Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Pacifier

The Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Pacifier has a nipple shape that is more like a bottle nipple—they aren't flattened like many other orthodontic pacifiers. It's also reversible in the sense that it's symmetrical, so there's no real top or bottom (assuming you aren't bothered by the teddy bear or smiley face being upside down), and that increases the chances that your baby can replace it herself if it falls out. It also has a smaller handle that sits snugly against the front of the pacifier, so if your baby tends to knock his pacifier out a lot, this could help minimize that.

The Closer to Nature pacifier comes in four variations, and we tested the "Fun" style with the Airflow shield, which is designed to allow air to move between baby's skin and the shield to reduce skin irritation. The majority of our hands-on parent testers felt the pacifier's construction was strong and held its shape well, even when their little ones chewed on it. One tester told us that the cute designs printed on the front of the pacifiers began to wear off after a few weeks of use. Though that wouldn't affect its performance as a pacifier, it may bother some parents.

Our at-home baby testers were split on whether they liked the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Pacifier—some were instant fans, and others accepted it quickly but didn't keep it in their mouths for very long. That's not unusual in our experience, and you'll probably need to try a few different pacifiers before you find something your baby enjoys.

Our parent testers said it was easy to sterilize the Closer to Nature pacifier, and to clean it by hand or in the dishwasher, and we agree. When we let it sit overnight in some soapy water with a bit of spaghetti sauce, we didn't see any staining, and any lingering food smell was gone after we ran it through the dishwasher.

The Closer to Nature pacifier comes in a variety of styles, including one with subtle, modern colours. Two different shield types are available: the Classic and the Airflow. The Airflow has extra ventilation holes to minimize the risk of skin irritation around your baby's mouth. So there's lots of choice for experimentation.

Final word

Our parent testers rated the quality and ease of use of the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Pacifier as good to very good, and they felt it offered above average value. Parents also said the Closer to Nature pacifier was the same or better than other pacifiers they've tried in the past. All in all, we found this pacifier has a solid construction and is available in a variety of styles to keep you and your baby happy, and that's why we've given it the Today's Parent Approved seal.