Stopping the Pacifier

My pediatrician advised me to slowly cut little nicks in the pacifier, so it won't feel as good when my son sucked it. Eventually, he stopped on his own after about 4 holes were cut into it. He never cried or asked for it, and his sleep was uninterrupted. Hope this helps.

Sweetie, when you are pregnant you do whatever it takes to get sleep! Give it back to her for a few months, when she gets adjusted to being a big sister and everything settles down try again. Believe me I know, my girls are 17 mos apart, my oldest is 21 months and my midwife told me not to make ANY major changes before of right after bringing home a new baby.

HI M., Although none of my 5 children took a pacifier I think something like that is a habit that needs to be broken slowly, not abruptly. Some children need sucking more than others. My oldest son still had a bottle at 4 because he had a younger brother and sister. It was impossible to take it away because he would grab another. I think if you are pregnant you should let your little girl continue and after the baby is born you may be able to get her to undrestand that a pacifier is for a baby. Most of all is the effect on your child, do not worry what the books or the others say. There will be new issues with a new baby. If she holds on to it longer you may be able to have her give it up before pre-k. Trust me they all straighten out as they grow up. Just love your child, Sincerely, Grandma Mary

M., I understand wanting you daughter to be done with the binky before the new baby comes however that is probably her security blanket right now. The one thing that has not changed. Let her keep the binky until after the baby is born and then make she feel like the big important sister by letting her give up the binky and give it to the baby. If you push the issue now you will make her feel like it is the new baby's fault she has to give up the binky and that is not a good way to start off being a big sister. It is only a few more weeks, and you need your sleep. Good Luck!!!

Its much better that you stopped the pacifier BEFORE the new baby comes. She will get used to it and sleep again. If you break down and give the pacifier back to her dont take it away until she is used to the new baby. Its important that she not associate that with the baby.

my oldest had his bo-bo till he was almost 4 then he threw it out himself...when she gets tired of it she will stop on her own.

M.,

Don't feel guilty you did the right thing. My son never took one but my daughter did until a little over 2. I think I was more reluctant to her reaction then she actually reacted. We had a few nights of her asking for it and then she was fine. You did do the right thing before the new baby because if you did it after the baby I am sure she would have taken theirs. At two a pacifier is more of a habit then a necessity so don't be upset she didn't need it. Don't give in no matter how tired you are you will never get it away. Nap when she naps during the day to catch up or when hubby gets home. She will adjust it will take a few days and it will be better for her teeth.
Good luck with the new baby!!

I'm anxious to read the replies to this! My son is 20 months old and I've been trying to figure out a way to take his binky also. He looooooves his binky! We're trying for baby # 2 and I want to make sure he's off all the "baby stuff" before the new one enters the picture!

Good luck!! Keep me posted. :)
Lynsey

My daughter LOVED her binky, so I let her have it for naps & bedtime until almost 3. Then the binky fairy came & took her binky & left a toy. At 3, she was ready & there was NO drama.

What's the hurry? Wait until well after the new baby comes & try again. Why go through this when you don't have to? Your rest is very important right now, do anything you can to get it.

Good luck!

I stopped both of my children at 2. She will get used to it. But, I would not give it back to her no matter how upset she is. At this point, a pacifier can start messing up her teeth. Have you tried replacing the pacifier with a soft doll or animal that she can sleep with. She might just need something to comfort her at night. You might try to reason with her and tell her you will get her something if she will let go of the pacifier. It also might make it easier to switch her to something else if she is the one to pick it out. Make her feel like a big girl and tell her big girl's don't take pacifiers. Good luck!!

Absolutely!!!!!!
Don't cave in! It takes time, but she will be just fine. My son was a hard bottle breaker. I just said no it's got to stop sometime, and that was it. It was a very long and sleeless 7 days, but that was it, he was done. Good luck! It's going to be hard now, but even harder the longer you wait!

I just took my sons away Christmas night. When he was 2 we restricted it to just bedtime and naps, however he got sick some time later and that all went out the window. We had recently gone back to the bedtime/naptime only when I found out I was pregnant. My newest was born in September and after seeing that the baby really needed a binky (completely different brand and shape!!!) and some talking about how it was hurting the shape of his mouth, etc. Christmas eve I told asked him what he wanted most for christmas and after naming a few things, we agreed that if he got everything, Santa was going to take it with him. Well, i forgot and naptime he had it, but on the way to bedtime, I hid them and told him that he promised. He tried negotiating, so I told him to try it out. It took a couple nights of him asking, but not crying or anything and by the time one week passed, he never thought about it again. In an emergency i even unhid one of his binky's for the baby and he didn't even glance twice at it. Every child is different, what works for one, doesn't work for another. Going to the toy store and exchanging for a toy is another way. Cutting the tip off is another way I have heard. Feel your child out. People were constantly pushing us to have him get rid of it, but he just wasn't ready. But again, the stress of a new baby on a child is enormous....at this late in the pregnancy, I would really wait until the baby is a few months old and figure out what will work for her and you!!!!

In my opinion, yes, you did the right thing. My 2 binky kids were 2 when I yanked theirs. My dramatic, high maintainance daughter took 6 months to recover. My less dramatic son took 1 week to get over it.

At 2 they need to learn others ways to self soothe and learn how to cope, although my youngest sucks his thumb and I can't stop it. Pacifiers are for infants that NEED to suck. You'll get through it and you'll be happy you did.

I have a 2 1/2 year old son and we have taken the binky away except when he goes to bed...he knows that when he gets up he has to leave it in his bed. I think at 3 we will "mail the binkys to new babies who need them". At that age he will be better able to understand that he doesn't need them anymore but there are little ones who do. What ever you choose is right! Just do what you feel your daughter is ready for! Good Luck!

Hi M.,

It strikes me as perhaps not the best time to take it, as you're tired and pregnant and soon will have a newborn. But, I totally get the feeling that she's old enough to do without. When I weaned my son off it, I did it this way: for the first couple weeks, he could only have it in bed. After that, I allowed it only for naps (because the nap isn't long enough to damage teeth and because it gets hard to get them to sleep during the day when they know they could be doing other things). I didn't give it at night because I knew he'd be tired and eventually sleep anyway. To be honest, I was prepared to let him have it at nap time until he gave up his nap (which didn't happen til 4), but he eventually lost the need for it and would hold it instead. I think your daughter's world is about to change profoundly, and her pacifier is such a security thing--I'd let her have it for naptime (especially since you're going to need her to nap when the baby comes!)

Good luck!
J.

It will get better - do not give it back to her or it'll be even worse next time you try to take it away.....I know it's hard but you've already coem this far, don't take a step back. Good Luck!