Gumdrop Pacifier vs. Avent Soothie: What Is Better?

Even before birth, infants develop a potent sucking reflex. You may have spotted your little one sucking their thumb during ultrasound images! The sucking reflex serves as a vital tool to comfort your baby when they’re irritable or grumpy – this is why it’s common to hear about mothers offering their breast to breastfed babies when they’re at their wits’ end. (I confess, I’ve done this myself!)

Pacifiers help address this need in babies. However, deciding on which pacifier to choose can be confusing – there are so many baby pacifiers out there!

Since there has been a steady rise recently of one piece, 100% silicone pacifiers, we\’ll focus on two of the leading products available. Today we\’re going to compare the Gumdrop Pacifier vs. Avent Soothie to help you pick the best pacifier for your baby.

The First Years Gumdrop Newborn Pacifier

TOMY is a Japanese company that has been a manufacturer of kid\’s toys since 1924. They are known for making innovative and high-quality toys and merchandise for kids. The First Years, a sub-brand of TOMY, is the manufacturer of the Gumdrop pacifier.

The Gumdrop pacifier has a unique contoured shape that allows a baby to use it without hiding their nose. This design makes it such a popular choice among parents. The shape also makes it far more comfortable for babies to hold.

Technical Specifications

• Material Type: Hospital-grade Silicone
• Material Free: Latex and BPA Free
• Item Weight: 0.05 pounds
• Item Dimensions: 0.71 x 5.75 x 3.86 inches
• Color: Blue and Green

Pros 

• A unique contoured shape that does not cover the baby\’s nose while they are sucking on it.
• Single piece design, no complex parts.
• It is made of latex-free silicone material.
• It works with most pacifier attachments.
• It is easy for babies to hold.

Cons

• This pacifier is not dishwasher safe.
• Bigger kids may be able to put these entirely in their mouths with the smaller size of these pacifiers.

Philips Avent Soothie Pacifier

Avent Soothie is a pacifier made by Phillips under their Mother and Child care range. Ever since Avent was founded in 1984, they have been creating products that use nature as an inspiration to offer products for babies that are good for their wellbeing.

The natural design of the Avent Soothie lets you enter your finger inside the nipple to bond with your kids by helping them suck on it. Being dishwasher safe is another reason why this pacifier is a great choice. It also considered an \’orthodontic pacifier\’ – it\’s design is intended to support the natural development of those budding baby teeth.

Technical Specifications

• Material Type: Hospital-grade Silicone
• Material Free: Latex and BPA Free
• Item Weight: 0.06 pounds
• Item Dimensions: 2 x 4 x 3 inches
• Color: Blue

Pros 

• It has an orthodontic design that allows the natural development of baby teeth.
• It has a one-piece design.
• It is made of BPA-free, latex-free, and hospital-grade silicone material.
• It is dishwasher safe.
• You get four pacifiers in a pack, making it economical.

Cons

• This pacifier might be challenging to hold for babies as there are no handles.
• Pet hair sticks easily to the pacifier and would need to be cleaned off prior to use.

Gumdrop Pacifier vs. Avent Soothie: Features and Benefits

Material

Both the Gumdrop Soothie and Avent Pacifier are made using silicone material. While silicone is not natural, it is entirely safe for kids. Silicone pacifiers are easy to clean and sterilize as you can boil them without any worry about them breaking or melting. 

Silicone can endure hot and cool cycles efficiently, making it convenient to sterilize without worrying about damaging the pacifier. Aside from that, silicone is far more durable than other materials used to make pacifiers, making it a better investment.

Both pacifiers don\’t have any latex, making them ideal for babies who are allergic to the material.

The only difference in material is that the Philips Avent pacifier silicone is dishwasher safe, which makes it more convenient to clean. 

Winner: Philips Avent Pacifier

Shape

Both the Gumdrop Pacifier and Avent Soothie feature a one-piece design. Having no detachable parts reduces the risk of the baby choking on it and eliminates the worry of misplacing parts when cleaning.

The Gumdrop Pacifier has a unique design that doesn\’t block the baby\’s nose, which helps your baby to breathe more easily. It is contoured to fit according to the shape of your baby\’s face.

The Avent Pacifier has an orthodontic design that helps avoid dental problems as your baby grows and their gums and teeth develop.

Winner: Gumdrop Pacifier

Comfort

Both the Gumdrop Pacifier and Avent Soothie are lightweight, which makes them comfortable for babies to use. The holes in the pacifiers help improve air circulation so that babies don\’t develop rashes due to sweating. 

The silicone pacifiers are soft and thus very comfortable for babies to suck on. However, they are harder than rubber, so differentiating between nipples and pacifiers is easier for the babies. This is particularly important when a parents are hoping to prevent nipple confusion, a possible issue for a breastfed baby.

The unique curved shape of the Gumdrop Pacifier\’s shield lets the babies hold onto it comfortably, while the round shape of the Avent Soothies might be difficult for babies to hold onto. Both pacifiers have a hole through which your baby can stick their thumb inside of, which could help them self sooth. This will help keep the pacifier in your baby\’s mouth, and hopefully prevent you from having to go and fetch it if it gets dropped!

Winner: Philips Avent Pacifier

Safety

Both the Gumdrop Pacifier and Avent Soothie use hospital-grade, BPA-free, and latex-free material that is entirely safe for your baby. The silicone material is also suitable for sterilizing the pacifier to remove any harmful germs. 

The unique one-piece design of both the Gumdrop Pacifier and Avent Soothie does not have any removable parts, thus reducing the risk of choking in babies. In both pacifiers, the holes in the shield piece allow air to pass through the baby’s windpipe in case of swallowing the pacifier accidentally.

The silicone material makes both of these pacifiers durable and long-lasting. However, being dishwasher safe, Avent Soothie has a more durable material. It reduces the risk of the nipple breaking off the pacifier and becoming a choking hazard.

Winner: Philips Avent Pacifier

Key decision making factors

Use the Gumdrop Pacifier if:

• You want a design that stays clear of the baby\’s nose.
• You would like your baby to hold the pacifier comfortably.
• You wish to use the pacifier with attachments.

Use the Philips Avent Soothie if:

• You do not want to spend extra time cleaning the pacifier and want a dishwasher-safe product.
• You want more value for the price you pay.
• You want an orthodontic design to avoid any dental problem in your child.

In conclusion – both the Gumdrop and the Soothie are some of the best pacifiers out there

The Avent Soothie and TOMY Gumdrop pacifiers are both excellent options – the best silicone pacifier for your baby will likely come down to which one baby likes. Both brands offer orthodontic designs and feature BPA-free silicone materials which make them safe for your child\’s mouth as well as durable enough to last through many washes or drops on hard surfaces. The shape of each pacifier also contributes to its safety features with holes allowing airflow if your baby happens to swallow it accidentally. In terms of comfort, both models have lightweight designs that babies will find easy to suck from without causing irritation or sweating due to heat exposure. If you would like your baby to hold onto the pacifier easily, you might prefer Gumdrop\’s shield design.  However if you are interested in a cheaper option with similar quality and safety, consider buying the Avent Soothie.