Weaning pacifiers

Cwhitaker27

Alright ladies, what are your thoughts on how and when to wean from a pacifier? DS never had a Paci but DD is in love with hers. She just turned 1 and mostly uses the pacifier for sleep but occasionally during the day for meltdowns. DH wants to axe the thing ASAP as he's a dentist and is convinced it's going to screw up her teeth. I'm not ready for the pain just yet.. Lol

mnj05

Daycare helped us a lot. They actually had cut H down to nap time only by 9-10 months because that's all they're allowed to have it for in the room after that. At home we followed the same rule, bed time only. One night, closer to 13 months, we just didn't give it to him and he surprised us, did really well. We never looked back.

I know some people who have cut all the pacifiers and let the child throw them away because they're broken or tie them to balloons and let float away. I feel ya though, ditching the pacifier is quite scary!

Cwhitaker27

@mnj05 Did H have any other "lovey" type items like a blankie or stuffed animal that helped get you through it?

mnj05

He had a blanket starting around 9 months so he definitely did, but he wasn't attached to it at the time. In fact, he just became attached to his blanket within the last 6-ish months.

CarrieB.

No real experience with pacifiers. DD1 still sucks her thumb and DD2 suckles her wrist. Weird kid...

I've had friends who've had good experience giving pacifiers to the paci-fairy but their kids were older than your daughter.

SharonB222

I meant to stop the paci for DD at 6 mo, then 1 yr, then 2 yr, so when she turned 3(!) we all donated items: DH his fat pants, me my maternity blouses and DD her paci. Then it was a month of a very grumpy 3-year-old. So perhaps not the best way, but she's happily past it now. Along those years I had tried to have her attach to something else, but she didn't. After her paci was gone she took to carrying all sorts of odd things around the house or in the car. Our dentist didn't mention any concern, albeit I didn't ask directly. (My DS also did not use a paci.)

Cwhitaker27

Thanks for the input @SharonB222 ! I like the family donation idea, cute! It's definitely on my near future agenda to get rid of but it's honestly so hard especially when I see how soothing it can be to her.