By: Oscar Lang
Modernization connotes different focuses in different industries. While a modernized computer software update or modernized delivery service is going to revolve around upgrades in efficiency, aesthetics, and customizability, modernizing the pacifier industry must emphasize safety above all. With the long-overdue need for modernization, Lindsay deOliveira, a certified breastfeeding counselor and mother, founded Soothe Beginnings—a business producing and inspecting clean, interchangeable, and safe pacifier nipples.
Pacifiers spend hours in a baby’s mouth daily. Because of this, Soothe Beginnings prioritizes rigorous safety standards in their design to ensure the well-being of infants. In fact, Lindsay was moved to start the business after seeing how untested and unsafe competitor products are. She reached out to BIBS, Avent, and MAM, three industry leaders, to find out how often they test their batches of product. Outside of declining to comment, the best answer she got was a test every 1-2 years.
With new motivation, Soothe Beginnings got off to a quick start. One key feature of Soothe Beginnings pacifier nipples is their construction from food-grade silicone. This silicone is durable, safe, and recyclable, making it an environmentally conscious choice as well as the best choice for your baby. Non-toxic and non-leeching, which indicates a tendency to turn into or release microplastics, it covers the essential needs for a safety product going into your baby’s mouth. The interchangeable base is made from richlite, a food-grade, non-porous, and dishwasher-safe material known for its durability and sustainability. Richlite is made from resin-infused paper, making it both an environmentally friendly option, as it’s a result of effective recycling and an alternative to any wood product that splinters. Richlite is free from hazardous substances and meets some of the world’s most rigorous standards for low VOC emissions.
Soothe Beginnings is designed with safety in mind regarding its structure, as well. Pacifiers that are built with closed-designs cannot be washed and, therefore, are safety hazards for parents seeking to keep mold and bacteria away from their kids. On top of the design, Lindsay made sure that her company beat her competition in testing. Her products are tested by the batch, which means EVERY batch is tested for quality and safety, not just one sample batch to fit bare minimum standards. Your product will be guaranteed plastic-free, latex-free, dishwasher safe, and personalized if you choose (you can engrave your baby’s name on it!).
Other pacifier nipples use latex or “natural rubbers,” which are unsafe on multiple dimensions. Latex contains proteins that can lead to the development of an allergy. Allergens should not be near your baby’s mouth. Additionally, chemicals and microplastics in latex and other “natural” rubbers are toxic to consumers. Between allergy and toxicity symptoms, parents may see swelling, rashes, and coughs, among more severe symptoms. Competitor products are also not safe in the dishwasher and are oftentimes difficult or not designed for cleaning. Even if their products were more tested and safe, they are harder to clean mold and infection-causing bacteria out of. As you clean latex products, they degrade faster, which increases the rate of harmful particles getting leached out of the pacifier.
Soothe Beginnings pacifiers’ bases are designed larger than traditional models to mitigate the risk of choking, another design consideration that underscores their emphasis on safety. RNs, doulas, midwives, and more have already left positive reviews. For instance, Dana Havard, an experienced RN and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), endorses Soothe Beginnings for its thoughtful design that supports both hygiene and breastfeeding. “I have worked in-hospital the majority of my 34 years as an RN, first in Newborn Intensive Care, then Labor & Delivery, and specializing in International Board Certified Lactation Consultant for the last 25 years. I wish these had been available during my work and early motherhood years!”
She proclaims, “As a medical professional, hygiene is a concern, and what’s on the market these days is often unable to be thoroughly cleaned. But parents aren’t taught they need to replace them frequently, so a baby ends up at risk for very contaminated, if not mold-growing, devices placed right in their mouths. Soothe Beginnings solves that. “Jennifer Barnard, a pediatric occupational therapist, also praises the “consideration Soothe Beginnings has put into offering options for new moms as it relates to pacifier use. This will help tremendously with the “hunt” for the perfect pacifier.” According to her, it’s a “blessing to new moms everywhere.”
For the new mothers in America, every safe baby product is a stress reliever for the titanic task of raising a child. Soothe Beginnings brings a product that is made, tested, and shipped in the USA. It’s safer than other pacifiers, eco-friendly, and created with pure intentions rather than profit motive. Check out reviews, customization options, and social media links on their website, and make your motherhood easier.
Published by: Khy Talara
