Best newborn dummy 2024: The top soothers for breastfed and bottle-fed babies from £5

Finding a dummy that your newborn welcomes easily can be a real lifesaver for tired parents. Although suckling is an innate action for newborns, choosing the best soother can prove a difficult task, since not all babies connect with all types of dummies. Even if your first child took to a particular model, there are no guarantees that the same type will work for your second.

Thankfully, dummies (or pacifiers, as they’re known in the US) arrive in a number of shapes and sizes. Better yet, even the best newborn dummies won’t cost the earth, making that all-important trial-and-error phase in the first few days and weeks a feasible process. Parents can help their babies adapt to a dummy by encouraging them to use it regularly, making it a part of their daily sleep routine.

From newborn dummies made from natural rubber and options with soft silicone teats, we’ve rounded up some of the best options below for you to choose from. We’ve also provided a short guide about what to look out for when shopping for the best dummy for your newborn or impending arrival.

Best newborn dummies: At a glance

How to choose the best newborn dummy for your baby

Some newborn dummy designs cater specifically for babies in their first six weeks, while others extend to six months and even 36 months old. These extended-use dummies can help see your baby from the newborn stage all the way until they cut their first tooth; they can help relieve sore, teething gums, too. Typically, Size 1 dummies are designed for babies from birth until six months old. 

If a baby is exclusively breastfed, a dummy can seem completely alien to them. However, there are plenty of dummies designed with a natural softness to make soothing just that little bit more comfortable and familiar. Using a more breast-like dummy also means breastfed babies are less likely to suffer from “nipple confusion”, learning to switch between dummy and nipple with ease.

Is a dummy safe for a newborn baby?

Research conducted by the Lullaby Trust shows that using a dummy when putting a baby down to sleep, while following all other safe sleep advice, can reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) – although it doesn’t specify exactly what it is about a dummy that helps reduce this risk. However, if the dummy is in any way damaged, ripped or split, you must discard it immediately, since it can be a choking hazard and extremely dangerous.

Can I use a dummy if I’m breastfeeding?

Yes. A newborn dummy should be used once breastfeeding is established, which is around the four-week mark, although some parents find success introducing it earlier. This time frame differs for each infant, but introducing a dummy after a few weeks shouldn’t impact how a baby breastfeeds.

For any other breastfeeding concerns, consult your midwife, health visitor or one of the UK’s helplines, such as the National Breastfeeding Helpline or La Leche League.

Will using a dummy affect my baby’s teeth and mouth shape?

According to the British Dental Association, you should try to wean your baby off a dummy by the time they are a year old, to reduce the risk of crossbite, overbite or open-bite malocclusions. As perfect as this scenario sounds, weaning your little one off anything is hard work. The great news is that there are plenty of orthodontic dummies out there that adapt to your baby’s mouth shape as they grow, keeping your little one comfortable until they’re ready to say goodbye to their dummy. An orthodontic dummy is flatter than a regular model and encourages a baby to suck in the same way as they would when breastfeeding.

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How do I sterilise a newborn dummy?

It’s best to check the manufacturer’s instructions for each product to be certain, but the three most common ways to sterilise a newborn’s dummy are: (a) to boil it in water; (b) pop it in the microwave in a steriliser bag (some dummies have their own microwavable containers that serve as sterilising containers); or (c) use a classic baby bottle steriliser. Each of these methods take only around 5-10 minutes, and require the dummy to be washed first with a baby-safe soap.

How often should I clean a newborn dummy?

Before using a brand-new dummy for the first time, it should be boiled in hot water. Following this initial clean, and for the first six months, a newborn dummy should be sterilised every day, or whenever it has dropped on the floor, sofa or a less-than-sanitary surface. In fact, it’s recommended that you sterilise the dummies of babies under a month old before every use. By the time most babies reach six months (have put almost everything in sight in their mouths), they will have met with many pathogens. At this point, it’s fine to just wash their dummy with soap and water.

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The best newborn dummy you can buy in 2024

1. MAM Night Soothers: Best newborn dummy for bedtime

Price when reviewed: £8 | Check price at Amazon
Instead of having to feel around a cot blindly to try to find a dummy through the night, locating this glow-in-the-dark model from MAM will prove no such trouble, with no need to flash your smartphone light and risk waking up baby. In fact, the glow will even help baby locate their soother for themselves.

The pack of two arrives with a handy travel case, which also serves as a container in which you can sterilise the dummy: fill 25ml of water at the bottom of the case, with the dummy, and pop it in the microwave for three minutes.

This is a well-made dummy that won’t lose its shape, even following a few months of use. Made from silicone, it can be used for babies up to six months old and has an orthodontic shape to help maintain healthy mouth and teeth development.

Parents have praised the MAM night soother for being popular with bottle-fed and breastfed babies alike, and you can also combine it with MAM bottles to offer babies a familiar soothing experience.

Key details – Teat: Silicone; Age: 0-6 months; Travel case: Included; BPA free: Yes; Other details: Pack of two; glow-in-the-dark design

2. Nanobebe Flexy Soother: Best newborn dummy for breastfed babies

Price when reviewed: £5 | Check price at Amazon
This flexible dummy offers breast-like softness and won’t leave a mark around your baby’s face. Thanks to its contoured, ergonomic design, it helps soothe breastfed babies, putting them at ease in a naturally comforting way.

The Flexy Soother forms around your baby’s face, helping them latch on, plus it stays in place as the baby moves or changes position during sleep.

Designed for the first three months of a little one’s life, this dummy is widely used to soothe premature babies since the teat here is softer compared to the brand’s 3+ month Flexy Soother. The latter is better suited to a baby’s oral development as they get a bit bigger.

We really loved that you can put your finger in the opening (from the outside of the dummy) to help pop it in and out gently, as required.

Key details – Teat: Silicone; Age: 0-3 months; Travel case: Not included; BPA free: Yes; Other details: Pack of two; dishwasher safe

3. Bibs Colour Soother Size 1: Best newborn dummy made from natural rubber

Price when reveiwed: £9 | Check price at Amazon
The cherry-like shape of the Bibs Colour Soother (Size 1) dummy is known to help support breastfed babies during their first months of life. Made from natural rubber, the dummy is designed to stay in a baby’s mouth, which is particularly beneficial in the early stages when a baby is just learning how to use a dummy.

Danish brand Bibs has focused on making these dummies imitate a mother’s breast as closely as possible. The lightweight design features a traditional ring on the front, onto which you can attach dummy clips to avoid it falling onto the floor. The dummies are also available in a range of colours, perfect for pairing them with your baby’s cute outfits.

Key details – Teat: Rubber; Age: 0-6 months; Travel case: Included; BPA free: Yes; Other details: Pack of two, available in a range of different colours

4. Tommee Tippee Breast-Like Soother: Best value newborn dummy

Price when reviewed: £5 | Check price at Amazon
As a go-to for essential baby products, Tommee Tippee is a well-known name to many parents around the world. The brand’s newborn dummy offers great value for money, and is the perfect choice for soothing your baby in a natural way.

As part of Tommee Tippee’s Closer to Nature range, these breast-like soothers are designed to support breastfed babies with their soft, flexible teats. We also welcome the dummy’s “no wrong side up” design, which is handy when helping a baby find their dummy at night.

As one of the smartest newborn dummies on the market, this product has an oval, orthodontic teat, with a curved shield that compresses easily. The latter allows air to flow more freely, thereby alleviating pressure on a baby’s gums and teeth.

Plenty of parents have been amazed at how comfortable their babies appeared while using this dummy, and appreciated the slot for a clip to secure the dummy to a buggy or to baby’s clothes.

Key details – Teat: Silicone and cotton; Age: 0-6 months; Travel case: Not included; BPA free: Yes; Other details: Day-style soother, reversible, oval, orthodontic design to assist airflow and reduce pressure on a baby’s gums or teeth

5. NUK Star Newborn Dummy: Best newborn dummy for premature babies

Price when reviewed: £6.49 | Check price at AmazonMany parents have found their sanity thanks to this NUK dummy, which has worked wonders for soothing their premature babies in the early days of life. Specifically good for babies from 0-2 months old, the teats on NUK dummies are a great fit for tiny baby mouths. This size of the teat also helps to reduce the chances of baby gagging.

If you find your baby takes to this dummy at the newborn stage, other NUK dummies should be a good fit for up to six months and beyond. Many parents were fans of the orthodontic shape which resulted in no changes to their children’s teeth and mouth shape.

Key details – Teat: Silicone; Age: 0-2 months; Travel case: Included; BPA free: Yes; Other details: Pack of two, available in two colours

6. Philips Avent Soothie: Best newborn dummy with a small teat

Price when reviewed: £16 | Check price at Amazon
Soon after birth, there will be sleepless nights aplenty, and a dummy can help both baby and parent to get some much needed rest. The Philips Avent dummy is dedicated to keeping little ones from fussing in those very early days of life, with its small teat making it suitable to soothe even premature babies up to six months.

More expensive than some rival models on this list, the cost feels justified when the dummy feels more durable than some other options available on the market. It’s easy to clean, and comes recommended by breastfeeding mothers who have labelled it a “breastfeeding-friendly soother”. Like the Nanobebe Flexy Soother, this dummy is also open on the outside, allowing parents to pop their finger inside and help assist a baby to soothe, or to remove the dummy when led by the baby’s cues.

Key details – Teat: Silicone; Age: 0-3 months; Travel case: Not included; BPA free: Yes; Other details: Pack of two

7. Hevea Orthodontic Newborn Pacifier: Best orthodontic newborn dummy

Price when reviewed: £9 | Check price at Amazon

Plastic-free, non-toxic and made from soft and 100% natural rubber, the Hevea Orthodontic Newborn Pacifier has been hygienically designed to be used from the moment the baby enters the world, up to three months old. Moulded in one piece, with sensitive gums and growing teeth in mind, it promises not to irritate delicate mouths.

This dummy is also available in orange, neutral beige and light pink tones. What’s more, these dummies are 100% biodegradable and compostable, too, so will appeal to the environmentally friendly out there. Hand-wash only, these dummies have a lifespan of two months.

Key details – Teat: 100% natural rubber; Age: 0-3 months; Travel case: Not included; BPA free: Yes; Other details: Pack of two

8. Liewood Paula Pacifier: Best newborn dummy for cool mums and dads

Price when reviewed: £16 | Check price at Selfridges

Just because you now have a baby in tow, it doesn’t mean you have to stop being the style-savvy aesthete you always were… not if Danish baby brand Liewood has anything to do with it. The cool kids label applies a stripped-back, typically Scandi design approach to its products, resulting in super stylish baby gear like this dummy, which would be just as at home on a plinth in the Tate Modern as it would in a baby’s mouth.

Sold in a pack of three, these minimalist dummies are made from a single piece of rubber and are available in two muted colour assortments: peppermint mix or rose mix. The rubber in question is medical-grade silicone, formed into a rounded teat with air holes at the base, which we found were great at reducing redness and irritation on baby’s face.

Looks aside, the major selling point is ease of cleaning. That stripped-back design means there aren’t any nasty nooks and crevices where dirt can get stuck. That being said, the obvious downside is the price.

Key details – Teat: Silicone; Age: 0-6 months; Travel case: No; BPA free: Yes; Other details: Pack of three, minimalist design

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9. Elodie Details Baby Dummy: Best newborn dummy traditional looks

Price when reviewed: £15 | Check price at Amazon

If you like the look of old, traditional-style dummies but still want all of the modern perks, then this eco-friendly pacifier from Elodie will be right up your street. It’s made from partially plant-based materials, and the specially shaped teat is designed to preempt misalignment of the teeth later down the line.

These cute retro dummies are available in packs of two and come in a variety of tastefully subtle colour options with a slightly retro look. They’re extremely easy to clean, and the crystal-clear teat makes it simple to tell when it’s getting grubby.

Key details – Teat: Silicone; Age: 0-3 months; Travel case: No; BPA free: Yes; Other details: Pack of two, retro design