5 ON YOUR SIDE: Pacifier safety

5 ON YOUR SIDE: Pacifier safety5 ON YOUR SIDE: Pacifier safety

For many parents, pacifiers are a baby essential, helping their little ones calm down, self-soothe, and sleep better. But have you ever wondered how safe they really are? Consumer Reports tested 20 pacifiers and spoke with safety experts to find out what parents should and shouldn’t buy.

Pacifiers are a staple for new parents – soothing babies through tears, sleep, and even doctor visits. They can also help reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. But how safe are they?

Since 2014, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has received 178 reports involving pacifiers, including one death and cases of choking, biting off pieces, and getting fingers stuck in small holes.

Consumer Reports tested twenty pacifiers for choking hazards, harmful chemicals, and durability. Most performed well, but a few raised red flags for risky attachments or confusing labels.

All pacifiers sold in the U.S. are subject to strict safety regulations, but unsafe pacifiers do make it into the marketplace. But CR found questionable pacifiers online from glittery “blinged out” models with rhinestones on Amazon, which CR believes represent a potential safety risk, to secondhand or even vintage ones on eBay, that don’t meet safety standards.

That’s why it gets tricky when shopping online, especially from third-party sellers. Some of those products may not have gone through proper safety testing. When shopping on sites like Amazon, Walmart, or Temu, that allow third-party sellers, CR recommends sticking to trusted brands and checking that listings confirm safety testing.

CR reached out to Amazon, eBay, and Meta for comments about potentially unsafe pacifiers sold on their sites. Amazon told CR it requires compliance with CPSC standards and monitors policy updates and recalls.

eBay said it removed flagged listings and continues to take down similar items. We also asked Amazon, Temu, Walmart, and Target if they check for Children’s Product Certificates for pacifiers.

Amazon and Temu both told CR they require Children’s Product Certificates; Walmart, Target, and Meta did not respond.

But it’s not just an online issue. CR’s test lead, José Amézquita, found a pacifier at a local store missing the required safety warning. A reminder to be careful wherever you shop for baby products.

So, while pacifiers can be a soothing essential, a little extra care goes a long way. Clean pacifiers often and replace them if they show signs of cracking or discoloration.
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