Any Advice? Getting rid of pacifiers for infant and toddler...

babypuplove

DD will be two next month, and we are ready to be a paci-free household.  That means taking them away from the baby as well, who will be six months.  So, what do you suggest we do?  I am dreading it, as my toddler is addicted to her paci (even though she only uses it to nap and sleep at night).  She LOVES it.  It's a package deal with her bunny, kind of like coffee and cigarettes for some people.  ;-)  I want to get rid of the baby's so toddler doesn't continue to steal them from her and never quite get over them.  Please tell me it won't be too awful.  Help!

JCM

DD never had a paci so I didn't have to worry about this but I have a friend that just went cold turkey with her DD's paci & made sure once she took it away she didn't give in even once.  Another friend of mine bribed her little girl with a tea set but she was over 3 always had a paci in her mouth & she caved and gave it back to her for like a year on and off.  She also has a baby that still has his paci and her little girl doesn't take it away from him.  The friend that went cold turkey's little girl got over her paci addiction a lot quicker than the other friend.  I would be prepared for a few restless nights and naps.  Good luck!

passar3588

We took the paci away from my oldest when she was 2.5. Well, we didn't actually take it away -  we couldn't find it one night before she went to bed (she only had 1 at a time b/c she only used it to sleep at night) and we put her to bed without it. We found it later, but never gave it back. The first night was the worst. The entire first week was pretty hard too as I recall. I wouldn't say she cried every night, but she was really restless b/c she had nothing to calm her down. We tried to "replace" her paci with a blanket and various stuffed animals. Nothing worked. 

She's now 4.5 and still has a horrible time going to sleep at night. She's a super high energy kid so that's part of the problem. I let her "read" before lights out and she listens to a lullaby CD to help her relax, so we do the best we can, but it's always a struggle. It will pass eventually. Good luck.

 

 

HarrietNJMommy

None of my kids had paci's. Well, E did, but I took it away at 5 months old. She used it occasionally.

My friends tell me that if you don't take it away before they turn 1, that you need to wait until they're 3 or older - otherwise you risk ruining their good sleep patterns. When my friends did this with their 3YO's, they talked about the Paci Fairy and how they would be left a gift when they got rid of all the paci's. It's worked with all the kids I know.

Me personally - I'd take it away from the baby right now, and worry about your son later on........

GL! 

goillini823

We got rid of DD's paci at 22 months. She had about 2 or 3 at the time, and used it ALL day and night. I nipped the tip of it, and when she asked for it gave it to her like that. She popped it in her mouth, and threw it right back out. She kept asking for it, and I just kept giving it to her "broken". She was pretty mad the first day/night, but after that she kind of gave up on it ever working the right way again, and after 2 days never really asked for it again. I even gave her the other 3 paci's to show that they were all broken.

Kitten80

DS never took one, but when I worked I helped several of the families and heard lots of stories.  Since she only uses it to sleep, I would double check with pedi as I recently heard to do it early or wait til close to 3 also. Of course, you have to do what works best for you! some successful strategies:  go on a "paci" hunt to collect them all in a basket or such.  These are then given to the paci fairy (one family tied the basket in a tree.  During the night, the fairy comes for "baby pacis" and leaves a "big kid toy".  I've heard of people arranging for the cashier at a store taking a box of pacis as "payment" for a big kid toy (your LO is prob.too young, but in case some one with older kids reads this for ideas).   Some parents broke them by cutting the nipple...good luck!  Just try to find thm all. I had one little girl who kept reappearing with one after they were "all gone"...she must have been stashing them like squirrels stash nuts

MrsBalletStar05

My story was similar to a previous poster's - we flat out couldn't find the only one left and never purchased more.  We found that one several weeks later, but we threw it out.  He was a year and a half old.  It did not disrupt his sleep at all (he's always been an amazing sleeper).  He was super whiney for a few days but it got better.  So basically - cold turkey, no warning. 

The baby still uses a paci, but he doesn't seem quite as attached to it as DS#1 was.  Maybe we'll try to get rid of it sooner.  In fact, he doesn't even *really* need it to get to sleep, so maybe now is a good time. hmmm - I'll have to ask DH what he thinks! 

babypuplove

I've never heard of doing it before 1 or after 3.  Hmmm...that does kind of make sense.  DD has always been an amazing sleeper, and I hate the idea of messing that up.  I'm going to ask the pedi at her 2 year appt in a few weeks.  Thanks, everyone.