Our favorite feeding and myofunctional tools

A soft, one-piece pacifier made of thin, flexible medical-grade silicone, with a breast-like shape that invites a wide, open-mouth latch instead of a tight, pursed grip. We use it for non-nutritive suck practice, before and after a tongue tie release, and for calming.

The research: In preterm babies, non-nutritive sucking shortened the move to full oral feeding by about 5 days and hospital stays by about 4.5 days (Foster et al., Cochrane review, 2016). A systematic review found thin-neck pacifiers were linked to much less open bite than conventional pacifiers (Schmid et al., 2018).

Good to know: If you are breastfeeding, the AAP suggests waiting until breastfeeding is well established before offering a pacifier. Never attach a pacifier to a cord or clip during sleep.

Truly slow-flow nipples for babies who need extra time to coordinate sucking, swallowing and breathing: preemies, NICU graduates, babies with heart or breathing conditions, and babies who cough, gulp, sputter or tire on faster flows. They fit Dr. Brown's narrow bottles.

The research: Nipple labels don't reliably predict flow, so we choose nipples by measured flow rate. In lab testing, the Ultra-Preemie averaged about 4.9 mL per minute and the Preemie about 7.2 mL per minute, among the slowest and most consistent nipples tested (Pados et al., 2016 and 2019). The researchers suggest starting fragile babies on a nipple under 10 mL per minute and advancing as they're ready.

A one-piece, medical-grade silicone pacifier with a gradually curved nipple shaped to resemble the breast or a bottle nipple. Its one-piece design has no seams or crevices, and families like how easy it is to clean.

Good to know: We use it as an alternative for babies who don't take to other shapes. No product-specific research is available, so we choose pacifiers based on how each baby latches and sucks.

A Dr. Brown's bottle with an Infant-Paced Feeding Valve that sits inside the nipple. Milk flows when the baby compresses the nipple and stops when they pause, so the baby sets the pace. It's designed for cleft lip and palate, tongue and lip ties, weak or disorganized suck, heart conditions and craniofacial differences.

The evidence: For babies with clefts, a Cochrane review found that bottles that help deliver milk are easier to use than standard rigid bottles (Bessell et al., 2022). Research on this specific valve is limited, so we pair it with paced feeding and a therapist's guidance.

Often called the Haberman Feeder. A one-way valve and a slit nipple let milk flow with compression alone, and the caregiver can choose one of three flow levels. It's made for babies who can't create a seal or suction, such as babies with a cleft palate, some syndromes or neurological conditions.

The research: For babies with clefts, assisted-delivery bottles are easier to use than rigid bottles (Bessell et al., Cochrane review, 2022). Your cleft team or feeding therapist should help set the flow.

Small cups made of sterling silver that are worn over sore or cracked nipples between feeds. They protect tender skin from rubbing on clothing while a latch is being worked on, including before and after a tongue tie release.

The research: A small randomized trial of a silver nipple cap (a different brand) found that nipple fissures healed faster than with standard care (Marrazzu et al., Breastfeeding Medicine, 2015). No research is available on Silverette itself.

Good to know: Nipple pain is a sign to look at the latch. Work with an IBCLC and your feeding therapist on the cause.

A 2 oz silicone open cup with a weighted base, sized for small hands and small sips. Practicing with an open cup builds lip closure, a stable jaw and a controlled swallow, and it's the cup we start with in therapy.

The guidance: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends offering a cup when solids start, around 6 months, finishing the move off the bottle between 12 and 18 months, and drinking from an open cup by about age 2.

A squeezable bear cup with a straw. The adult gently squeezes to bring liquid to the tip of the straw, so the child learns to close their lips around it and draw the liquid in. Then we fade the squeeze until the child is sipping on their own.

The evidence: There's little formal research on straw-training tools. We use it because it gives a reliable flow that we can reduce step by step as skills grow.

A soft silicone cup with a short straw and a lid. The short, soft straw is easy for small mouths to close around, so it's one of the cups we use for straw training: building lip rounding and a closed-lip seal while drinking. Without the lid, the same cup works for open cup practice.

Good to know: We often pair it with the Honey Bear: the Honey Bear teaches the child to draw liquid up the straw, then the Mini Cup moves them to sipping on their own.

Latex-free tubes that give a non-food surface for practicing biting and chewing on the molars, building jaw strength and control, and meeting chewing needs that might otherwise go to sleeves or toys. They come in different sizes to match the child’s mouth and jaw.

The evidence: Chewing tools haven't been studied in controlled trials. We use them because side chewing is the skill solid foods require, and a non-food tool lets children practice the movement before we add food. Always supervise.

Vibrating oral motor tools (the Shark and the Turtle) that give graded sensory input to the cheeks, lips and jaw. We use them to wake up low-tone muscles, calm oral sensitivity and build awareness before feeding and speech practice.

The evidence: Vibration is a common clinical tool, but research on it for feeding is limited, so we use it as one part of a plan rather than a stand-alone treatment. External use only. Don't use with children whose seizures can be triggered by vibration.

A vibrating handle with interchangeable tips that we use to wake up the lips, cheeks, tongue and jaw, give tactile cues during exercises, and introduce new textures and spoons. ARK's Grabber and Bite-n-Chew tips give a safe surface for practicing biting, chewing and jaw stability.

Good to know: Use with direct adult supervision, and follow the program your therapist sets up. Start with thin, smooth tips before thick or textured ones.

A custom-fit device that sits over the upper teeth with a raised spot and tactile cues that remind the tongue where to rest. It is made from an at-home impression or a dental scan and comes with exercise videos.

Good to know: We use it as a reminder between sessions, not a stand-alone treatment. It is not worn while eating or with braces. No product-specific research is available yet.

A small chewing device made of flexible, medical-grade silicone, with a handle for gripping and soft silicone prongs. Children chew it for a few minutes a day as a structured chewing practice that works the jaw, lips and cheeks and encourages closing the lips while chewing.

Good to know: Research on the Myo Munchee is still early, and a clinical trial comparing it with oral motor therapy is underway. We use it as one part of a therapist-guided home program, always with adult supervision. Ask your therapist which size fits your child.

A handheld trainer with adjustable resistance for breathing in and out. Speech therapists use it to build breath support for voice, swallowing, cough strength and endurance, with a structured home practice plan.

Good to know: Published research on The Breather is limited and in adults, so we use it selectively, only with a therapist's guidance.