Pacifiers have come to the rescue on a regular basis at my house for nearly four consecutive years! Between my two children, both have been severe binky lovers – whether I liked it or not! I’ve been fascinated by the large variety of binkies (and their accessories) on the market, but even more than that is my fascination with children’s preferences and what that may mean in the long run. You may have previously read Alyssa’s post about pacifier materials. This post is a continuation of pacifier information, focusing on binky shapes and binky clips!
Pacifier Shapes
Rounded
These nipples have a straight body and they come to an end in a perfectly rounded tip, or sometime a larger ball at the tip, called a cherry. Rounded tips, like the Avent Soothie’s given at most hospitals, are ideal for the newest of babies. The main reason for this is that the smaller size of the nipple fits better inside of an infant’s mouth.
RaZbaby 2-Pack Jollypop Pacifier - Teal
Orthodontic
Orthodontic nipples have an ending with a rounded top and a flat bottom. It is created like this to best support the natural development and growth in the mouth without getting in the way too much. These are recommended for older babies, particularly if they already have teeth! 
Natursutten Orthodontic Pacifier - Butterfly
My son took to the 9 month+ orthodontic binkies by about three months, despite them being a little big for his mouth at the time! At 18 months old, I limited his binky to his crib or the car, at age 2 it was only allowed in his bed, and it went away all together shortly after his 3rd birthday. It was much longer than I originally planned, but oh well. I did not notice any problems or alterations to his teeth or mouth, and I blame this solely on the fact that he was a fan of the orthodontic binkies.
My daughter, on the other hand, has never wanted anything to do with orthodontic binkies, which is a shame because I’m pretty confident that the only reason she has binky-induced issues with her mouth is because of her preference of the smaller, rounded binkies like her WubbaNub. She currently has the beginning of an anterior open bite, meaning her top two front teeth don’t touch her bottom two teeth. I’m really hoping that a switch to an orthodontic pacifier will help out with this, as I’m not quite ready to give up the binky for the sake of my own sanity! I’ve been told I’m over-thinking this, and obviously these are just my own experiences with two different types of binkies, but perhaps I’m not alone in recognizing the differences of nipples due to personal experience?
Pacifier Clips
When it comes to binky styles, there aren’t only different nipple sizes and shapes, or different shields, but also a fun functional AND cosmetic factor to play around with! Binky clips are so dang convenient! I’m still sad about leaving my favorite binky clip on The Jungle Cruise ride at Disneyland a few months back, but luckily my girl is old enough now that she can pick up her own binky and reach around to find it when it falls. My favorite place to clip these guys is on a car seat strap or on my babies’ clothing. New styles are coming out all the time, including a new idea: the Little BaeBae Retractable Binky Clip. This automatically retracts when a baby spits out their binky, which keeps the cord short and it always lands in the same place – right next to the clip! This is especially great for crawlers and inside the crib where the long clips become a safety hazard. Binky clips are super cute while serving an important function!