"On the one hand, whatever is comforting to the baby is a winner, and I like that now you can get the Soothie in a color other than the typical green. However, as far as pacifiers go, the Soothies are my least favorite. First, they are nearly impossible to stay in baby's mouth without assistance. There are a few Soothie holders out there, like the Wubbanub, but who designs a $15-$20 pacifier holder that doesn't detatch from the pacifier? (For washing/replacing purposes...). Second, these seem to be the worst option for long-term use from a dental perspective. The nipple is about as anti-orthodontic as you can get....just take a look at the difference in shape between these and a NUK. From an oral development perspective, a baby may as well suck their thumb....they'll have the same shaped teeth. If my babies are going to use a pacifier, I'd much rather it be an orthodontic design that puts less pressure on the gums/incoming teeth. Third, as other reviewers have noted, the non-nipple part of the pacifier leaves little room for a tiny newborn's nose....not a great design. Fourth, when these pacifiers drop, they bounce and roll to all corner of the earth. Like bouncy balls that pick up dirt and lint and god-knows-what with each bounce. That said, of my 3 kids, both daughters seemed to go through a "Soothie Phase" as newborns. When it comes to soothing a little one, I go with what works. For long term use, however, I was able to re-introduce orthodontic pacifiers to both my girls at about 3 months (the youngest seems to prefer the Avent orthodontic design, my oldest stuck with the NUK). Every baby seems to have it's own preferences, so I've held on to our Soothies for each of our kids, but if I could choose a pacifier to get "hooked on," it would be the NUK. My suggestion is that if you have a baby that already likes an orthodontic design, stick with that!"
Philips Avent Soothie Pacifier, Pink/Purple, 0-3 Months, 2 Count (Compare Deals from $3.99)
"I got one of these at the hospital, and it is the only pacifier my son has ever accepted. Highly recommend you at least try it if you haven't already. It's great, because you can stick your finger in and babies tend to latch onto it better when you do. And they look like a suckerfish, as you can see by looking down the translucent nub. It's entertaining AND useful. And I totally don't laugh at my child. ---------UPDATE 10/18/2013---------- My second son is now four months old and he has never once liked these pacifiers. It is true that all babies are different, and they all have mouths of different shapes and sizes. It always seems like it is awkward for him to latch onto the soothies (I've tried both the 0-3 month and next size up). They work okay if we can hold our finger there, but once we let go he spits it right out. I am leaving my rating at five stars because they were still a lifesaver with my first-born. They are a quality product made out of a sturdy material, and the shape is brilliant (it is never going to get swallowed). I also recommend trying a few types, though. NUK is his favorite. Hope this helps!"
"We had 2 of these given by the hospital, but resisted using them until the end of the second month to avoid possible nipple confusion with breastfeeding. But since then, Soothies have been life savers (wife's and mine)! Most times, our baby daughter would be soothed by swaddling, rocking, shooshing, etc., but sometimes just needs the comfort of sucking on the nipple between feedings. Anywhere from a range of a few seconds to minutes, she drifts off to sleep while sucking slower and slower. I've ordered 4 more to have another ready at all times (1 at my mother's, 1 at MIL's, 1 in diaper bag, 1 upstairs, 1 downstairs, 1 attached to baby). A friend recently lost one while out, and had to buy one at a store and use it without sterilizing (yes, the baby's still alive). However, the pacifier's not a panacea. She doesn't always like it, and even uses her tongue to actively push it out when she doesn't want it, then clamp her lips (very cute!). The pacifier has 2 small holes, of which you can use either to tie a pacifier strap like a BooginHead or Ulubulu. Unless you have ninja reflexes to catch the pacifier when the baby spits or drops it, the clipped straps are essential. A strap is also handy for carrying the pacifier looped around a finger, while carrying the baby. We also tried Nuk, which is supposedly shaped to allow better breathing, but she doesn't like it at all."
"I purchased this about 2 months ago and the moment my son put this pacifier in his mouth he would not accept any other pacifiers after that. However he has now realized that sucking on his fingers is much more comforting that his Soothie pacifier. There are still those times where he'll suck on the pacifier quietly but I think he's moved on from this one. I really liked the simplicity of this pacifier and the smiley face it has(I'm not sure if it was intentional but it's cute). My son did gag on it a couple times when he first started using it(he was 6 weeks old when we first gave him the Soothie) but I think it's a good shaped and sized pacifier for bottle fed babies(I bottle fed breast milk to my son for 6 weeks and then switched him to breastfeed directly). I think the switch to breastfeeding caused him to stop take this pacifier. He will suck on it when he's very hungry but other than that it's a no go for him. Although there are 2 holes to pass through a pacifier holder I wish it was placed on the little handle part. I also wish it came with a cover for it. I liked the pacifier but I'm not sure if all breastfed babies would like this one. I'm glad it wasn't too expensive so it's not a big deal to me that he won't be needing it much longer."
"When my fourth was born and would not take any of the pacifiers I had on hand, I went to the store and bought one of every kind of pacifier I could find. I gave them to her one by one, hoping that she would take ONE of them, leaving Soothie for last, even after the knock-off gum drops or whatever they're called. I don't care for the way they look or the weird nub looking thing on the backside of them, meant for a pacifier clip or something I suppose. As a last resort, I gave her the Soothie brand. She didn't take to it right away, but she didn't immediately spit it out like she had many of the others. Eventually she grew to like it and accept it and for that I am grateful. However it appears to be a magnet for every piece of hair, fur, and lint that comes it's way. I am forever washing the dang thing off, far more often than would be necessary for basic sanitation were it not a fuzz magnet. I have used various other brands and types with my previous children, and none of them had this issue. Of course there was a stray hair here and there that would make it's way, especially if it was freshly spit out and promptly dropped on the floor, but not to the extent that these do. If your child is willing to accept a different brand and there are no concerns with breastfeeding, then try a different brand."
"I was introduced to this model/brand in the hospital where I came home with 2. Every baby is different and mine took this one immediately after the 2nd day she was born (thank goodness). It is extremely durable and easy to clean. I with either place mine in the microwavable sterilizer I used with bottle parts or wash with hot, soapy water & rinse. My baby has rejected a couple other brands (by flat out spitting them out or I take it as "rejection" when they don't "pacify" her and she keeps fussing). This one always works so when I find something that works baby-product-wise I stick with it! Why I ordered more here on Amazon - quite simply - the small size makes them easy to lose and I have a laborador that I have to be quick about grabbing them if I drop them since she has likened them to one of her toys (sheesh!). So there is no fault of this product - I just care to stockpile these. I keep them in the nursery, in my nightstand drawer, in my diaper bag and in the car. They have 2 good-sized holes where I can easily string a paci-clip through, too. I will for sure re-buy and highly recommend to expectant mothers trying read reviews to determine what to get in advance. This would make my top 5 list of must-haves."
"My 6-month-old has been using the Child Med Soothie pacifiers since coming home from the hospital. Only recently I was told that because the base to the Soothie is so flexible children can bend it and fit the whole thing in their mouth. Also teething children or children with teeth can more easily bite through and break the original Soothie up. This version is thicker and harder. I thought my son would like it less for those reasons, but he doesn't seem to notice the difference. And it makes me feel better to leave these in his crib where he uses them unsupervised at night. Even though it does not say so on the product description, these are the same pacifiers made by Child Med Ventures. These are also called "Super Soothies" and it is recommended that you switch from the original "Soothie" to this one at 6 months for safety, even if your child resists at first. The peace of mind is worth it. I am giving the product 4 stars instead of 5 only because I wish the nipple part of the pacifier were still a bit less rigid. But it is a good product and worth the switch."
Philips Avent Soothie Pacifier, Pink/Purple, 0-3 Months, 2 Count (Compare Deals from $3.99)
