Pacifier for naps only?

TanyaKM

My husband seems to think that I am ruining LO for life if I continue to let him nap with the pacifier. Of course he's not the one who stays with LO all day and deals with all his naps!

But seriously, we always said we would get rid of the pacifier around 6 months and we've done okay so far with nighttime, but naps are a disaster. With the pacifier, I can put him down totally awake in his crib and he'll go to sleep on his own without a peep. I tried three days without the pacifier and it involved a lot of crying (for both of us) and very little actual sleeping. I feel like it's not a huge deal to keep using the pacifier for naps as long as he's not waking up in the middle of the night looking for it... but I know it will probably be even harder to wean him off it later. What do you think?

christyjane17

I say it's not worth it.  DS takes one at bedtime and naps and I plan to keep it that way until a year.  At that point we'll go the "don't offer, don't refuse" route.  And then at 18 months we'll go cold turkey. However, he has been spitting it out before falling asleep here lately so HOPEFULLY he'll drop it on his own.  

 

It's just a matter of you and your DH agreeing on the "paci rules". 

memali26

DD! had her pacifier for naps and bedtime until 15 months, and I don't think her life is ruined We went cold turkey at that point, and nighttime was a breeze - she barely noticed it was gone. Naps were HORRIBLE for almost 2 weeks, then suddenly she was fine. If you want to take it away now, just be prepared for it to be rough (naps tend to be harder for everything, not just taking away the pacifier!). But if you want to keep using it, go for it. He's young enough that I would not be concerned about lasting effects of pacifier use yet.

chloephoebecali

I successfully weaned DD at 15 months or so.  Similar to you, I wanted to be done way earlier, but kept putting it off.  Because we waited, I used a technique called Bye Bye Binkie (prob available with a google search).  I got rid of paci during the day, then in the car, then slowly snipped the tip a little every few days.  I would let LO have it for a little longer, maybe a year or so.

TanyaKM

chloephoebecali:

I successfully weaned DD at 15 months or so.  Similar to you, I wanted to be done way earlier, but kept putting it off.  Because we waited, I used a technique called Bye Bye Binkie (prob available with a google search).  I got rid of paci during the day, then in the car, then slowly snipped the tip a little every few days.  I would let LO have it for a little longer, maybe a year or so.

Did your LO have any problems falling asleep on her own once you got rid of it?