binkies also glow in the dark and are made of BPA-free silicone.

The easy-to-clean format makes them some of the best newborn pacifier options on the market whether you're focused on orthodontic issues, or not. They're good for older babies working on nutrition, sucking and motor reflexes, too.

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Important note:

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly advises against leaving pacifiers in cribs with babies, so he sure to remove yours before letting your little one doze off.