When and How to Quit Dummy?

I assume you are talking about a pacifier? When my son was 13 months I would go around the house and with scissors cut a small slit in the end so when he sucked on it it was "broken" he would bring them to me exclaimimg "ut ohh, broken" after a few weeks they were all broken and in the trash.

A.,

I feel for you. This was one of the hardest parts of parenting for me.

I think that terminology might prevent you from getting many responses. In this geographic region they are usually referred to as pacifiers, binkies, nuks, or soothies.... My 24 year old son called his a Babong and my 15 year old called his a Bobby. Both of my boys loved their pacifiers. I had no trouble having them gie up their bottles at 12 months because they had their pacifiers to suck on. They were those toddlers that walked around with them in their mouths all the time. They would even talk around the pacifier, unless they were told to take it out if they were going to tell us something. I know about attachment. They both had several placed around the crib so if one fell out, they just had to feel around to get another.

They both changed the name from pacifier when I said it was time that they threw them in the trash because they were too big for them. This was at about age 2 for both of them. At 2 and a half, with my older son, I just took them and had my son watch me throw them all away. He was okay until bedtime, then he screamed for hours until he fell asleep. This went on for a week. Then about 2 weeks later, he saw a child at the store with one, and the crying began again. With my second child, I took his away at 3 and a half. First, we started limiting it's use to the bedroom. Then we limited it's use to the bed. Then, we put it on the calendar when HE was going to throw them away. We talked about it everyday until that day. Then on that day, he threw them all in the trash. He had several he kept in his crib and later in his bed. Sadly, I couldn't get him to nap after that because he needed his Bobby to take a nap. He also hid his special blanket because when he rubbed the satin binding I guess it reminded him of his Bobby that he no longer had. My second son didn't have as tramatic experience as my first son because he was part of the giving it up, and he understood what was going to happen because we worked our way to him giving it up.

Maybe your son isn't ready to give it up. There is a children's book called Pacifiers are not forever. That might be a good way to start the process of giving up the pacifier that he is so attached to. You might also start limiting the time and location he is allowed to have it.

Best of luck.

D.

Hi A.:
Your son would have had problems,had he started out sucking his thumb. That's why they came up with pacifiers in the first place.When children suck their thumb,they tend to suck and pull their thumb forward against their front teeth,eventually creating problems with protrusion.He's still young,but if you must take it away, make sure you give him something to replace it,for soothing purposes.I wish you and your darlin son the best.Jula M

Supernanny uses the "Pacifairy" technique with success. Basically, create a little doll with a net and call it the Pacifairy. Tell your son that she's going to come tonight and bring him a very special present, and that he needs to put all his dummies in the net so she can take them to little babies who need them now. When he wakes up in the morning, all the dummies are gone and he gets a really special new toy.

Your son might be a little young for that technique yet. You may have to keep talking to him about how he's becoming a big boy and doesn't need a dummy any more. I've also read about parents who gradually cut away the nipple until there's nothing left to it. Once you cut away the tips, they can't really suck on it.

Good luck to you.

Hi A.,

I recently tried the "Binky Fairy" from the SuperNanny and it did the trick for us. However, my son is almost 3.

People asked me about taking away his binky when he was younger and I didn't see the need yet. We had limited its use to bed only and we were all happy with that. I don't think it was hurtful to let him have it a while to help sooth him. I didn't see the need to rush him away from being a baby.

We finally decided to have him give up the binky because he showed signs of readiness. He would forget about it at naptime or misplace it and not really care. So we knew he was ready to sleep without it. He does have a blanket that we call his "baby". So he uses that now to sooth himself. I hope all of this helps you. Good luck!

~A.

I learned something new! A binky or pacifier must be called a dummy in another country. Anyway, both my girls had to give up their binky a couple of months before they turned two. I warned them for a few months, and they definitely understand at that age. We had them throw them out in the trash can and they were fine with that. One of my girls cried for a few days because she missed it, but she got over it. The other daughter, it didn't faze her so much. What is a teel bevel problem? Anyway, since your son is only 1 1/2 years old, maybe start warning him in a couple of months that the binky (or dummy) fairly needs them and he has to give them up. It will be hard, but he'll get over it.

At the time when we got rid of my son's binky, he was a huge Power Rangers fan. So I took a twist on Supernanny's idea. When getting him to bed one night, I told him the Power Rangers (PR) had something important to talk to him about. I then used a "power ranger voice" while holding one of his PR stuffed animals. The PR told him there was a baby in the hospital that really needed his binky. If he gave it to the PR's now, they could hurry and get it to the baby. He ever so sweetly, took it out of his mouth and handed it to the PR. It was the sweetest thing I've ever seen. I had tears in my eyes. He occasionally asked for it again but I just reminded him that the power rangers gave it to the baby. And he said "oh yeah, that's right." In place of it we rewarded him with a book of his choice at the store the next day. Good Luck!

Hello A.. I have gathered from the other posts that the dummy is a pacifier, but I am dying to know about the teel bevel. What is that? Please excuse my ignorance, but I have never heard of it.