Washington Babies
getting rid of binkies?
Anyone have advice for getting rid of binkies? I feel like we may have missed the window, because they are starting to become more attached to binkies and ask for them all of the time. They have started to chew them and many have holes so I'm worried they will become a choking hazard.
-When is the best time to break the binkie habbit?
-Any advice on best ways to do this?
-Do you think 21/22 months is an okay time to do this? (a book I was reading suggested they are 'sensitive' during this time?)
Life is so much easier with the "be quiet plug" with two - but I know I need to bite the bullet and toss them out.
Thanks for the help!
~Heather
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Re: getting rid of binkies?
Which brand?
I did cold turkey on the binkies for bed at 13mo. Day 1 he cried for 20 minutes, the next night 5, and nothing after that. I planned to take them away after naptime after a trip in June (at 22mo) but he will not nap without one. We're going on vacation in a week and I think we'll kick it for good after that.
We dodged that bullet and never used them - but I heard that cold turkey is the way to go. One trick is to purposefully cut them - that way they lose all appeal - and they blame it on the binky - not you.
If you want a more gentle route - PlayMatters in Greenwood had a binky fairy in every so often who "collected" all the binkys for babies. You show up and they make a production out of it. Not sure when the next one is...or maybe for every binky they put under their pillow at night they get a treat? They might be too young to get that though....
I'm mean, I'd go cold turkey and deal with the tears for a day or two!
The First years, they're light blue and we usually get them at walmart or safeway.
The plight of the binky! I wish we never would have offered one, because now I'm a slave to it. He's too young to pick it up and put it back in his mouth, so I'm constantly doing that for him. I wish he's just learn to suck his thumb! Funny, I never thought I'd encourage that.
Anyway, I read in a sleep solution book recently (can't remember if it was Ferber or another one) that cold turkey is the only way to go with losing the binky. Sounds tough, but probably worth it in the end. Good luck!
This should be my FFFC: Evie is 32 months and still has a binky. She is SO attached to it. We talked to both the pedi and the dentist about it. Both recommended waiting to break the habit until she's older. The reason is because when she doesn't have her binky, she sucks on her fingers. Both the pedi and the dentist said that we should avoid creating a finger sucking habit at all costs, because it's more damaging to her teeth and a tougher habit to break.
The dentist made a good point--he said that when she's a little older, she will have a better grasp of the concept of trading the binky for something else (like a special doll or toy). That way, it can be her choice to give it up so that she can have something she wants more than she wants the binky.
In the meantime, we limit binky use to her bed. She has to leave them in her crib when she gets up. Even making this transition was really, really hard. We had to constantly remind her not to put her hands in her mouth.
Every kid is different, though. A cold turkey approach would not have worked for us, but it works great for others. I'd suggest limiting binkies to bedtime use first and see how it goes.
From my expereince and from reading books these are the quick rules
Take the Binky away cold turkey by 12 months old OR
You'll have to wait til there are 3 and a half or older to be able to rational understand taking it away.
So unfortunately at 22 months you missed the first window and will need to wait til the next window
Easter 2011
We got rid of Julia's paci when she was 23 months. She was extremely attached to it but I really felt it was time and was concerned with her teeth.She only used it at nap/bedtime but if she didn't have it she wouldn't sleep.
We did it while we were on a week-long vacation. I cut a small slit in it which basically ruins the suction of it. I let her have it but she kept telling me that her paci was broken. She eventually didn't care about it anymore and now she never asks for it. It probably took a good 2 weeks of a rougher sleep schedule to completely drop it but once it was "broken" it was her decision to let it go. It can be done! I am really glad to be rid of it!
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