Does it ever get better? (re: taking away binky)

baylorflamingo

So, about 6 months ago we were down to just using the binky at bedtime and naps  and we did the bye bye binky method and got rid of the pacifier. DS started sucking his pointer finger all the time (more than he was using the pacifier) so we gave him a different, more age appropriate model pacifier and thought we'd try again in six months. When June started, we did the same bye bye binky method and took it away again. Ever since, he's not sucking his finger, but he SCREAMS bloody murder for almost 2 hours. Every. Single. Night. Nap times have dropped from 3 hours down to 1 hour tops. And, to make things worse, he still wakes up at 6:00 every morning, even thought he now stays up waaaaay past bedtime screaming. The poor boy is way past exhausted.

Can someone tell me if it will ever get better or do I just go to the store and get another binky? Seriously, I can't take much more of this!!! 

meldoo2002

Has he really been screaming for 2 hours at bedtime for the past 21 days?  I am all for CIO and going cold turkey, but I don't think he's ready.  Unless there is something else wrong.  The nap thing I wouldn't worry so much about... I mean my boys only nap an hour... 2 at the max and that can be typical for 2 year olds, but the screaming at bedtime sounds awful to me.  Does he have any other way to soothe himself?  A lovey?  You rubbing his back?  When we took it away cold turkey they cried for 20 min. the first night and then they asked for it a few more times, but never cried about it again. 

baylorflamingo

Off and on, yes. Every 20-30 minutes we either go in and comfort him or let him come out into the living room and see that he's not missing anything. We've tried reading another story, offering food and water, and changing his diaper. He has loveys and has occasionally taken the random household item back to bed with him (toddler spoons, a pair of my socks, a favorite puzzle). Overall, it means that every single night we've started his bedtime routine the same as always and he winds up falling asleep about 2 hours later. Though, I should point out tonight it was only about an hour and a half. 

Dreamsicle23

baylorflamingo:

Off and on, yes. Every 20-30 minutes we either go in and comfort him or let him come out into the living room and see that he's not missing anything. We've tried reading another story, offering food and water, and changing his diaper. He has loveys and has occasionally taken the random household item back to bed with him (toddler spoons, a pair of my socks, a favorite puzzle). Overall, it means that every single night we've started his bedtime routine the same as always and he winds up falling asleep about 2 hours later. Though, I should point out tonight it was only about an hour and a half. 

I would stop going in.  Seeing you probably gets him going again.

novilise

We tried a few times to get rid of our sons pacifier and it would work for...a few days. Then there would be a major melt-down or we'd give up or he'd find a lost one and we'd be back to square one.

Then one day...bam! He was done! Now granted, he was a little over 2 and a half when he decided on his own that he was done, but when he decided, he never turned back. He literally just stopped using them one day and we don't even know why. I had been talking to him about the new baby coming and how he would need pacifiers, so maybe that was it. Don't know. Alos, he even found a stash of his pacifiers that he had hidden and we thought that was it, but, no, he just said 'juibbies! (that's what he called them) and put one in his mouth and took it back out and left them. 

MBNB

I fear this exact situation. We tried taking it away at 1 1/2 years old and it was a miserable failure. Decided we'd wait till she was 2...and now she is. And she's nowhere near being done with it. Wants it more than ever now. I have ZERO idea how we're going to break this habit.