Tips/advice on ditching the pacifier?

SarahCee

I've been putting it off and finding excuses, but I think it's time to get rid of the binky. DS only really every has it at naptime and bedtime, or the occasional we're not somewhere where he can nap and he's about to totally meltdown circumstance. He also has a blanky (that he can take to college with him for all I care), so I'm not worried about another comfort item. I'm nervous for the poor guy. How did you do it? What can I expect his reaction to be like? We basically lost the bottle cold turkey at 13 months, and he didn't seem to notice.

TIA!

Smuches4u

We cut down from the point you are now by first eliminating a travelling binky.  Then eliminiated it at naps, which seemed to be an easy transition for my DC.  Beditme took a while longer.

We talked a lot about him being a big boy and wouldn't it be nice to give his much loved binky to a new baby who didn't have one.  It helped in our case that a close friend was expecting.

I got him a special little box with a big M on it.  He called his "Mimi".  And I told him when he was ready to give it to the babies we would put it in there.  He started chewing on it & I warned him that if he continued it would get a hole.  I hate to admit, I helped it along a bit and cut just the tiniest bit off the tip(didn't even cut into the other side).  He noticed the change, but held on for a few more days, maybe a week.  At some point he said he wanted to put it in the box, but wasn't ready to give it away.  It has stayed in the box ever since.  A few days later, he asked to see it, but then put it right back in.

It wasn't an overnight thing, but a process.  And it worked for him.  He's never been a thumb sucker so there wasn't really a replacement soother for him other than his stuffed animals and cherished Blanks.

SarahCee

Thanks for the advice, Smuches. This is why part of me wants to wait a while longer, so I can explain to him (and have him understand) why the binky has to go. I think I need it long gone before #2 gets here, just so there is no confusion if they take a binky too.

Tomorrow is the day, we'll see how it goes. Thanks again!

tri_bride05

After we passed the one year mark and M1 was still using the binky, his pedi recommended waiting until he was 2 and could better understand. When he got to 2, we felt it was too close to baby #2s arrival, then his dentist said it didn't really matter for dental health until he was three so we just waited. From 18 mos on he was just using it for naps and bedtime. When he gave it up at three we went cold turkey. He helped us pack them up in a special box and he traded them for a special toy he wanted. He tried to return the toy the next day and get his pacifiers back, but we said we had a no return policy. We were worried because he was so attached, but it was not a big deal to him. We'll wait until at least age 2, but by age 3 with baby #2 as well (who is equally attached to his binky).