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Last updated: 1/19/09
Pacifiers - also known as a paci, a nuk, a binky, a dummy. They are use all over the world to “pacify” babies, help them sleep, keep them relatively quiet, comfort them, and provide an outlet for the instinctive sucking that babies crave. They can be a mom’s best friend (allowing for a good night’s sleep) or her worst enemy (when her 5 year old won’t leave the house without one). Some moms think giving a baby an artificial nipple is not a good idea and some moms never give it any thought. But do either of them think about whether or not that pacifier is safe for baby’s physical health? They might be concerned about pacifiers as a potential choking hazard but until recently many moms never thought about a hidden danger lurking in a baby’s pacifier. The same is true of teethers. There are tons of them on the market to comfort and soothe babies, perhaps making teething a bit easier to handle for mom and baby. But are they safe?
Unfortunately, many conventional teethers and pacifiers contain Bishpenol A or BPA. I have addressed the problems associated with this synthetic hormone used to make plastic on several other occasions. I love to provide parents with information about alternatives that are non toxic and safe for baby. There is just no need to buy toxic baby products anymore. For reference you should check out these complimentary articles by yours truly:
BPA Free Sippy Cups Part One | BPA Free Sippy Cups Part Two
Glass Baby Bottles | BPA Free Baby Bottles
Unlike some of the articles above I really do not have much personal experience with the teethers and pacifiers mentioned below because I do not have a child that uses them. I have gotten to see and feel most of them but that is quite different from giving them a road test. BUT unlike baby bottles and sippy cups there is not much to say in way of reviews so here goes. This is a list of safe (bpa free) pacifiers and teethers. This list only represents the ones I know about…there could be others, and if you know of one make sure to leave a comment below!
Pacifiers:
Natursutten Pacifiers - The only all natural organic pacifier and my top pick! They are made from pure 
natural rubber from the tree Hevea brasiliensi. These pacifiers are softer than silicone and extremely hygienic, molded in one piece, and there are no joints or cracks where dirt and bacteria can accumulate. And of course they are free of all the nasty stuff you would never consciously want to put into your baby’s mouth, ie artificial colors, chemical softeners, BPA, parabens, PVC and phthalates. They are pretty cute too. 
See below for Natursutten teethers.
We also received a tester binky from a company called Eco Piggy. Having compared their brand paci to the Natursutten I have to decided they are one and the same.
Raz-Berry Pacifier - 100% medical grade silicone and VERY cute. They are shaped like a raspberry. The bumpy texture sooths baby’s gums.
Born Free is a BPA free company that offers baby bottle and sippy cups and just recently introduced a new line of BPA free orthodontic pacifiers for day time and night time use.
Playtex Baby Binky Most Like Mother One-Piece Silicone Pacifier- This is a durable one-piece, medical grade silicone pacifier. It features a nipple designed to simulate the shape of mother’s breast during breastfeeding, to satisfy baby’s sucking reflex. One thing I found a bit bizarre though about these pacifiers is the fact that they are “scented”.
Gerber Silicone Nuks- All the silicone Nuks from Gerber are free of polycarbonate plastics and thus BPA.
Cornstarch Teethers from Green Sprouts - Biodegradable! Made from Cornstarch Green Sprouts is a company committed to providing non-toxic products for your baby and toddler. The Green Sprouts Feeding line contains no BPA, PVC, Lead, or Phthalates. Check out their hand teether and their candy teether.
First Years Soothie Silicone Pacifier - Sized and shaped for baby’s developing mouth, made of latex-free, 
hospital grade silicone, and they have a durable, one-piece construction. You can get them in pink or a pretty teal color. These are also the pacifiers you get on the adorable Wubbanubs, which are basically small stuffed animals attached to the pacifier so that the pacifier is less likely to fall out or be spit out accidentally.
Teethers:
Sophie the Giraffe Teether- This is the new rage in teethers…Sophie the Giraffe….and our top pick! It is hand made in the French Alps with natural rubber and non-toxic paint. Born in 1961, her success is legendary in France as the # 1 toy for baby. Sophie stands 7″ tall, and is sure to become your baby’s favorite toy. It is absolutely adorable and I have heard it is especially good for plane rides since there is no liquid in it.
Chan Pie Gnon - I also really like this teether too! It is made by the same company that makes Sophie. Chan Pie Gnon comes from the French word champignon, which means mushroom. Chan (blue), Pie (pink), and Gnon (green) are adorably mushroom-shaped soft chew toys. They are proudly handmade in the French Alps with the finest rubber (phthalate-free) and food quality paints.
Natursutten BPA Free Fish Teether - These teething rings are filled with purified sterilized water, free of any chemicals. The rings themselves are made from EVAtane, a material also used for medical products, free of BPA, phthalates and any chemical softeners.
See also Amber Teething Necklaces for a 100% natural, non-plastic option.
LeapFrog Baby Lilypad Vibrating Teether- This teether is pretty attractive I think. It is a vibrating teether with a colorful lilypad filled with water and character images inside along with colorful characters. I am 30 and I want it. :)
Nuby Jiggle Giggle Vibrating Teether- This paci vibrates when baby chews on it, providing massage and stimulation to gums. It is filled with non-toxic Pur Ice Gel that can be placed in the freezer, but remains soft to provide a comforting teething surface. It is beyond adorable and I found it cute that the part the baby chews on is the utter. I guess it doesn’t take much to entertain me, LOL. There is a butterfly version too.
Nuby Ice Gel Teether Keys on a Ring- This colorful teether features three keys on a ring to keep your baby’s gums nice and cool. Each ice-gel teether key has a soft overlay on top and non-toxic Pur Ice Gel in the bottom.
Sassy Jelly Fish Teethers- These non-toxic brightly colored fish are completely water-filled and offer a variety of textures for the teething baby. Fish can be chilled in the refrigerator for cooling sensation. They come in a few lovely colors too.
Sassy Buzz n’ Bites teether- This little butterfly is such a fun and colorful way to soothe baby’s sore gums AND to promote the development of the senses. This teether offers a variety of textures for your baby to explore, creating an increased awareness of the lips or fingers. Plus, one of the butterfly’s wings vibrates gently as baby chews on it. Can be chilled in refrigerator for a cooling sensation.
Sassy Coolin’ Teether- Cool’in teethers inspire the sense of taste. Babies will have fun exploring the various textures, and shapes while teething. They can also be put in the refrigerator. So far I have seen a several animal shapes too…a turtle, a snail, and a bear.
Sassy Chilly Dilly Daisy- This teether helps develop your baby’s communication skills by creating an awareness of lips and tongue. Water-filled petals can be refrigerated to help soothe aching gums while gripping and textured petals entertain fingers and hands. Performs double duty with a rattle in the center section. This is one cute teether.
Luv n’ Care Icy Bite Teether- The IcyBite teether/soother provides a cool textured surface for baby to bite and teethe on during teething periods. It soothes and stimulates sore gums safely. Colorful shapes are easy for baby to hold and sized for maximum effectiveness as a teether and soother. This teether is filled with non-toxic purICE, can be placed in the freezer and will remain soft to safely soothe baby’s sore gums.
JeJe Therapeutic Teether by Baby Vibeis the winner of The National Parenting Center’s 2005 Seal of Approval, and the iParenting Media Awards Winner. It is uniquely designed to ensure that it provides a natural way for babies to deal with their teething aches and pains.
You may notice some big brand names above…Sassy, Nuby, Gerber, etc. While they do offer some safe alternatives like the one I mention above they also have teethers and pacifiers in their lineup that are NOT safe so do your homework and make sure only buy the ones that have no BPA or other harmful chemicals and byproducts.
Technorati Tags: BPA, Bisphenol A, teethers, pacifiers, non-toxic, safe baby
I have just ordered all new BPA free bottles and soothers after researching many brands. Thanks for putting together a BPA-free at a glance reference.
Thank You so much fort this review of teethers and Pacifiers. I scoured the web to find info like this and ended up buying one of the products. I also signed up for You newsletter
Good to know others share my interest in natural living!
I just found your site today and love all the wonderful information! Thanks for taking the time to do so much research
I am expecting my 4th child in September and just discovered the BPA problem when my 3rd child, who is now 9 months old, was just a few weeks old. There is so much I didn’t know with my 2 older children! I am grateful for all the information I am able to find now!!
Congrats ladies!!! The winners (random.org) of the two prize packs are:
Lisa #42 - Prize Pack One - ThinkBaby BPA free sippy trainer. A Jiggle Giggle Cow Vibrating Teether from The Safe Landing and from Generation Orangea Natursutten pacifier and samples of Gripe Water and Elsie’s All Natural Cleansing Wipes.
Emily #58 - Prize Pack Two - Two Sassy Cool’in Teethers from The Safe Landing and from Generation Orange a Natursutten pacifier and samples of Gripe Water and Elsie’s All Natural Cleansing Wipes.
Thanks for playing ladies! For everyone else I have more giveaways coming soon!
[...] Mom has an interesting post full of great information. Stop by her blog to read her insight on BPA Free Pacifiers & Teethers. We aren’t personally in the market for these items anymore, but we know lots of little [...]
[...] From Major Brands to Startups There is a good article about the bottle lines that are safe. BPA Free Pacifiers and Teethers for a Safe Baby | Natural Family Living Blog there is the link with regards to pacifiers __________________ Two Princes and One Princess [...]
Thanks for all the great info. I’m glad Sophie is BPA friendly. DS loves his giraffe
I started to research BPA free baby items not long ago for my 7 months old. This site gave me a lot of ideas and save me a lot of time to research. Thank you.
I have a question. Can I assume that if the bottle is not heated then there is not issue? I am about to deliver baby #2 and am wondering if I should switch bottles.
Kay,
I would switch. BPA can leach into the food or drink even without heating hence the fact that baby formula in cans has BPA traces in it. I think heating just make sit more likely but why even chance it?
Thank you for this information as it has been very helpful! I’m expecting baby #2 and wish I had this info with #1.
So many comments!! I don’t doubt it though, it’s a serious matter. I wanted to Thank you for this great post, it has helped me get familiar with some great produts, it seems that I have to get them online as they aren’t available any where locally to me - so thank you!
Just wanted to say “Three Cheers for Sophie!” Glad to see you mention our son’s favourite teething toy. Sophie is a great products and I’d recommend her to anyone
Thank you so much for this information! I didn’t use pacifiers with my first two but my third seems to get full of milk and wants to keep nursing but it makes her uncomfortable. I was thinking she might like a pacifier but was worried about the safety issue. I knew you’d have the answer. Bonus that you also talked about Sophie — we got that teether as a gift and I was going to return it! Now I’ll be happy to keep it.
Discovery Toys has BPA-free teethers too, and a couple moms have come up with an awesome idea - teething jewelry that moms wear. http://www.smartmomjewelry.com/
Thanks for this great post. It gets confusing-this helps a lot. I have three babies on the way in my family! Kelly Guenther
Thank you so much, I cannot tell you how relieved I am. I was literally in a panic, it’s so confusing, I actually started crying (consider the hormones too) and didn’t know what to buy etc. I am 7 months pregnant and this is my first child so I really don’t know much, but I knew I needed BPA free pacifiers and bottles, the only problem is that not all packaging explains if they have or not BPA. So, thank you again, God bless you, I feel so much better now.
Thanks for taking the time to make this website and for all your info. I am always looking for eco-friendly products for my daughter. I have tried a few of the products mentioned above. The Born Free BPA free pacifiers are really cute and I like that the handle does not move but they seem to have a little hole in them where water and soap get in when I wash them and its hard to get it all out. Also, they make a little wheezing noise when my daughter sucks on them and its distracting to her. Also, I have the Sassy Buzz n Bites Butterfly teether. It stopped buzzing after 2 washes and although she still uses it and loves it, it was rather disappointing that it stopped buzzing.
I am looking forward to trying the Natursutten Pacifiers but just wanted to pass along this info since it seems like not many people have tried them.
Hi, I wanted to recommend adding a fabulous local vendor on your list of safe pacifiers and teethers. Amy at http://doobleh-vay.blogspot.com/ makes beautiful wooden teethers and rattles. You may want to take a gander–they are fabulous. She sells them in several shops, on ETSY and generously through my non-profit’s webstore. Please check her out–she’s amazing!
Hi Tiffany, you have a great blog; it is very informative! I have a question though about the Gerber NUK pacifiers. How do you know that they are free of BPA? On Gerber website (http://www.gerber.com/About/Press_Room_Detail.aspx?PressId=
5050364c-cc99-488b-9839-1d8354b50a86) does not say anything about it; they say that by the end of 2008 all their products will be BPA free and they list their current products that are BPA free. I could not find the pacifiers. My hubby got them without much search and now I wonder if it is the right thing to use. Probably I should get different ones just to make sure. It sounds like the first one on your list may be the safest? Thanks a lot!
I was once an avid “fan” of pacifiers when my children were still babies. But I only found out the hazards when they were grown ups already. wheeewww..thanks God.
Hi Tiffany,
Found your blog last night and am lovin’ it! Your info on paci’s is great but I learnt the hard way that the most important thing about paci’s are the way they’re shaped. My daughter was born with weak suck muscles in her cheeks and only the paci’s with nipples which are round like a mother’s nipple stimulate those muscles. The ones with the flat bottoms are no good. I mention this because there’s a research study showing that 20% of babies are being born with this problem and have to be given special exercises once detected. We were advised by the occupational therapist to use only the Soothie or Gum drop paci.
http://www.soothie-pacifier.com/
http://www.gumdroppacifier.com/?gclid=CMOrtfi7nZgCFQKfnAodbSYbmQ
OK, am off to make your veggie pops for my son.
Do you know anyone who puts together BPA & PVC baby gift baskets? Bottle, sippy cup, passy, teether, utinsels, and more? MoonMarie
Thanks Tiffany, always on the lookkout for healthy stuff for my three boys. In my shop I carry these safe, BPA free stainless steel water bottles with non toxic graphics and BPA free tops. Mt two little ones take them to school and nursery school everyday! Very popular
http://www.shopkirdevries.com/earthlust-stainless-steel-bottles.html
Kristen
I love the idea of stainless steel water bottles for babies, but I am still not fond of plastic, even if it is BPA free. I just don’t like plastic. We try to avoid using it at all costs. Thankfully I breastfed my babies so I never dealt with plastic bottles.
Note on the Natursutten Pacifier: The company recommends you replace them with new ones every 4-5 weeks. That’s great, but it can really add up. Love this blog! Thanks!
Thank You for the information. I think this will help my family a lot. I have a grand baby and it is great to get new information, since things have changed since my kids were small.