The pacifier...when to Take It Away?

We just got rid of my son's pacifier at 18 months (he's 20 months now). You don't realize it but sometimes it's harder for the parents to get rid of the pacifier because they've relied on it so much to calm him down. That's what we went through. So instead of breaking down and giving it to him, we threw them away that way we wouldn't be tempted to give it to him. It was rough, but now we are pacifier free and it's great. The longer you wait, the harder it will be for you and him. Good luck and be strong!

I took my son's away at 15 months. I personally realized that I was using it as a crutch more than he actually needed it. After a few nights of crying for it, he completely forgot about it. The few times without it are the toughest, so if I were you, I would toss them all out...just so you don't have it available to use. After a few nights he'll forget about it, and you'll be glad you got rid of it :)

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my son just turned three years old last week. he has used a pacifier since he was an infant. two weeks ago we decided it was time he give it up. we told him that if he leaves his pacifiers under his pillow, the pacifier fairy will come while he's sleeping, take the pacifiers but leave him a present. he put the pacifiers under his pillow himself. we put on his favorite movie and let him fall asleep on the couch and then moved him into his bed. we left the toy in his bed so he would find it when he woke up. he was so excited about the new toy that he didn't even ask about his pacifiers. he has brought up his pacifier since then, but we just tell him the pacifier fairy has it. he seems okay with that explanation. he doesn't cry, and he hasn't had any trouble falling asleep without it. the whole thing probably sounds a little ridiculous but hey it worked for us.

I took my daughter's pacifiers away when she was 2 years and 4 months old. My husband and I told her that other babies needed them and we had to help them. That night a "fairy" would come take them, give them to babies and leave a little thank you gift. She helped put them in an envelope. Stickers were left by the fairy. I thought it would have been a lot harder but it worked for our daughter. I gave her extra attention that night because I knew it was hard for her to say goodbye to the pacifiers.

J.,

I think our daughter was a little older - like past 2 years old. We also only used it for bedtime and naps, but it was such a comforting thing for her. When we gave it up, we had a neice who was younger and we convinced our daughter that she needed the pacifers, so we made a big thing of collecting all the nukkies and putting them in a big envelope and addressing the envelope. The first couple of nights were still rough, but it helped to have a reason for where they were rather than throwing them away or telling her she was too old for them.

Hope that helps!

W.

for my son I took his pacifier away at 1 years old. I threw them away and told him that another little baby needed them now. It was hard for a few days (sure glad we tossed them) but he soon forgot about them. Good luck

I have a 28 month old and we just recently took her "bobbie" away. We actually planted them in a flower pot and watched them grow into flowers. Everytime we passed her pot she knew her "bobbies" were in there and was excited to watch them grow. She only cried for it for about a week and then was completely fine. We were also only letting her have it during naps and bedtime. Hope this helps.

I read somewhere that it is easiest before they trun 1. Before they are "addicted" to it. So we bit the bullet at 9 mos. Started by only giving it to her for bed time and naps. Then started to take it out of the crib a few nights, until we just never put it back. I'm so happy hubby and i stuck to that. Now that your lil one is older, i've heard of people cutting the tip off, and then cutting alittle more and alittle more until it was "broken". If you know someone having a baby soon maybe your son could "donate" it, don't know if he's old enough for that quite yet. My niece lost hers camping and BIL took the opportunity and told her the birds stole it. Maybe a "pacifier fairy" under the pillow, replaced in the moring with a big kid toy? just some ideas good luck.