Help with a Pacifier Addict

My oldest daughter used to have it for sleep only. She would not fall asleep without it either. I just let her sleep with it.....usually she found it at night. She is now 3 and I just got her off the pacifier completely. I started to snip a little off at a time from the top and that made it all 'icky' to her and she decided she did not want it after that.

We talkred about it for a week ahead of time.. stressed it meant he was a big boy.. and let him pick out a new stuffed animal to replace it.. it was tough the first week, but he got over it and instead have a soft lovie.

My daughter, who is almost 5 now, loved her 'Ninny'. We let her keep until she was a little over 3. At that time, we went around the house with a bowl and collected all of her 'Ninnys' (she helped). We put them on the kitchen counter and we told her that the 'ninny fairy' was coming. We had prepared her for a couple of weeks that the ninny fairy would be coming soon. We put them out for her and she went back to check on them right before bed, but the ninny fairy had already been there and left her some $ (kind of like the tooth fairy) and that now she could get herself a gift to show what a big, brave girl she is. That was a great incentive and she did just fine after that, not perfect, but it worked for her that they were already gone. I hope this helps and good luck...also remember that society is not kind and that you can't listen to others when they are being unkind...

We're having the same problem with our 12 month old. Three nights ago we just couldn't take it anymore and just decided to try to let him cry it out and put three extra pacifiers in the crib. Totally, random he didn't wake up at all the first two nights (Maybe he just found an extra pacifier?). Last night, he woke up once and he cried for 7 minutes and than got quite. We assume he found his own pacifier. So far so good! I'll keep you posted and if you get any good advice please share.

My daughter used to have the same problem until I put a few pacifiers in her crib with her. She had one in her mouth and about 3 around her. When she woke up without one she just reached around her to find another one. This worked for me, godd luck!

The Binki Fairy came to our house when my son was just over two. I was suprised how well it worked. My son left all of his pacifiers out one night for the binki fairy to take in exchange for a gift. We had a party with cake and hats and made a really big deal about it. The next morning he woke up to find a new toy. We had a few rough nights after that, but he adjusted quickly.

We also put extra pacifiers in teh crib so it was easier for our daughter to find one in the middle of the night. Our daughter would walk around with one in her mouth and one in each hand! We slowly began to limit to the crib and car only. When she turned 3, the pacifier fairy came to take it away. I had been preparing her for about a month that the fairy would take it away and give her a big girl present. We had no fuss and she slept fine without it.

I don't know of anything that will help except sticking to your guns and time. It was too hard for me to stomach taking the pacifier away at 1 so I took it away as soon as both my binkie lovers turned 2. It took my daughter 6 months to get over it (she is a stubborn and dramatic female( and my son took 1 week.

With my daughter I tried cutting her binkie in half so there wasn't much left to suck on, but that didn't work. The only thing that worked for me was cold turkey! Good luck. I know it is not easy.

A.

We loaded the crib up with "binkies" and when one fell out my son would just grab another!

my son is 2.5 and my daughter is 11 months and both of them use a paci to go to sleep for night time and naps. my unlce is an orthodontist and says that there's no problem with this until the child gets to be at least 4 or 5 by which time they will often give it up by themselves. the myth of urgency that children must go to sleep with no assistance is extremely unhelpful and not realistic for many children. some kids can do it; fine. others use self soothing, weather it's pacis, nursing, thumb, a special blankey or toy; every healthy child will eventually learn to fall asleep with no special personal soothing. if your child uses any kind of self soothing, why take it from them? your child is totally normal and fine.

C....
Don't know if this relates to your specific issue....but my daughter had a pacifier until she was 3.....it was horrible.
So, I cut the tip off...! Yes...believe it or not, she never asked for it again. It wouldn't stay in her mouth, so it was of no use to her...
Good luck!

When we took my son off the paci, we threw ALL of them away so there would be NO temptaions around! All I can tell you from my experience is, prpare for up to a week with not much(if any) sleep, and it will end! I can say that much!

Hi My name is N. i have 3 kids 10.7. & 16mos my daughter still takes her paci but only when she is getting ready for nap or bed during the day she does not get it unless she is tired. Maybe that is something you can do.

I have a friend who started by cutting the tip of the pacifier that dd used during the day, but still allowing a regular paci at night and nap-time... that's the only tip i know. i've got a thumb-sucker... we'll see how hard that is to get rid of, HA

Hi, don't know if this helps, but my grandson was attached to his paci too, but my daughter didn't see the harm in it. She basically stipulated that he could only have it while napping or at night. He came to know that he was only allowed it for sleeping. I know he had it longer then "old school" says, until he was three or so, but he is 4 1/2 now, and is a well adjusted little boy. I think sometimes kids need that extra bit of comfort, and if you can get past what society thinks is the norm, your daughter may be a happier little girl! Have a great day! N.

I have a 4 year old and a two year old who both were addicted to pacifiers. I was always of the mindset - let them have it but keep it under control. The pacifier is soothing your child, so if you take it away, they will find some other way of soothing..like sucking thumbs. This is something I always (and my pediatrician agreed) wanted to avoid. So, we would let our kids have their paci all they wanted but only in their bed. At two, we talked to them about taking it away and growing up into a big boy. If I did it again, I would do it the same way. They got what they needed and kept it under control. Everyone wins.

hey Cheri!
I too was a mother of a pacifier addict. lol
We couldnt go any where without it. She wasnt one of those babies walking around with it 24/7 but needed it to fall asleep. Well, right before she turned two we started telling her how big girls dont need pacifiers. So that was just preparing her. On her 2nd year check-up, we went to the doctor, whom she adores, and we had him tell her the same thing. Big 2 year old girls dont use pacifiers and we talked about starting a reward chart.

We let our daughter pick out a calendar, she choose carebears. And everynight she went to bed with out a pacifier she got to put a fun sticker on the calendar. after she got 5 stickers, becuase she could count to five, she would get a prize at the store.

Im telling you, it took one week and she was done with pacifiers. it was so easy!!! im not saying this will work for you but its worth a try. Plus at the age your daughter is I think she is still young. 13 months they like to have something familiar to fall asleep with, if it was a speacil blanket or stuffed animal you wouldnt be taking it away. Its becuase its a pacifier and people are afraid they will ruin the teeth growing in.

My daughters teeth are perfect. So its up to you to decide. You can try taking it away or wait untill she a little older to make a her own decision.

At only 13 months there is no real reason to not let your daughter have her binky. If she only wants it at night then let her have it when she's sleeping. My 25 month old still has his, but I take it away when he wakes up in the morning, and give back for nap and nighttime. Otherwise he talks with it in his mouth, and you can't understand him that way. So let her have it. :)

Hi Cheri,
I personally don't agree with taking the pacifier until the child is ready. My daughter used hers until she was past 3. She started using it less by then and was down to only using it at night to help her sleep. By that time we were able to reason with her and she understood, so before her 4th birthday she handed it to me and said she didn't want it anymore and never asked for it again. She is the most calm, patient and well adjusted little girl I know. We tried to take the pacifier from our son (now 7) when he was a baby but it just made him miserable. Looking back I wish we just left him be as we did our little girl.

I just read the comment from another response and my daughter also had one in the mouth and a couple more that she could hold. There is nothing wrong with this at all. Get your sleep and let her get hers.

My, now 3 year old daughter, was a "binky" addict as well. At around 12 months we began limiting her to using it only during naptime and bedtime and the binky did not leave the crib - except for one at school. By the time she was a little over 2 her teachers at school took it away during naptime and it was met with no fuss at all. We did the same thing at home cold turkey and had no problems whatsoever. Your daughter will give it up when she is ready.

C. I just got my 3yr old off of it. I know horriable!!!
I had tried alot of things a hole in the nipple,letting her cry it out, pickle juice because she hates pickles nothing worked. I've tried for some time. Ofcourse I always gave in because I felt bad. Finally right before she turned 3 I told her that the night before her b-day the pacifier fairy would come and take all of the pacifiers away and leave her $1. Believe it or not it worked. I mean dont get me wrong she was upset when she went to sleep but it wasnt a crying fit or anything like that. She did pretty good. I think once they get used to the pacifier its the hardest habbit to break..
Now with my 2nd daughter I swore I wouldnt start the pacifier thing.

Anyway good luck!!!! I know your daughter is younger maybe this can help you some way !!!