Labeling your little one’s items for daycare can generally be a very frustrating experience
and I’m sure the majority of moms will agree with me on this one.
So, the time has come for you to play catch-up with your career, and you enroll your little one
in a daycare center or nursery school. You could also be a stay at home mom but want your bundle of joy to explore the world and make new friends.
After all, you’re not raising a hermit, we are sociable by nature, and we all have to find our mark in life, so the sooner we begin, the easier our journey will be. These thoughts resonate with most moms who take their little ones off to a small school for the first time.
You are now faced with labeling everything you send to daycare with your little one, and
this task will be ongoing for a few years to come. So, it’s best to prepare the best you can or be faced with frequent trips to the lost-and-found box.
Let’s swap pacifiers!
The item that seems to get swapped around the most is the pacifier. Yes, the germ-ridden pacifier! What can you do to clearly label your baby’s pacifier, so only your baby uses it at school? Is it even possible?
Clothing and larger items are fairly easy to mark using labels or permanent markers, but
pacifiers are in a league of their own. They are either too small to attach labels to them, or
nothing seems to stick to the material the pacifier is made of.
The pacifier labeling problem gets more complicated with some daycare center rules that
don’t allow pacifier clips, including the ribbon that links the pacifier and the clip. It’s a
valid rule because pacifier clips could pose a choking hazard, and the ribbon can get wrapped
around the baby’s neck. It’s best to double-check the rules to make sure.
Considering all the hype of what happens at daycares and how pacifiers tend to shift
around between the scrambling needs of the little ones, I feel that pacifier identification is
an important topic to discuss.
So, here are a few ways to mark or label your baby’s pacifiers that many moms have tried and tested with their little ones.
Monogrammed Pacifier Labels
This is a smart way to label small items like pacifiers that get handled a lot. But there is a
catch; these labels can only be used on pacifiers designed with an area in the front of the
pacifier big enough for the monogram.
Pacifiers that have this feature include Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature, Avent Freeflow,
MAM and Philip.
You can really get creative with monograms. Select a font and color that you feel matches
up nicely with your little one. You could also create an avatar with your baby’s initials framing it.
Using a very short nickname will also work if you want your child to be called by their nickname. If not, opt for using their initials.
Engraving
You could find a business in your area that does engraving and have your baby’s name
engraved into the pacifier.
The name will definitely be visible, and the beauty about engraving is that you stray away from the limitations of monograms and can use your baby’s full name.
Plus, engraving is not limited to specific types of pacifiers either. As long as there is an area big enough to mark the pacifier, you can have it engraved.
It’s wise to have about three pacifiers engraved at the same time to get a better price for the work and to make sure you have spares for the times when your little one screams for the pacifier, and you can’t find it.
Pacifier Clips
If your daycare doesn’t allow pacifier clips, then you’re missing out on a hassle-free way to
mark your baby’s pacifier and keep it attached to them.
Some mothers do not like the idea of using clips because they limit the use of pacifiers to specific times, like nap times. You can still use a clip but give the caregivers stern instructions to only use the pacifier at nap times or at times you decide upon.
Pacifier clips are easy to mark because they don’t get handled too much. You can use
monogram labels on them, or you can engrave them in the same style as the pacifier.
All you have to do is make sure that the ribbon between the clip and pacifier is securely
fastened so the clip will not come loose.
A small clip on the ground is a big risk for little ones who put everything into their mouths. The clips are generally well secured, and I have not heard of one coming loose from the ribbon. Still, with babies, caution is always best.
Pacifier Overlay
An overlay for a pacifier is very similar to covering a schoolbook with brown paper, sticking a
the label on the front with name, class, and subject, then covering the book with clear plastic for
protection.
A pacifier overlay is used over small labels on the pacifier to extend the label’s lifespan through all the use and constant washing.
Overlays for pacifiers are easy to apply. Cut out a piece of the overlay to cover your
monogram or child’s name with a bit extra around the sides and attach it to the pacifier or
clip.
One important thing to always check when using an overlay is to make sure the overlay is not
turning up on edges and coming loose. When your child finds a loose end, they will
begin pulling on it until they can peel it off. Once they have it off, guess where they will put
it? Into the mouth, it goes! This can be very dangerous as it is a choking hazard.
Like everything, fair wear and tear will result in corners lifting, so examine your child’s
pacifier daily and replace a worn overlay, perhaps with a new monogram design just for
kicks.
Permanent markers (Sharpie)
You would think that writing your child’s name on their pacifier with a permanent marker
should do the trick, but unfortunately, the “permanent ink” rubs straight off. It does tend to
leave a faded image of the writing, though.
On material, permanent markers or sharpies work great but not so for some types of plastic
or silicone-based products. If you use a pacifier clip, and the ribbon is not braided, you
can write your little one’s name on the ribbon.
Permanent markers on bottles also rub off through use. In fact, permanent markers on any
type of plastic tend to rub off, so unless you want to mark your child’s pacifier every day, it’s
best to consider other options to mark your child’s pacifier.
Permanent marker is fine when marking clothing on the inside labels because they are out
of the way, but when a permanent marker is used on visible places, it looks tatty, and moms
want everything about their little ones to look good, right?
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to label my baby’s pacifier with their name? Can’t I just do something unique with it so the day-care will know who it belongs to?
That depends on your daycare rules. If they don’t have too many little ones in a class, then I’m sure they will allow you to use a unique way to identify your baby’s pacifier. You could tie a small or short piece of ribbon onto the pacifier and have a specific color for your baby.
What is the best way to keep pacifiers clean?
Use a bottle brush with warm running water to clean all the hard-to-reach places. You can also place it in your microwave-safe bottle sterilizing container every now and then if you feel that the pacifier needs to be sterilized.
Soap and water can be used for a deep clean, but you must make sure that it is properly rinsed off and that there is no soap residue on the pacifier.
Some moms will clean a pacifier by popping it into their own mouth. It may sound yucky, but it does the job; besides, with all the sloppy kisses and close contact, you share germs with your little one. Remember, germs are necessary to build the immune system.
When should I replace a pacifier?
Inspect your baby’s pacifier regularly. It’s best to do this with every clean. Signs of wear and tear will let you know that it’s time to replace the pacifier.
If you notice cracks in the teat or if a piece has been bitten off, then it must be discarded immediately and replaced with a new one.
When your baby begins cutting teeth, you have to inspect the pacifier as often as possible because babies chew on pacifiers to reduce gum irritation. This puts the pacifier into a new job description that it is not intended for. Teething is the right time to think about slowly weaning your little one off the pacifier as it interferes with normal tooth growth, especially the front teeth.
Can I put labeled bottles and pacifiers in the dishwasher?
Waterproof baby labels normally come with washing instructions, and most will warn against washing where bleach is part of the process. Dishwasher cleaning solutions contain bleach and will cause fading of the labels. If you do use the washer, place your baby products on the top rack. Some labels are washer friendly.
Can I dip my baby’s pacifier in gripe water?
The simply answer is yes but only when necessary.
Gripe water helps with gas and hiccups, and the taste serves as a pacifier on its own. Because it is not medicated, the few drops on the pacifier will have no negative effects on your baby.
The pacifier plus gripe water encourages sucking, which helps regulate your baby’s breathing, so it’s a win-win situation. Remember, only do this when necessary.
Conclusion
Crawling babies and walking toddlers know no boundaries and fear no germs. They will
snatch a pacifier out of one of the other kid’s mouth and calmly pop it into their own, or the
will drop it on the ground and forget about it for a while.
It’s impossible to create pacifier rules for these little ones but rest assured, germs are good for your little one. They help build a strong immune system.
Every pacifier identification method has its ups and downs, and each mom will view the
different labeling methods according to their own taste and ideas.
Some labeling methods are time-consuming, while others may be expensive, and some may not work on the type of pacifier your baby prefers. The important issue is to be able to identify your baby’s pacifier among other children’s, so hopefully, your baby will be the only one who uses it when need be.
We have to resign ourselves to the facts of a daycare. What we think is ghastly, actually
helps our little ones build stronger immune systems, and they are in a perfect environment
to develop their social skills as well.
Labeling their belongings is necessary, and it helps the teachers or caregivers identify what goes with your child.
Labeling is really endless. You will have to label their clothes, accessories, shoes, and medicine, and make sure the instructions are clear and legible.
Pacifiers are a short-lived trend in your child’s life, but that doesn’t mean that you should label them quickly and easily. Get creative and enjoy the exercise of creating something nice for your bundle of joy.
You can always stash one pacifier away for keep’s sake and present it to your 21-year-old, attached to the key to their freedom.
