Bibs Colour Natural Rubber vs. Tommee Tippee Night Time Glow Pacifier

These two pacifiers attract very different buyers. You grab the Bibs Colour because it is gorgeous — sage green, dusty rose, vanilla, all those muted Scandinavian tones that look perfect against a muslin swaddle. You grab the Tommee Tippee Night Time Glow because you are sick of turning on lights to find a pacifier your baby spat out forty minutes ago.

Both are well-made, popular, and safe. But they are built around completely different priorities. Bibs focuses on natural materials and aesthetics. Tommee Tippee focuses on silicone durability and a glow-in-the-dark shield that solves one of the most annoying problems in nighttime parenting.

The right choice depends on what drives you crazier: a pacifier that does not match your vibe, or a pacifier you cannot find in the dark.

For tips on how pacifier use relates to feeding schedules, see our baby feeding chart.

This is the biggest material difference and it affects everything — texture, durability, cleaning, and allergy risk.

Natural rubber latex (Bibs) comes from rubber trees. It is soft, pliable, and warm to the touch. Some babies strongly prefer this texture because it feels more like skin. The downside: it degrades faster, absorbs moisture over time, can develop a sticky surface, and carries a small latex allergy risk.

Silicone (Tommee Tippee) is synthetic. It is firmer, taste-neutral, odorless, and hypoallergenic. It holds up well through weeks of sterilizing, chewing, and general baby abuse. The downside: some babies reject the firmer texture, especially if they have already gotten used to natural rubber.

You genuinely cannot predict which material your baby will accept. Babies are tiny, opinionated creatures. If your budget allows, try one of each and let your baby cast the deciding vote.

Here is the thing about the Tommee Tippee Night Time Glow that you do not fully appreciate until you have lived through a few weeks of nighttime wake-ups: finding the pacifier without turning on a light is a big deal.

Turning on a light — even a dim one — signals to your baby's brain that it might be time to wake up. That can turn a quick pacifier reinsertion into a 45-minute re-settling session. The glow-in-the-dark shield charges under any light source (lamp, sunlight, nightlight) and emits a soft glow for about 30 minutes. That is usually more than enough time to spot it in the crib or on the floor.

The Bibs Colour has no glow feature. In the dark, it is invisible. You will be patting around the mattress like you are searching for your phone between couch cushions. If nighttime pacifier retrieval is a regular part of your routine, the Tommee Tippee solves a real problem.

That said, if your baby mostly uses a pacifier during the day — for naps, fussy stretches, or car rides — the glow feature does not matter much, and the Bibs Colour's other strengths come into play.

The Bibs Colour uses a round cherry-shaped nipple — symmetrical, slightly bulbous at the tip. This is the traditional pacifier shape used across Europe for decades. It sits the same way in your baby's mouth no matter which direction it goes in, which is convenient.

The Tommee Tippee Night Time uses an orthodontic nipple — flattened on one side, curved on the other. This asymmetrical shape is designed to sit against the palate and support natural oral development. It needs to go in the right way up, which can be slightly fiddly in the dark (though the glow feature helps).

Research on whether orthodontic pacifiers are genuinely better for dental development is mixed. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry notes that prolonged pacifier use can affect bite alignment regardless of nipple shape, and that stopping by age 2–3 matters more than which shape you use. Still, if your dentist has specifically recommended an orthodontic style, the Tommee Tippee fits that bill.

Most babies do not care about the research. They care about what feels right in their mouth. Some love the round Bibs nipple, others prefer the flatter Tommee Tippee profile. Trial and error is the only reliable method here.

Bibs Colour: Wash with warm soapy water before first use. You can sterilize by boiling for 5 minutes, but do it sparingly — frequent boiling accelerates natural rubber breakdown. For daily cleaning, warm water and mild soap work fine. Inspect the nipple regularly for swelling, stickiness, or discoloration. Replace every 3–4 weeks.

Tommee Tippee Night Time: Sterilize before first use by boiling, steam sterilizing, or using a cold-water sterilizer. Silicone handles aggressive cleaning much better than natural rubber. You can boil, microwave-steam, or dishwasher (top rack) without worrying about material degradation. Replace every 4–8 weeks depending on wear.

One practical note: the Tommee Tippee's orthodontic nipple is slightly harder to clean inside because of its flattened shape. Make sure water flows through it during sterilization. The Bibs round nipple is easier to clean but more fragile. Neither is difficult — just different.

The Tommee Tippee Night Time Glow costs less per pacifier and lasts longer before needing replacement. Over six months of use, the math favors it.

A rough estimate rotating two pacifiers at a time: you might spend $21–$30 on Tommee Tippees over six months versus $48–$78 on Bibs over the same period. The gap is mostly driven by the Bibs' faster replacement cycle — natural rubber just does not hold up as long as silicone.

Ways to stretch your Bibs budget if you are committed to the brand:

• Buy 4-packs for a better per-unit price
• Limit boiling — warm soapy water is fine for daily cleaning once your baby is past the newborn stage
• Rotate three or four pacifiers so each one gets less wear

If cost is a real factor, the Tommee Tippee is the smarter buy. If you love the Bibs look and your baby loves the natural rubber feel, the premium is not going to break the bank in absolute terms.

The Bibs Colour Pacifier (~$5/pacifier in a 2-pack) is the pick if you want a soft natural rubber nipple and a gorgeous color range. The oversized shield is a smart design feature, and the cherry-shaped nipple has devoted fans. Just budget for more frequent replacements.

The Tommee Tippee Night Time Glow (~$4/pacifier in a 2-pack) is the pick if nighttime pacifier hunts are ruining your sleep. The glow-in-the-dark shield is not a gimmick — it solves a real problem. The orthodontic silicone nipple is durable and easy to clean.

Our honest take: if nighttime soothing is your main pacifier use case, the Tommee Tippee Night Time Glow is hard to beat. If daytime use and aesthetics are your priority, the Bibs Colour is the more satisfying choice. And if your baby has strong opinions (they will), none of this matters — buy whichever one they actually keep in their mouth.

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The Bibs Colour and Tommee Tippee Night Time Glow are both solid pacifiers that solve different problems:

Bibs Colour wins on material softness, color selection, and overall aesthetic. It is the pacifier you want in photos and the one babies with a latex preference tend to love. The natural rubber nipple is genuinely softer than silicone, and the oversized shield is a smart functional detail wrapped in beautiful design.

Tommee Tippee Night Time Glow wins on nighttime practicality, durability, cost efficiency, and allergy safety. The glow-in-the-dark shield is the standout feature — it turns a frustrating nightly scavenger hunt into a quick grab-and-go. The orthodontic silicone nipple lasts longer and costs less to maintain over time.

For families dealing with frequent night wake-ups, the Tommee Tippee is the more practical choice. For families who use pacifiers mainly during the day and want something beautiful, the Bibs Colour delivers. Either way, your baby gets the final say — and they do not care about any of this analysis.

If you are tracking feeding, soothing, and sleep patterns — which is genuinely helpful during these early months — tinylog makes it easy to log everything in one place and spot trends over time.

• Baby Feeding Chart — How much your baby should eat by age
• Newborn Feeding Schedule — What to expect in the first weeks
• Baby Witching Hour — Why evenings are rough and what helps
• Baby Fighting Sleep — Strategies for babies who resist bedtime

• BIBSworld.com. "BIBS Colour — Product Information." 2026.
• TommeeTippee.com. "Night Time Glow Pacifier — Product Information." 2026.
• American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. "Policy on Pacifiers." aapd.org, 2024.
• American Academy of Pediatrics. "Pacifiers: Satisfying Your Baby's Needs." healthychildren.org, 2025.
• Sexton S, Natale R. "Risks and Benefits of Pacifiers." American Family Physician. 2009;79(8):681-685.
• FDA.gov. "Latex in Medical Devices — Information for Consumers." US Food and Drug Administration, 2024.
• Zafar S, Harnekar SY, Siddiqi A. "Early Childhood Oral Health: Pacifier Use and Its Effects on Developing Dentition." Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry. 2009;34(1):59-64.

This guide is for informational purposes only. Pacifier choice is a personal preference based on your baby's individual needs. If your baby develops a rash, swelling, or other reaction to any pacifier, discontinue use and consult your pediatrician.