I've heard of both of those suggestions that you mentioned, that they work pretty well. Around 19 or 20 months we took Aidan's pacifier away cold turkey. Honestly we thought it was going to be much harder than it actually was! He only had it for nap & bedtime. That first night he just had a confused look on his face, and there was some crying for a couple days, but then he just moved on. I love the build a bear idea, and we probably would have done that if he had been older and could understand the concept. However you choose to do it, good luck!
We did more or less cold turkey a week ago. I attempted cutting the tip but perhaps took too much as she immediately side eyed me and demanded "old binky." I tried saying fairies we're going to come and deliver her binks to lil babies. She said " no fairies no".
One day her binks disappeared all morning and afternoon. The next day it disappeared at bed time too. Finally it wasn't available for naps. Our bedtime routine changed a bit to include some rocking/soothing. She hasn't forgotten her lost friend but there's no crying now. Just an occasional "binky?" Nope, all gone sorry.
Nolan was down to only nighttime and weekend naps.
We threw away all the pacis we could find except one (so I couldn’t weaken
and give in). That one I cut the end off of and put in his bed. When he
went to get it before bed he said, “uh oh, broken!” We said, “Oh, no!
it’s broken. You better put it in the trash.” He cried for a minute and
then threw it in the trash. He then reconsidered and though about
getting it back, but didn’t. He asked a few times that night and for a
few more nights, saying “Paci broken?” I said yes and he seemed fine
with that.
That was three weeks ago and he asks every now and then at bedtime and says, "Paci?" "Paci broken?" I gotta be honest I'd totally cave if I had any in the house just to see his face when I gave him one. LOL
stlmomma27
member
Re: Breaking the paci habit
One day her binks disappeared all morning and afternoon. The next day it disappeared at bed time too. Finally it wasn't available for naps. Our bedtime routine changed a bit to include some rocking/soothing. She hasn't forgotten her lost friend but there's no crying now. Just an occasional "binky?" Nope, all gone sorry.
We threw away all the pacis we could find except one (so I couldn’t weaken and give in). That one I cut the end off of and put in his bed. When he went to get it before bed he said, “uh oh, broken!” We said, “Oh, no! it’s broken. You better put it in the trash.” He cried for a minute and then threw it in the trash. He then reconsidered and though about getting it back, but didn’t. He asked a few times that night and for a few more nights, saying “Paci broken?” I said yes and he seemed fine with that.
That was three weeks ago and he asks every now and then at bedtime and says, "Paci?" "Paci broken?" I gotta be honest I'd totally cave if I had any in the house just to see his face when I gave him one. LOL