When Should You Take Your Child off the Pacifier?

I know that the dentist is right about how it can affect her teeth. She may be a little young to take it away...but a great suggestion to make her not want it anymore is to snip of the end of it with some scissors. When she puts it into her mouth to suck on it, it will collapse and won't be near as comfortable to her to use. My niece would put it in her mouth and take it out and say "this one broken". We would tell her to throw it away and she would say no and just caryy it around. Might be worth a try...?

My son took himself of the pacy when he was 6 or 7 months old. I had a lil bit of trouble getting him to give up his sippy cup. So when it got closer to Christmas I told him that Santa was bring him some big boy cups and taking the baby cups away. He didn't mind that at all. I know it's not the same thing, but I hope it helps you.

N.,
I took my daughter off of her pacifier when she was 15 months old. All the articles I ever read said between 14 and 16 months should be the max because after that it does start affecting their teeth. It is not easy, but just set your heart to it and you can do it. I would start with just nap time then once you have got that then do the bed time. I am sorry the car first. Also, set you up a support team. I don't know who keeps her during the day but make sure they are on board also. Another thing to think about like in the car if you don't have it then you can't give in and give it to her. Please let me know if you have any more questions I will be glad to try and help. GOOD LUCK! A.

My oldest took himself off of his when he was about 9-10 months old. I was rocking him to sleep one night, he took it out of his mouth and tossed it. I put it on the kitchen counter, thinking he would ask for it the next morning but he never did.
My youngest wasn't as easy. He was about 2 1/2 years old when I finally took his away from him, but I did it slowly. I started off by only letting him have it at nap time and bed time. Then only at bed time. Finally, I took it away altogether. It wasn't easy the first few nights.
But as old as he was, it didn't mess his teeth up at all.

I waited until my son was 3 years old before I took his "pappy" away. I deeply regret this. I wish I had of done it much sooner, such as 13-15 months. He has a lisp, that his doctor says could very well been caused by the pappy. Tons of children never take a pacifier, so why is any age "too young"? With my son, I just threw it away, made sure he watched me throw it away, told him that he was a big boy now, too old for it, and every time he asked for it, I told him that it was gone. It did not take long at all for him to understand that it was in fact gone. I know that this method may not work at the young age of your daughter, but the concept works. Make sure she sees it go away, that she knows that it's gone. If you feel that it's too early, it's too early. Wait a couple months. But please, do it soon, before it does cause damage to her teeth and possibly her speech, that you could have prevented. Hope this helps.

hello there I'm a mother of 2 and both of mychildren weaned themselves, my oldest weaned off at 3 and her teeth are great, so I don't beleive that about ruining teeth. My son weaned himself at 2 years and 9 months. One day we couldn't find it and he just went to sleep and never looked bcak. When they are 2 and over they are more understand that it's for babies. If you tkae away the pacifier too young they will suck their thumb and that is bad for their teeth. You have control over the pacifier, but you do not have control over a thumb. What I mean is that you can give your child the pacifier when you want him/her to have it. the thumb is always there and you can't take it away. Don't rush it they are only little for such a short time. Hope this helps and Good luck!
M.

Our pedi and denti said she could have it as late as her 4th b-day its not effecting her teeth or speach and she is three now. She starts school in august and knows she cant have it there. We have gone to the school a few times to make sure she is comfortable there and she didnt even ask for it at nap time when none of the other kids had one.

That's strange to me that your dentist said it would mess up your child's teeth. We've been told the exact opposite. My son turned two in February, and much like your daughter only takes a pacifier (the Orthodontic kind from Gerber) for naps and bedtime usually. Our dentist said it was actually much better orthodontically for them than sucking his thumb (which he's never done since he's always taken a pacifier), and that a pacifier (especially without constant use) wouldn't begin to do any harm until at least age 4. Good luck with whatever you decide to do ... but thought I'd just let you know what we've been told and that our son is still using his the same way your daughter is! ;)

I broke my daughter of her pacifier when she was a little over a year old. She fussed quite a bit the first night w/out it but it was well worth it. I no longer had to hunt down a pacifier every night before bedtime. Also, by the time she's two, she'll have a greater attachment to her pacifier. Good luck.

I personally think that a child once they start getting there teeth they should be taken off it but my neice who was three in Feb still has on in her mouth most of the time so it is really up to the parents and the child I guess. I agree with the dentist.

Hi N.,
I breastfed both of my children and got lucky because they weaned themselves off of it by 9 months.
The only advise I have is to start making the pacifier un-appealing to her. My sister had to cut the tip in a crisscross so that it didn't suck as well and then just keep cutting it down until there is nothing left. Tell her that the pacifier fairy took it away because another little baby needed it....there are all kinds of creative things you can start doing to get her mind off of it.

Good luck.
jen

My daughter was around a year old when I took her pacifier. When she asked about it, I told her that the pacifier fairy thought she was a big girl and didn't need it. Of course, at a year old, she wasn't talking a lot, but she knew what I said.

She was actually very happy that the pacifier fairy had come to her house. Made her feel special!

By the way, I use the whole 'fairy' thing a lot. She went through a stage of picking up rocks in parking lots and bringing them home, so I told her that she should leave them where she found them, because the rock fairy would just come to our house and take them back, anyway. Cured her of that habit.

She is 8 now, and I think she is beginning to doubt the whole 'fairy' thing, but as long as she acts like she believes, then a fairy will always be there when I need one!

Don't worry too much... my hubby is a dentist & he said as long as she's only using it at bedtime, it really won't affect her teeth... it may if she used it all the time. Our 2.5 y.o. daughter is a thumb-sucker (nap/bed time only) and her teeth are just fine. It's much harder to take a thumb away so you have less to worry about than I do!

I took my sons away a week before he turned 1. We actually lost it and I never went and bought another one. The first 3 days were rough, but after that he was fine. When I found the pacifier I just threw it away. He is now 21 months and just fine and no pacifier for almost a year now. :-)

Hello N.,
I think every mother knows her child better then any doctor so if you don't feel it's time yet then fine. I know a passy is not good for their teeth, but I personally feel like you still have some time left to worry about breaking her from the passy. I will tell you that with my first child I had a terrible time breaking her from a passy, but it doesn't sound like your daughter sucks hers as much as mine did. Use your own mommy judgement and everything will be fine. Hope this helps.
F.

Hey N.! Ah, the question of how long a kid should use a pacifier. I think it depends on the child and circumstances.

I think Cassidy is ok to still have a pacifier at her age now. I've heard that kids that suck their thumb are more likely to have teeth problems. But, I'm sure the longer they use a pacifier, it can affect their teeth and most especially speech developement.

My little boy loved his pacifier. He usually only wanted it at nap times too. If I remember correctly he was around 2 yrs. old when he decided that he didn't want it anymore.

He had one certain "nummy-num" that he just loved. He continued to suck on it until it lost its suck - he chewed on it until had an opening. I know they say to throw it away, but this seemed to help him to not really want it anymore. Little by little I noticed him not wanting it as often. I guess b/c it wasn't very satisfying anymore.

They say that you can poke a hole in it so that it will lose its suction and this will make the child less likely to want it. So maybe try this and see how it works.

Good luck and just go with the flow ... :)

I took our sons away when he was just three months old because I did not want him to get use to it. Alot of toddlers still have them at 3 and 4 and I have even seen a few 7 year olds with them. I also took it away because I heard how bad it is for them to have it. I think it is just like sending them to bed with a bottle which he was weaned off of by 11 months. I would definately take the passy away before she is any older and it will get harder and harder to do it. That is just my opinion. Good Luck to you anyways.

I took my oldest son's away when he turned 2. No issues with it! Told him it was time to be a "big boy".

i personally have seen the damage the pacifiers can do to a child's teeth if they continue to use it - i have a couple of friend's children who's teeth are awful because of it. i would get her off of it very soon!! i was blessed with a child that didn't like them very much he rarely took one but never took one after about 9-10 months old. I would definitely start making it unappealing to her and possibly find a "security replacement" because that is mostly what it is a security item. One of my friends put lemon juice on it everytime they handed it to the child and that soon broke them from wanting it (plus that way it is their decision), another mom i met put tabasco sauce on hers because it was the only thing she found he didn't like. there are many ways to "help" them wein themselves from it without it being made into a huge ordeal - stopping "cold turkey" definitely not a good idea!!! ha ha!!!

My ped said 15 months at the latest

Hi, N.. My son is almost 17 months old and he still takes a pacifier when he naps or goes to sleep for the night. I had also planned on ridding him of the paci around age 2. I just figured he would be able to comprehend better that the paci fairy came and took it away and left him something great in return (a toy, etc.). I don't think he'd get it now because he's still a little too young. But that paci is what keeps him calm at night so I can't imagine trying to get him to sleep on his own in his own bed without it. I wouldn't sweat it if that's the only time she's taking it. But it's a tough decision and I'm interested to see any other responses you get for creative ways to get rid of it. Hope this helps somehow. Good luck!

Our pediatrician said that age 2 was appropriate for taking off the pacifier.

my daughter was 16 months...and was very dependent on it...had to have it all the time! one day we were at my mom's and they have a cat that doesn't like my daughter...i took the paci and when she started looking for it i told her the cat ate it! it was rough for a couple of days but we just kept talking about how paci's were for babies and that the kitty ate hers...

good luck!