It isn’t really possible to comparatively test and rank baby teethers because there is no “best for every baby.” Your tot may prefer noshing on a wet or cold washcloth, their silicone spoon, or whatever necklace you’re wearing. You might have a veritable arsenal of safe teething toys, and you likely spend a lot of time making sure that the thing your kid is chewing is safe.
The “teether” that my child, now 6 months old, prefers isn’t meant to address itchy gums at all. I’ve seen her biting down on the yellow stake that holds the rings on her Fisher-Price Rock-A-Stack more often than anything else.
The Smily Mia is better for her to clamp down on because the harder a material is, the more likely it is to be harmful, but getting her to reach for the Smily Mia over this Fisher-Price ring stake has proven difficult.
“We do want to be careful also with how hard things are, though,” said Dr. Denise Powell, a pediatrician. “Just because if they chew too hard on something, you can cause some damage from that as well.”
Powell explained that the flexible silicone material of the Smily Mia is better than whatever plastic toy is in reach for teething children because it is less likely to damage the gums.
The age limit of the Smily Mia can also be a drawback, because a baby uses it for only a couple of months at most. Unlike Sophie the Giraffe, the Smily Mia looks like a teether, which limits its use—my son, for example, played with his Sophie until he was well into his second year of life.
If you really want your Smily teether to have an extended life span, you can purchase the reindeer version with parts that are more textured, which, according to the company, makes it usable for babies up to 1 year old. You can also buy a two-pack with the original penguin and the reindeer together.
Teeth are the beginning of a new dawn for children. They can mean a more painful latch as you breastfeed and the introduction of airplaning solid foods into their curious mouths. The Smily Mia Penguin Buddy Teether Toy can be one of the toys you keep in your parenting toolbox, but it won’t be the only teether you buy.
If I were to have another child, I would get a Smily Mia with the understanding that it would be a temporary tool, not my child’s only teether. In my tests, it worked best in less-extreme teething situations, but it is a safe, cost-effective choice for the time right before a tooth pops out. If you’re using a pacifier or breastfeeding, your child may use it, just not constantly.
I don’t think this penguin can dethrone the ever-popular Sophie the Giraffe, but you can’t fault little Mia for trying.
This article was edited by Hannah Rimm and Catherine Kast.
