When it comes to our children, we only want the best right?
We read about what soaps and creams to use, what nappies are best, what detergent to use but we rarely consider what a baby soother is made up of. We stock up on water wipes, consider (or use) cloth nappies, and buy clothes that are certified organic or 100% cotton.
Why do we spend so much time looking up what things are going to go on our baby’s bottom (which is also incredibly important), but we don’t even think about what we are sticking in our babies mouth?
Everyone has to wash their hands before handling the baby but we don’t think twice about using a synthetic soother.
Babies have a natural reflux to suck as it brings them great comfort. A lot of parents buy a soother to fill this need. Most people, myself included, are guilty of going to the store and just grabbing whatever baby soother and continuing with our day.
Maybe we even do a little more research and find that soothers with a hard back can cause damage to their developing mouths, so we pick a soft pacifier that will flex easy with their sucks.
Unfortunately, for most people this is where the research ends. So we pick the marginally better soother, but what makes up that soother? How was it made and what chemicals are in it? I don’t know and odds are that most people don’t know either.
A natural rubber baby soother is a path less travelled and I think it’s time we start walking down it or at least start talking about it more!
We have all heard about BPAs and PVCs, but have we ever considered our baby’s soothers could be full of them. We won’t even buy our own water bottle without it being deemed
“cancer causing” free, so why aren’t we paying as much attention when it comes to our baby soothers.
A lot of these synthetic rubber options are full of who knows what exactly. The natural rubber option is a nice alternative to give the conscientious parent total peace of mind. These natural rubber soothers are free of parabens, PVC, BPAs, and phthalates. It is worth noting that these natural rubber baby soothers are also free of artificial colouring and chemical softeners.
Aside from being free of all the harsh chemicals listed above, they are also much softer and more flexible. This is especially important if your baby is breastfed. A lot of babies develop a preference for their soother and if they are breastfed, they are able to easily discern their soother is a fake.
A natural rubber soother more closely mimics the mother’s breast, leading to less time the baby is on the breast trying to soothe themselves to sleep and allowing the infant to be a little more independent.
Natural rubber baby soothers are also biodegradable! So they are a good option for any eco-friendly parents out there.
If you are also worried about the world you leave behind for your precious baby, you can rest a little easier by choosing a natural rubber baby soother.
With all these benefits, a natural rubber baby soothers does come with a raised price tag. They are worth it though.
The added flexibility means, replacing the soother every 6-8 weeks at a greater cost than a synthetic soother. Consider it an investment. You are investing in your child’s health by keeping them free of all the harmful chemicals and possible carcinogens, and you are investing in your child’s future by purchasing a product that will actually break down over time instead of staying intact in a landfill for the next 200 years.
Overall, we should be bringing natural rubber soothers to the conversation when talking about our baby’s health and what to buy. We should be adding them to the registry and telling everyone about them!
The debate doesn’t just end with formula vs breast, which by the way, fed is best. It continues with soothers. It is not a decision that should be made lightly.
Natural rubber soothers are not heavily explored path, but it is full of benefits for both parents and baby.
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