MAM Original Day & Night vs. Itzy Ritzy Natural Rubber Newborn Pacifier

The MAM Original Day & Night and the Itzy Ritzy Natural Rubber Pacifier share exactly one thing in common: they go in your baby's mouth. Beyond that, they are about as different as two pacifiers can be.

MAM is an Austrian brand that has been collaborating with pediatric dentists and orthodontists since the 1970s. Their Original Day & Night pacifier is made from SkinSoft silicone with a symmetrical orthodontic nipple, and it has a glow-in-the-dark button that charges under any light source. That last feature sounds gimmicky until you are crawling around a dark nursery at 2 AM feeling under the crib for a lost pacifier.

Itzy Ritzy took the opposite path. Their pacifier is 100% natural rubber latex — plant-derived, soft, and flexible with a cherry-shaped nipple that mimics the breast. It appeals to parents who want minimal processing and natural materials.

We compared every detail that actually affects your daily life — materials, shape, cleaning, nighttime use, durability, and cost — so you can pick the right one without buying six different pacifiers first.

This is the biggest difference between these two, and it shapes everything else.

MAM's SkinSoft silicone is their proprietary take on medical-grade silicone. It is designed to feel softer than standard silicone while keeping all the benefits — hypoallergenic, odorless, tasteless, and highly resistant to bacteria buildup. It can handle boiling, microwaving, and dishwashers without breaking down.

Itzy Ritzy's natural rubber comes from rubber trees. It is inherently softer and more flexible than any silicone, with a texture that is closer to human skin. Parents who prioritize plant-based, minimally processed materials tend to gravitate toward it. The downside is that rubber degrades faster, can get sticky over time, and carries a very small risk of latex sensitivity.

For the vast majority of babies, both materials are perfectly safe. The real question is whether your family has latex concerns and how much you value cleaning convenience versus material naturalness.

One thing worth knowing: natural rubber has a faint scent that some babies notice, especially on first use. Silicone is completely neutral. Picky babies sometimes reject rubber for this reason alone.

Look, a glowing pacifier button sounds like a marketing stunt. It is not. It is one of the most genuinely useful features on any pacifier.

Here is the scenario: your baby wakes up crying at 3 AM. The pacifier has fallen out and rolled somewhere in the crib or onto the floor. You do not want to turn on a light because that will wake the baby up fully and now you are looking at a 45-minute resettle instead of a 30-second pop-the-pacifier-back-in situation.

The MAM Day & Night's button glows softly after being exposed to any light source. You can spot it in the dark, grab it, and get it back in your baby's mouth without anyone fully waking up. Parents who use it tend to become very attached to this feature very quickly.

The Itzy Ritzy does not have anything like this. If nighttime pacifier retrieval is a regular event in your house — and for most families with pacifier-loving babies, it absolutely is — the MAM has a real practical advantage here.

Both pacifiers can be boiled. But MAM includes something extra that saves real time: a built-in microwave sterilization case. You put the pacifier in the case, add a little water, microwave for three minutes, and it is sterile. No boiling pots. No waiting for water to cool.

This matters more than you think. In the first few months, you are sterilizing pacifiers constantly — after they hit the floor, after the dog licks them, before bedtime, after the baby spits one across the room. Having a dedicated case that microwaves in three minutes is noticeably faster than filling and boiling a pot every time.

The Itzy Ritzy should be hand-washed with warm water and mild soap before each use. It can be boiled for sterilization, but it is not dishwasher-safe and should not go in a microwave sterilizer. Natural rubber is more porous than silicone, so it needs replacing sooner to avoid bacteria buildup in micro-crevices.

If low-effort cleaning is high on your list — and with a newborn, it probably should be — the MAM setup is hard to beat.

MAM developed their nipple shape with pediatric dentists and orthodontists. The result is a symmetrical, slightly flattened orthodontic nipple that is designed to support natural jaw and palate development. It sits in the mouth the same way regardless of orientation, so you never have to worry about putting it in upside down.

The Itzy Ritzy uses a cherry-shaped nipple — round and symmetrical from every angle. It is designed to feel like the breast, which can help with the transition between nursing and pacifier. Some breastfed babies accept this shape more readily because it does not require a different sucking motion.

For newborns, the clinical difference between these shapes is small. Prolonged pacifier use beyond age 2 matters far more for dental development than which nipple shape you chose in month one. Pick the shape your baby actually accepts — that is the one that matters.

The MAM Original Day & Night runs about $3.50–$5 per pacifier in a standard 2-pack. The Itzy Ritzy costs roughly $5–$7 per pacifier. That gap grows over time because natural rubber needs replacing more often.

Over six months of regular use, you might spend $40–$55 on MAM pacifiers versus $60–$85 on Itzy Ritzy replacements. Not a huge difference in the big picture of baby spending, but it adds up — especially since pacifiers have an incredible talent for disappearing.

Some ways to keep costs down:

• Buy 3-packs or value bundles. The per-unit cost drops meaningfully.
• Use Subscribe & Save on Amazon. Knocks 5–15% off recurring orders.
• Watch for sales. Both brands discount during Prime Day, Black Friday, and registry completion events.
• Stash spares everywhere. Crib, car seat, diaper bag, grandma's house. The pacifier you need is always the one you do not have.

The MAM Original Day & Night (~$4/pacifier in a multi-pack) gives you orthodontic design, a self-sterilizing case, dishwasher-safe silicone, and that glow-in-the-dark button that you will not appreciate until you desperately need it. Grab a 3-pack minimum.

If natural rubber is your priority, the Itzy Ritzy Pacifier (~$6/pacifier) is a well-crafted option with a breast-like nipple shape, beautiful earth-tone colors, and the softest feel of almost any pacifier on the market. Just know you will be replacing them a bit more often.

Buy at least two of whichever you choose. Pacifiers have a way of vanishing exactly when you need them.

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The MAM Original Day & Night and the Itzy Ritzy Natural Rubber Pacifier are both well-designed, but they solve different problems.

The MAM wins on nighttime convenience (glow-in-the-dark), cleaning ease (built-in sterilization case, dishwasher-safe), orthodontic design, durability, hypoallergenic safety, and price. It is the practical, feature-rich pick.

The Itzy Ritzy wins on material naturalness, nipple softness, breast-like shape for breastfed babies, and aesthetic appeal. It is the thoughtful, plant-based pick.

The reality is that your baby will make the final call. Some babies latch onto the first pacifier they try. Others reject five before accepting one. If you can swing it, buy one of each and let your baby decide. The winner is whichever one stays in their mouth.

If you are logging feeds and soothing patterns — which is incredibly helpful in the hazy early weeks — tinylog lets you track pacifier use alongside nursing, bottles, and sleep so you can see what actually settles your baby down.

• MAM Baby. "MAM Original Day & Night Pacifier — Product Information." mambaby.com, 2026.
• ItzyRitzy.com. "Natural Rubber Pacifiers — Product Information." 2026.
• American Academy of Pediatrics. "Pacifiers: Satisfying Your Baby's Needs." healthychildren.org, 2025.
• Pediatric Dentistry Journal. "Orthodontic Pacifier Design and Palate Development in Infancy." 2024.
• Consumer Reports. "Best Pacifiers for Babies." consumerreports.org, 2026.
• La Leche League International. "Pacifiers and Breastfeeding." llli.org, 2025.

This guide is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Pacifier preference varies by baby. If your baby develops mouth irritation, rash, or refuses to feed after pacifier introduction, consult your pediatrician.