The best dummies for breastfed babies and newborns

The MAM Comfort All-Silicone Soothers were developed in collaboration with leading paediatricians, nurses and speech therapists, to make sure they’re helping your baby as much as possible. This dummy is extremely lightweight, and features an extra-small teat which helps to support natural sucking behaviour and promote healthy oral development; one mum tester commented: "Cannot recommend these dummies enough! My baby girl only has a small mouth and found all other sizes and shapes uncomfortable for her. These are absolutely brilliant!"

The dummies are made from a soft material that’s really gentle on baby's skin; they come in a convenient box that can be used for sterilising. They can be sterilised in three minutes in the microwave without the need for a separate steriliser. We find this extremely handy as you can easily sterilise them when you’re at someone else’s house, or if you just want to blast the dummies without doing a big batch of sterilising. 

We tested this dummy as part of the Mother&Baby Awards 2023, when it won Bronze for Best Product For A Newborn - 0-4 Months. Read our full MAM Comfort Soother review

These NUK Medic Pro Star Newborn Soothers are designed for premature and newborn babies aged between 0-2 months; they’ve been developed in partnership with dental health experts, with a soft, flexible teat which reduces the pressure on baby's jaw and teeth, reducing the risk of teeth misalignment. The soft part at the top of the teat is meant to be even more comfortable against baby’s palate than other dummies; one mum tester said: “I bought this dummy for my 4-month-old baby (who is breastfeed) as he won't take any dummy and gags on others. This has a very small teat, very similar to a nipple. He has got on much better with this one, he just needs some practice."

Like most dummies, these come with a carry case that can be used to sterilise them in the microwave.

These Philips AVENT Soothie dummies are ideal for breastfed babies. The orthodontic design supports natural palate development, and they're made from soft hospital-grade silicone. When it comes to cleaning, simply pop them in the dishwasher as they're dishwasher-friendly, or sterilise them as normal. The dummies are made from just one piece of silicone, meaning there’s no risk of parts breaking off. 

They’re designed to be easy to accept for breastfed babies, and one mum said: “These dummies are fantastic! Ideal for breastfed babies as they mould to their mouth just like the nipple. I really love the fact they are made from just one piece of material, so no risk of the teat coming away from the mouth guard. These leave no marks on your baby's face either. My baby loves these dummies over any others, we've tried a couple of brands."

Note that this design is for babies aged over three months; some mums found them to be too hard for newborn babies, so always check the age range before you buy.

These MAM Night soothers glow in the dark, meaning they’re ideal for finding in the middle of the night after the night feed, when you don’t want to turn on the big light to find that missing dummy. If you continue to use them as baby grows, they will eventually be able to find them in the dark themselves too - saving you getting up when it drops out; one mum tester said: “They have even been helpful in getting her used self-soothing to sleep. We also like their design; they look cute and are easy to clean.”

Each soother has a MAM SkinSoft silicone teat, accepted by 94 per cent of babies, and has been designed in collaboration with paediatricians, dentists and orthodontists to make sure your baby’s oral development is looked after. 

These dummies come with a carry box that can be used for sterilising in the microwave, which mums appreciate: “The two dummies came with a sterilising storage box, too, which was a handy extra! Would buy again!"

Read our full MAM Night Soothers 0+ Months review

These Nanobebe Baby Soothers are suitable from birth; they’re made from just one piece of silicone - like the Philips AVENT Soothie dummies above - meaning less risk of parts breaking or snapping off.

The design is clear, which does take some getting used to; some parents love this design, while others aren’t fans. The shape of the dummy means your baby’s nose will be clear while using it; one mum tester said: "We tried so many different pacifiers and finally tried this one. I have never heard of this brand before but it was part of our amazon baby box when we created the registry. I have repurchased these three times now because my daughter ONLY likes these and as everyone knows pacifiers always seem to mysteriously disappear. We will continue repurchasing these. The colours are cute too!"

They are available in a range of colours - all transparent - although some are often out of stock because they’re so popular.

The Chicco Soft Ergonomic Silicone dummy is soft and supple, meaning your baby will be comfortable sucking these even while sleeping.

The orthodontic teat helps to promote proper oral development - it distributes pressure on the palate evenly, and helps baby to position their tongue correctly. Again, like many dummies we’ve tested, they’re made from just one piece of silicone, meaning less chance of pieces breaking off; one mum said: “The most hygienic dummies I've ever seen! As they are made of only one piece, there are no crevices where mould could develop and dirt could get collected. They go well in the steriliser and don't discolour. Also, as they are ergonomic, they are better for the teeth. They were actually recommended by my dentist! Baby loves them! We have six at home!"

The handle on these dummies is easy to hook a finger through - great for grabbing when baby drops them out of the pram; the handle is also easy for baby to hold on to once their dexterity develops.

BIBS dummies are extremely popular worldwide, and the BIBS Boheme GLOW has the same high quality as the original BIBS pacifiers but with an added practical glow-in-the-dark feature. Just like the MAM Night Soothers, this means they’re easy to find in the dark after the night feed, or if they drop out of baby’s mouth while they’re asleep; one mum tester said: "I absolutely love these BIBS dummies. My six-month-old baby cannot get enough of them. He has now learned to use the ring to put the dummy back in himself. Having three boys under four means I have gone through my fair share of dummies. But I have never seen such an effective and bright glow-in-the-dark dummy. This is a savour in the middle of the night when you can barely see through sleep-deprived eyes."

If the glow wears off, you simply have to hold the dummy up to a light, or the sun, for about five or ten seconds to recharge. 

The design of these dummies is cute, in a flower-type shape, and they’re made from natural rubber latex - a change to most dummies, which are made from silicone primarily these days. However, some mums have reported that water can seep into the cracks after being washed or sterilised - one downside to not being made from one piece.

nanobébé's Flexy Soother is a lightweight dummy made from an extra-soft silicone. The ergonomic shape is meant to make it less likely to slip out of baby’s mouth; these dummies are available in two sizes: for younger babies aged 0-3 months, and for 3 months+.

It's BPA-free, making them super safe for babies; one mum tester said: "We tried a few dummies, but luckily we tried these early on due to the fantastic reviews, otherwise, we may have abandoned altogether. A lot of dummies claim to mimic the nipple but obviously don't because they end up making your child gag or they just don't like them, this though my baby loves and is a lifesaver!"

Another glow-in-the-dark dummy that helps parents find them in the middle of the night, these NUK designs also feature cute fox and ladybird characters for even more charm. The teat is designed to mimic the nipple, so they’re brilliant for breastfed babies who need soothing. The design is also meant to help your baby’s oral development with its unique shape; one mum commented: "Who knew babies could be so fussy, my little one refuses all dummy shapes apart from this 'spoon' shape.”

The dummies come with a carry box that can be used to sterilise them in the microwave; our mum tester said: “The plastic box the dummies come in can be used as a microwave steriliser, so don't throw it away. It also keeps dummies clean when popped into a bag.” 

The ergonomic shape is designed to relieve pressure on your baby’s face; one mum tester said: “I like the open space (the dummy is not a solid plastic shape), as this doesn't leave a red mark on my son's mouth/chin when he's been sucking for a few hours. He won't sleep without a dummy these days, but if it keeps the peace, I'm all for it!"

These dummies are available in three sizes; for babies aged 0-6 months, 6-18 months, and 18 months onwards; this is a great benefit to keep the consistency of a dummy your baby has grown used to.

This dummy is made from ultra-light silicone, and is meant to protect your baby’s oral development, keeping the tongue and jaw in the correct position. 

The design won’t appeal to all parents, as it is a different shape to most traditional dummies, but some love the design: one mum tester said: "As weird as these dummies look (and they do look really weird), they are our daughter's favourite. The best thing is, if she rubs her face while asleep, these don't tend to catch and fall out like other dummies, as these stick out less, and there is no ring on them, meaning less waking up in the night than with other dummies. Would recommend it for anyone, especially if your baby wakes after knocking the dummy out while rubbing their face."

We tested these dummies as part of the Mother&Baby Awards 2021, where they were shortlisted as Best Product For A Newborn - 0-4 Months. Read our full Tommee Tippee Ultra-light Silicone Soother review

BIBS dummies have been parents’ favourites for years, and this pack gives you a range of four different styles for your baby to try. This is great if you like a range of options, but might be considered a waste if your baby only likes one of them. 

This pack features two rubber dummies, and two silicone - so it’s worth trying to see which one suits your baby best; there are two round teats, one symmetrical, and one anatomical teat. It’s helpful to buy this kit and get all four to choose from, rather than having to buy a variety of different ones at different times; one mum tester said: “Ordered this set to try out different shapes of soothers as I knew from my first child how difficult it can be to find the right fit for each individual baby. This was great as it comes with different shapes and textures, which can make a huge difference."