How Do I Get Rid of the Pacifier

My friend cut the tip off the "pacies". They don't work anymore. And it worked for her. But I never had a problem. Two months after my oldest first birthday I hjust stopped giving it to him. He didn't seem to miss it. And my five month old found his hands and started sucking on his fingers. And won't take a "pacie" since he's was three months. So I'm just giving you the advice I heard from a friend.

I just hope I don't have trouble with him sucking his fingers all the time. You can't take those away. oyvay

I would cut a small hole in the tip of the pacifier. I did that with both of my kids and when they started sucking it, it didn't feel right to them. Then I let them throw it in the trash. It took a few days for them to realize it was gone and not coming back but they did really well with doing it that way.

Put it in the crib/bed and tell him he can have it any time he wants - IF he wants to be in bed. Everyone I know who tried this got quick results. For a few days, the child would go in there a lot and either sit and suck on it or try to bring it back out. But pretty soon, they realized they were missing out on whatever was going on and they only used it at night. Breaking the night habit will be harder, but you can put it in a place he can't see it and only give it to him when he asks you for it. After a while, he will ask less and less frequently until he doesn't need it any more.
Good Luck!

Hey R. ,

My son is 34mnths old and I just took him off the B . My husband and I took our sons to Disney and we told him that Mickey mouse was collecting B's for little boys and girls who needed them . Well all went fine until we got home and he found one under the bed it took about 3 days of him crying and Let me tell you it was very hard but I explained to him Mickey was sad he was missing one so we can send to him ( put it in a envelop and send it off ) or attach it to a balloon and have him let it go into the air . As a reward we sent him something from Mickey mouse ( a small gift card to by a big boy present ) addressed to him , he was so excited he got a gift from a Mickey Mouse .

Good Luck and hang in there . Its the best thing for your son .

K.

Hi R.,
I have to tell you that I have a VERY sensitive daughter that was ADDICTED to her paci. What we did was start mentioning that she was getting to be a big girl and no longer needed the paci. We needed to send the paci up to the angels for them to give to all the new babies that are going to be born and need them. We talked about it for a few weeks, everyday and asked her what would happen if she a new baby didn't get a paci. It also helps if you know someone who is going to have a baby b/c then you can say....."Don't you want baby so and so to have your paci?" Then I took her to the party store, got 4-5 big helium balloons blown up, tied the paci to the end of the balloons with a note to the angels, went outside and had HER let the balloons/paci and note go. We watched it until we couldn't see it anymore and that was the end of it. She still asked for it for the first 2 days but after reminding her where it went and telling her how proud we were, it was done. If you use this, make sure you have him watch it go into the clouds and as soon as you can't see it say "LOOK, the angels took it!"

As for the letter.....very simple...."Dear angels, I am a big girl now and no longer need my paci. Could you please give mine to one of the new babies about to be born? Thank you! Sincerly, Grace. That's it! It worked like a charm! I don't suggest just going cold turkey. My oeditrician said that it can cause more harm then good just taking it away.

If you have any questions, please email me.
Good Luck!
K. :~)

Our son is 28 months old and a few weeks ago I decided that it was time for the pacifier to go. He was only using it for nap and bed time, but I was sick of seeing him with it to be totally honest.

So, I started telling him that the pacifier was for babies (we have an 11 week old son, now) and that he was a big boy. I asked him every day if he wanted to throw the "A-DIER" in the garbage. He would say, "No" and then one day, he took it and put it in the garbage...only to grab it out right away while saying "No garbage."

One night, we just told him it was all gone and he sobbed and sobbed. We (actually, my husband) gave in. About 2 nights later, he asked for it at bedtime and I said "The pacifier is all gone." He said, "A-dier, garbage?" I told him, "Yep, it's all gone in the garbage." He was fine with it and he hasn't used it since. He'll ask once in awhile, but I just tell him it's all gone and he's ok with it.

We had to tell day care not to use it anymore and we actually took it home so they wouldn't be tempted. They told us that he's been fine without it. The only issue is that he was a GREAT napper. When it was naptime, he'd get the paci and knew it was time to lay on his cot. Now, it's not so easy convincing him to stop playing. But, he's taking the same 2 hour naps that he was with the paci.

Good LUCK!

T.

(I'm so very glad that our second son really doesn't care for the pacifier! But, it's better than a thumb, IMHO).

My daughter is the same age & I recently got rid of her's. I put it off for a long time. SHe was very attached to it, she thought it was like a friend..I started off with only letting her have it at nap time & bed time for a week or so. I worked her up to it a month prior to that telling her that big girls don't need them. Every once in a while she would just hand it over & say, I don't need it mommy, I'm a big girl. After an hour or so, she'd throw a fit to get it back. Finally, one day she played that game & handed it to her aunt & her aunttold her, ok I will be going out to the garage & throwing it in the trash then.;) I didn't let her have it back or see it. In place, at bedtime, I rubbed her tummy or back & after a week, she never mentioned it. I was shocked. First few nights were restless & a bit rough though. Best of Luck!!

My middle child was really into her pacifier too. When she turned 2, she was only allowed to use it for naps and bedtime. As her 3rd birthday approached, we kept telling her that pacifiers don't work once you turn 3. On her birthday, she found that all of her pacifiers were broken (tips cut off) and were worthless. Since we had warned her ahead of time, she was pretty okay with it, plus, the excitement of it being her birthday and being a big "3" year old downplayed the fact that her main source of comfort was gone. We made sure to keep everything else about her bedtime the same, especially her other source of comfort, a little doll, and she never used the pacifier again (she's 6 now).

Have you tried the pacifier fairy, Gather up all the pacifiers with your daughter, put them in a bag and hang them in a tree outside, and tell her that the pacifier fairies are going to come and take them, and bring her a surprise in return. Hang it out before she goes to bed. Then while she's sleeping switch it.

K.

My son is the same age. About three weeks ago, I had him go all around the house and collect all the binks. Then, after a small conversation about being a big boy and all, I asked HIM to throw them in the garbage. Of course we gave him a standing ovation to help make it a positive action. I really did not know if it was going to work or not, but it did. He asked for his bink that night at bedtime and I said "no, remember you threw them out, you're a big boy now". I quickly turned the lights out and said good night so as not to draw any more attention to the situation. I was very surprised to find out that - that was the end of it! He hasn't asked for it since!

You can tie it to a balloon string and send it off with a small celebration or a little speech on how the paci needs its mommy and daddy paci. Maybe that the paci is sad and misses its family. Come up with your own speech...you know what your own child will respond to! I would tell the child in advance a little before it to get them excited. Good luck!
C.

I haven't done this but know some people who have. They cut the very tip of the paci... if he contiues to want it, cut a little more on all of them until the suction is pretty much gone they loose the desire for it.

My sister went cold turkey and her daughter stopped napping for a while, it was very stressful for her but I think it also depends on the child's personality. Her daughter is very very head strong.

Amy

Good luck, let me know what works since I'll be dealing with this pretty soon (she's 15 months)

We did a 4-6 days transition with my twin boys when they were 18 months ... they took Ps for a part of the day and at night for sleeping. I first made holes in some and gave those to them during the day. Not feeling right, they asked for the 'other' ones, which I gave to them at night, but next day made holes in them as well! We went to the store twice with the boys and bought them new ones for the nights, but again, secretly making holes in those the next day. Within 4-6 days, the boys realized that though mom had no problems with them taking the P, the silly P themselves were not coopertaing! Alongside, I asked them to throw the 'broken' Ps in the trash everyday and say 'bye bye', which they did easily, because they still had other ones. After a few days of drama & lots of bye-byes & laughter, they threw away all and didn't miss them. It was easy on all of us.

Hello,

We picked a day and counted down to that day. We reminded her every day in so many days you have to thow your binky away. She would say ok. Well that day came she went to the trash tossed them in and we told her how much of a big girl she was. The next few days she asked for it once in a blue moon and I would remind her that she put them in the trash. Then she would say ok. During the count down, because she was so attached to it, we took her to pick out a new freind to sleep with at night. She picked a stuffed dog. We transition just fine.

Our son is almost 2 and I'd love to get rid of the binky soon, but I've read that if you do it before they're ready, they'll just start sucking thumbs or fingers and that's an even harder habit to break. My son isn't talking much yet so I don't get a sense that he'd understand what we were doing. But, my advice is to think about your son and what you think the consequences might be. If you take it away but with warning and explain that it's gone to a "better place", I think you might have the most success. And if that doesn't work, my sister-in-law tried cutting off the tips of the pacifier and liked the results. Good luck to you!

When my oldest was two and a half we took here to the city for a day and we went on a boat ride on Lake Michigan we told her to throw the do-do(pacifier) of the boat so the baby fishes could have it. We told her she was so grown up and such a nice girl for giving it to the baby's that needed it. Every time she got upset we reminded her again and she was o.k. You can do this at the zoo, petting zoo, or any pond. I guess maybe its littering but it's only one pacifier and it works!

When my son was 2 1/2, I cut the tip off. He could still have it, but he of course didn't want it. He was really mad b/c he loved his binky so much, but was over it in a couple days.

Hi R.,

We used a great way to rid my dd of hers. We told her the baby reindeer needed the pacifiers and she put them on the plate with the cookies for Santa. We wrote a note to say who they were for and she never asked about them again.

Good luck
C.

We did it in stages first it was only for nap and bed time, then about a month later only for bed time then a month later not at all. My daughter was 20 months and we had no problems. Mind you she suddenly was obsessed with other babies and their binkies, but never wanted hers or took theirs. Good luck.

My 33 month old daughter went to the dentist for the first time last week and the dentist told her she needed to throw her binky away so her teeth would stay nice and pretty. Well she came home and threw it in the garbage, she has NOT napped since and bedtime is a nightmare, but hopefully she will get better as the days go on. Good Luck!

Hi I am a mom of a 14 year old and a 4 year old. In both cases I took the pacifier away cold turkey. With my son it was a little more difficult because he had gotten sick about a week later and was whinning and wanted only to snuggle and my mom gave in. After he was well it was thrown away and told he was a big boy and didn't need it anymore. My daughter wanted to be a big girl so badly I told her she was big and babies use pacifier and she waled over and threw it away. After my shock wore off I had wished I did it sooner. LOL
Hope this helps.

When my son went to bed the night before his second birthday I went around and collected all his binkies, When he woke up and he was two thet were gone, That first night he asked for it a couple of times but other that that he didn't really care, but my son is very easy going so, I guess it is going to depend on how your son deals with change on what is going to work best for you, but I found that I gave in more when I tried to just give it to him at nap or bed so, getting rid of them worked best for him and me. Good Luck. L.

For my son we set a goal.. go with out paci for 1 wk and you can get something. At the time he wanted a pirateship clubhouse so everytime he asked for it I reminded him.. if you take it there's no pirateship. We made a chart and used pirate stickers. I will tell you the 1st 2days were the hardest but after that initial hump it went very well. He was 3 when we did this and took it a lot of the time.
Good Luck!

My son gave up the binkie to the binkie fairy on his 3rd birthday. I prepped him about a month in advance. Every night before bed, I told him the story of the binkie fairy. When boys and girls turn 3, they become big kids and don't need binkies anymore. The binkie fairy comes and takes the binkies, leaves a thank you gift, and gives the binkies to new babies who need the binkies. So we gathered all the binkies and made a special box to put them in. On his third birthday, the binkie fairy came, and took all the binkies. To thank him for sharing his binkies, The binkie fairy made hime a special gift. I, er uh, she made him a fleece no sew tie blanket with cars on it. He was thrilled. The key to our success was the preparation. We talked about it all the time. When the time came to give them up, there was no fussing or crying. It worked SO well! Embellish the story with details that are exciting for him, and highlight the sharing with new babies. Kids love to take care of others.

Hope it helps!

My son just gave up his beloved "p", and he is 4.5 years old. When he turned one, he could have it only when he slept. I never planned in him using it until he was almost 5, but he absolutely loved his "p", and I didn't have the heart to take it away. I didn't really see the need to, since he only used it when he slept. The dentist told me that when his baby teeth started to fall out, that is when I needed to get rid of it. Well, one day at preschool the other kids were talking about how "p's" were for babies, so my son didn't want his anymore. He actually asked me if he could put his "p's" in his bear (we talked about putting them in his beloved bear and sewing him back up, many times in the past, but it never happened). So, one day we went to the store and bought thread and put the "p's" in his bear, and that was that. I never thought in a million years it would be that easy. So, if you don't absolutely have to get rid of the pacifiers, I would let him keep it. Just use it at night when he is going to sleep. He may eventually just give it up like mine did, and I have heard of many other kids that gave it up one day out of the blue, and they were a lot younger than my son.