I want to start by saying I was a dummy sceptic. Before Isla arrived, I had grand plans: no screens before two, no sugar before one, and absolutely no dummies. Then Isla arrived, and those plans lasted approximately eleven days.
By the time she was four months old, a dummy wasn't a parenting choice — it was a survival strategy. But by the time she hit twelve months, I started worrying. She was using it constantly, and I'd read enough to know that the wrong kind of soother, used too long, can affect how little teeth and jaws develop. So I started looking properly. Not just grabbing whatever was on the shelf at the supermarket, but actually researching.
Why I Started Looking for Something Better
Isla's health visitor mentioned orthodontic soothers at her one-year check. She explained that a palate-shaped teat — one that's designed to mirror the natural shape of the mouth during sucking — puts far less pressure on developing teeth and gums than a standard round teat. I hadn't even known that was a thing. I went home and immediately started reading reviews.
Why I Chose the Mamajoo
There are a lot of orthodontic soothers out there. Some are expensive. Some look flimsy. Some come in packs of one with no storage solution, which — if you've ever lost a dummy at 2am — you'll know is a dealbreaker.
The Mamajoo Orthodontic Soothers with Steriliser Box ticked every box. Two soothers in the pack — so there's always a backup. A steriliser box included, which you can use in the microwave. BPA-free and phthalate-free silicone. Tasteless and odourless teat. Large air vents to reduce saliva build-up and protect Isla's sensitive skin around her mouth. And it complies with the TS EN 1400+A2 safety standard, which gave me real peace of mind.
The Powder Pink and Blush colourway was also genuinely lovely — soft, understated, not garish. A small thing, but when you're looking at something fifty times a day, it matters.
The First Week
I'll be honest — Isla wasn't immediately sure. She'd been using a different brand for months and the shape was new to her. For the first two days she kept spitting it out and looking at me like I'd personally offended her. But by day three, something clicked. She accepted it, and by the end of the week she was settling with it at nap time without any fuss.
The steriliser box was a revelation. I'd been using a separate steriliser for her old dummies — a bulky thing that took up half the kitchen counter. The Mamajoo box goes straight in the microwave with a little water. Two minutes. Done. It's also small enough to throw in the changing bag, which means we always have a clean, hygienic soother wherever we are.
Two Months On
Isla is now fourteen months old and the Mamajoo is firmly part of our routine. She uses it at nap time and bedtime, and occasionally when she's teething and needs comfort. Her dentist commented at her last check that her bite looks great — I can't attribute that entirely to the soother, but I'm not not attributing it either.
The silicone has held up beautifully. No discolouration, no warping, no deterioration in the teat shape. I've washed them by hand, run them through the dishwasher, and boiled them — they've come through all of it looking exactly the same. The air vents have genuinely made a difference to the redness Isla used to get around her mouth from saliva. That's almost completely gone.
The Difference It's Made
Sleep. That's the difference. Isla settles faster, stays settled longer, and wakes less frequently in the night. I know correlation isn't causation, but the timing lines up. She's calmer at bedtime, and I think a big part of that is having a soother she's genuinely comfortable with — one that feels right in her mouth rather than something she's tolerating.
Beyond sleep, I feel better about the fact that she's using it. I'm not anxious every time she reaches for it, worrying about what it's doing to her teeth. The orthodontic design means I can let her have that comfort without guilt. That's worth a lot.
Who Is This For?
Any parent of a baby or toddler who uses a soother and wants to feel confident they're making the right choice for their child's oral development. Specifically:
- Parents whose babies are 12 months+ and still using a dummy
- Anyone whose child has sensitive skin around the mouth from saliva
- Parents who want a hygienic, portable sterilisation solution
- Anyone who's been told by a health visitor or dentist to look at orthodontic options
Ready to Try Them?
If you're in the same position I was — knowing you need something better but not sure where to start — I'd genuinely recommend giving the Mamajoo Orthodontic Soothers with Steriliser Box a try. The two-pack means you're never caught without one, and the steriliser box makes hygiene genuinely easy rather than another thing on the to-do list.
You can find them in our Pacifiers & Teethers collection, or browse the wider range in Baby Health and Baby & Toddler. New arrivals are always in our Latest Products collection too.
Sleep well. Both of you.
— Sophie Caldwell, first-time mum, Nottingham
0 commentaire