Advice on Breaking the Pacifier Habit

My daughter broke her night time pacifier habit around 2 1/2 and this is how we did it- (this was suggested to me by another mom)
We had 2 pacifiers (or "papas") left. We told her that the papa "fairy" (like tooth fairy) came when boys and girls were ready to give up their pacifiers (they save them for other little baby brothers and sisters). The first night, the papa fairy came and left a toy by her crib and the first papa was gone. The next night a really special toy was left by her bed and the last papa was gone. The papa fairy also left her a nice note about what a big girl she was. She did REALLY well with this! Much better than expected and no issue with sleeping. Every once in a while, she would express some interest but it quickly passed. I did wait until I thought she was really ready to give it up. It annoyed me at the time, but now that she is 5 the pacifier is a distant memory. I will probably let my 1 year old have it in the crib until she is ready to give it up too. GOOD luck!!

We've just gone through this, too. Our daughter is 2 and had only been taking the paci at bedtime for a long time. She just threw the last one away a week ago (after being bribed with a new toy) and we had a few rough nights. We've talked to her about 'how' to fall asleep -- that she has to lay down, get comfortable, close her eyes and think about going to sleep. Each night, we do her normal bedtime routine (books, cuddles, etc.) and ask her if she remembers how to go to sleep and it seems to help. We're still having problems with her waking up in the middle of the night and crying because she doesn't have the paci to immediately soothe her-- hopefully that'll end soon!

Some parents dont agree with doing it this way, but I have stopped the bottle and pacifier "cold turkey" and it worked for both my kids. Dont get me wrong, there are a few rough spots, the first few nights, but if you give in, they know they will get it back, just hang tight through it. That is what worked for me and my sister.

M.

Hang tough. It will be rough for a few days, but oh so worth the end result. You won't have to go looking for that lost "favorite" pacifier anymore!

Let me know what you end up doing and how it works out. Our 2 1/2 year old daughter still uses her "plug" in her bed only. She would use it out of her bed if I would allow it. The dentist told me not to worry yet. So we are waiting til we see the dentist again this winter. It is hard because she has 9 mo old sister who also uses one in her bed only. So I am concerned that when we try to break her habit, there will be issues with the sister's use. Maybe I should break them both of it at the same time. The younger one is not as attached as the older one is?!?!
K.

I know this is a hard thing, but I think you went about it the right way. Why not just tell him, you are a big boy now, so we dont need thse anymore and then you and him walk it to the garbage and throw it away. Then, do someething special for him and make a huge deal out of it. That might make him feel so good and like such a big boy, and it might be easier.

S. Bailey CLD
Aurora
www.tendermomentsdoula.com

I have two daughters and each of them was a big pacifier user.

With my oldest my ped told me to start like you did (by breaking a hole in it) then every day or two cut it off further. Eventually it would be too small to hold on to. However, my oldest is a perfectionist and she was so mad that it was broken that she threw it away immediately. She never had any problems without it.

My youngest slept with one in her mouth and one in each hand every night. We decided to try a different method. We started talking about how the pacifier fairy would come and take the pacifiers to newborn babies. She would leave a present for my daughter. When the big day came a beautiful stuffed kitty (my daughters favortie animal) was left. She loved the kitty until bedtime then she told me she didn't want it, and wanted her pacifiers back. I stuck to my guns, but it took several days of tough bedtimes. It helped that I could pretend that I did not have them, the pacifier fairy did.

Hope those ideas help.

I too had a hard time breaking my twins of their pacifier habit but was able to do it thanks to the advice of their dentist. She told me to poke a hole in the pacifier which would result in it being less "suckable". Then she suggested I trim a piece of the end a little at a time. The theroy is that as the child sees that it truly is broken and doesn't work anymore that they won't want it, as opposed to us telling them that they can't have something they really want. I swear this worked. I made the first trim (they didn't see me do it) and put the paci's away. When they asked me for it I handed it to them and they looked at it and said "Ew - its broken", they then both went to the garbage can and threw them away and haven't asked me for one since. Give it a try, what do you have to lose!

Stay-at-home Mom of 3 yr. old twins in St. Charles

When my son was a little over two, we literally lost his pacifiers and just made the decision then that he would no longer use it.

The sleep issue will soon pass its kind of like when they are infants learning to sleep on their own, without comfort from parents, and now without comforts from the pacifier.

Went cold turkey with the pacifier. We put it in an envelope and mailed it to all the babies that need pacifiers b/c he was a big boy (18mo.) and didn't need it anymore. After about 5 nights - he settled down and his sleep was back to normal. I think my husband and I were more worried than anything. But, we introduced 2 new nighttime rituals - a blankie that he chews on and we now rub his back. Right after we got rid of his paci - we had to rub his back about 10 min. (and he would still be awake) but now - 6 mo. later - we rub his back for about 1 min. Maybe try to replace it with some other ritual that you won't mind if it stays.

My advice is cold turkey.....after raising two kids and doing daycare for 25 years. I''ve learned there is no easy way to do this Just be prepared for alot of crying but evenually it will get easier. Of course another lovey might help. Stuffed toy or special blanket. Hope this helps.

C.

My son was reaching the 3 year old mark and we decide to take his binky. We told him in advance that there is a binky fairy that comes to get binkys from big kids to give to little kids that need them. He only used it for sleeping a left it in his bed when he got up. One time we took the binky and replaced it with a stuffed animal and some candy. We told him the binky fairy left it for him. At first he hated the stuffed animal. If took him about a week and he would ask where his binky was and we sould say "you know where it is. the binky fairy took it" We started at his nap and it took about 1 nour to get him to sleep. That night it took about a half hour and it got gradually better. now when he sees the neighbor with his binky he asks him when is his binky fairy going to come. Hope this helps!

YES, YOU ARE GOING ABOUT IT THE RIGHT WAY!!!! HANG IN THERE...IT DOES GET BETTER

Hi C.,
I'm in the same boat. My son turned 2 in July and about a week ago bit through his pacifier. He didn't want it anymore because it doesn't work. I also have noticed a change in sleep. It seems like he wants me with him more and it is harder to get him to lay down on his own. Its only been a week and I hope it will get easier. I just wanted you to know your not the only one having sleepless nights. Sorry I couldn't be more help. Just keep your hope, like everything else this will pass. S.

Our daughter was a binkie addict- but it took her 4 days of crying for about 15 minutes to fall asleep before she didn't even ask for it....She would wake up 1 or 2 times during the night looking for it "calling" for it but would fall back asleep. She used it day and night and it only took 4 days, she just made sure she had her favorite "blankie" with her. Obviously each kids is different. We told her that we couldn't buy binkies anymore cause she was too old and they would not sell us binkies for 3 year olds...She bought it hook line and sinker!!

Good luck!