Weaning off Pacifiers

Posted: Tue, Jan 01 2008, 4:15 pm Post subject: Weaning off Pacifiers

I need help on how to wean my 21-month old off pacifiers. I've read a lot on the bad effects of pacifiers (speech delay and dental impairments), but my daughter is so attached to her pacifier and I want to make sure she if off it by the time she turns 2. Has anyone tried going cold turkey and just taking them all away or is weaning better? Have any advice?

Platinum Member Joined: Sep 10 2006 Posts: 6561

Around 1 yr I went to only giving it to ds at naps/bedtime...or long car rides on the rare occasions we went on trips.

Then I took it away cold turkey around 21 mos, but 3 days into it we all got sick and I gave it back bc I was too weak myself and couldn't comfort him too.

Around 23 mos I did it again. It took forever. I wanted it done a couple mos before dd was born bc I didn't want 2 kids with a sossie. My mistake was doing it so close to pesach. We were already cleaning then and he was crazy from my pre pesach tension. As soon as pesach started, everything got normal again--just w/o sossie.
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Posted: Tue, Jan 01 2008, 4:22 pm Post subject: re: Weaning off Pacifiers

my first never took a pacifier and my second took as he nursed for over 2 years.... I think he took it abita fter 2 years when I stopped nursing him and somehow he forgot about it by age 2 1/2 or before.

my sil was on teh pacifier till age 7... the joke in teh familly was oh e. will get married with her pacifier.... well she's 16 now and was 5 wheni got married..... I thin she got rid of it when ds1 was bon...

Platinum Member Joined: Sep 11 2004 Posts: 19241

I waited until he was old enough to understand, a little before 2.5 yrs. We always restricted it to bedtime only, I get kind of queasy seeing big toddlers walking around with pacifiers. A while before I wanted him to give it up we started brainwashing him Smile

about how gross a pacifier is. Then I asked him if he wants to throw it in the garbage, and he did.

It wasn't that simple, though. We went through a stage where he would only want to sleep in my room, so I made him a deal- he can sleep in his own bed with a pacifier or in our room with no pacifier. He chose our room with no pacifier 99% of the time. It worked great.

I'm always in favor of doing things when they're old enough to understand, and not using force, whenever possible.
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Diamond Member Joined: Oct 12 2004 Posts: 3566

I don't know how I'll ever get my son to stop taking a pacifier. He's so attached to it. Before he turned 1 yr, we stopped giving it to him during the day. He's already more than 2 and still soo attached to it at night and during nap time. In Israel so many kids have pacifiers 'til very old, so my son goes to gan and sees everyone with them, and is dying for his. I really feel bad for him, but I feel it's ridiculous to plug up a kids mouth at that age.

Meanwhile I havne't given my baby a pacifier because I don't want to deal with my son constantly pulling it out her mouth, and demanding his own during the day. And I also don't want to deal with getting rid of it down the line. But sometimes I feel bad because I think she'd really like one. She always wants to nurse, and I don't think it's out of hunger.

Silver Member Joined: Nov 07 2004 Posts: 848

From experience, the best way to wean, is to lose it! We tried weaning so many times, but I always gave in and gave it back to her.

One night we couldn't find it (we were down to one). There was no way I was going out to buy one, and she was totally old enough to understand. She screamed for over an hour, but there was nothing I could do, besides search. Each night she cried less and less, and finally after about a week it was history.

She found it about a month later (under the couch!) and was totally not interested in having it back.

Now, I just have to do the same with DS. I keep saying that I'm not buying any more and when it's gone, it's gone, but he keeps biting holes in them so I feel that it's "not fair", so I buy a new one to replace the broken one. One day we'll lose it, and he'll be done!

BTW, suomynona, DD still had her pacifier (only at night) when DS was born, and I was worried that she'd take his during the day. I bought a totally different style one for DS and told her that it was a baby one, and she never touched it.

Even with all my troubles weaning from a pacifier (DD was considerably old when she weaned!) I still think it's worth it - I'd take a pacifier any day over a thumb (or me)!

Posted: Tue, Jan 01 2008, 6:13 pm Post subject:

I only let my child have it in bed-no excuses!
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Silver Member Joined: Nov 07 2004 Posts: 848

Platinum Member Joined: Jan 01 2006 Posts: 48141

you shouldn't h ave strted it. it's not a bottle that you can thrhow away.

that said, do you want your child to be a thmbsucker or gum chewer? teach her other ways to soothe herself.

Silver Member Joined: Jan 05 2006 Posts: 768

I tried slowly but surely. Til at 2 1/2 it was only in bed. I found it wasn't worth taking it away earlier.
The bad side affects weren't worth it to me, to have my kid not being able to fall asleep at night.
Be prepared whenever you do take it away, she will have to relearn to fall asleep by herself. It'll be a few weeks until she falls asleep nicely again.
Sometimes when they are older they are willing to understand to give it up by themselves

Posted: Wed, Jan 02 2008, 1:09 am Post subject: re: Weaning off Pacifiers

girls never took a pacifier (or a bottle) boys had a pacifier but for less than a year. it's so much easier to take it away when they are young.

I wonder if at two it is damaging to just take it. I just took it away but it may be cruel to a baby old enough to remember it....

Posted: Wed, Jan 02 2008, 4:25 am Post subject: re: Weaning off Pacifiers

I don't know what to do with my 2 1/2 year old. he still has his pacifier and tells me often that he's big and wants to throw it in the garbage. he does actually throw it out but then he regrets it and goes to get it. I don't know how I'll ever get him off it. in the meantime I'm due soon so I don't think it's worth taking it away from him now forcefully cuz too many changes at once aren't good for a little kid (or so everyone says)

Posted: Wed, Jan 02 2008, 10:29 am Post subject: re: Weaning off Pacifiers

Here is the absolute best way to get rid of them.

Worked for both my kids (the first never took one)

One day, I cut the tips off, just take a scissor, and snip. DO ALL OF THEM AT THE SAME TIME!!!

The child will not like the feeling of the paci anymore, and that's it - just tell your child your sorry that the paci is broken, and give a big hug.

Posted: Wed, Jan 02 2008, 11:14 am Post subject: re: Weaning off Pacifiers

Twins topped at 2-3 months, were only using in between feedings...
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Posted: Wed, Jan 02 2008, 2:05 pm Post subject:

haven't tried to wean my 14 month old yet. it's still too early. what I can say though is that my dh had his until age 7 and his brother til age 9. I don't want that. my sil took away my nieces pacifier cold turkey and that was no good. now she takes her thumb and she's in the sixth grade. ridiculous.
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