Getting rid of the paci?

SalisburyBride · July 2009

Daycare is taking the blame for most of this since the 2yo room does not allow pacis at all. But if he is going to be weaned at daycare we may as well try at home. He has done really well with no paci at nap time at daycare but still asks for it and NEEDS it at home. Any tips or stories you have heard of for getting rid of it? Some lady was talking to us at a restaurant last week and said that she cut the ends the pacis a little each week until there was nothing left to suck on then her kids just stopped asking for it. Another friend had mentioned this too so I'm wondering if it really works. I don't want to go cold turkey especially with him changing rooms at daycare and us just moving it would be too much change at once.

Thanks!

jenn&tim05 · July 2009

Ive heard the same thing aobout cutting it off etc. Does he get it just at bedtime? If not then I would try and limit it to that at first then cut it off. GL!

unc00ref · July 2009

A couple things I've heard of: (but didn't use b/c Brooks was too young to understand when we took his away at 6months)

Paci fairy?

Giving paci to baby birds who need it more.

SalisburyBride · July 2009

He was doing great about only having it for naps/bedtime. When he wakes up he leaves it in his crib. But since they have taken it away at daycare he wants it more at home. He will even sneak to his room and suck on it in the corner - sneaky kid already! When we talk about the paci going away you can see the anxiety build up in his eyes. This may be harder than I think!

ECUGirl2004 · July 2009

I don't think I would cut a pacifier. I would worry that it could have sharp edges or something. It just sounds dangerous to me, but maybe it's not. IDK.

I think I've seen supernanny do both things that UNC00ref mentioned.

marryingacoach · July 2009

Has he already moved to the next room at DC? Could you talk to him about leaving all of his paci's for the babies in the other room and then one day take them to DC and give the paci's to the baby room (pretend of course). Then anytime he brought up the paci's at home you could say, remember we gave them to the babies at DC.. you are a big boy now. I know grady really loves being called a big boy. GL!
We pulled grady's at 16 mo. The first few nights were tough but after that we were good to go. You just have to be really strong at night time. That was the hardest part for us.

WendyNC · July 2009

We're not ready to give it up but Camryn's cutting her canines right now and keeps biting little slits in hers and then rejecting her passies b/c she's sucking air. I'm still buying more at this point, b/c I'm just not ready for the transition right now. But I guess at some point, then making her continue to use the ones with little cracks will make her not want it. I really want to start limiting it to the crib, but we've had a lot going on including her first ear infection last week. I've heard several people have success with cutting the tip off. Basically there's no point to my post but to say good luck and let me know how it works out for you. We'll probably be tackling it later this year.

mrsmikey · July 2009

I do not look forward to this day at all. I think we're going to let Eli keep his until he can't have it at daycare. I'm not sure when that is, but it's not this class and not the next, so we have at least 8 more months

I'm not comfortable with the cutting either. Like ECU said, it seems dangerous to me, like they could bite of a tiny part and choke on it or something. I like the ideas of the paci fairy coming and leaving a big boy present in it's place, or donating to other babies. Hopefully when it's our turn to do this Eli will be old enough to understand. I think it's easier if they can understand what's happening.

Evans · July 2009

We did go cold turkey at around 18 months, so I don't have any advice for other methods. ?I didn't want to cut it. ?It seemed a bit dangerous and a more cruel to me than just taking it away. ?I felt less mean just taking it away than I did acting like she could still have your paci but sneakily altering it so that it didn't "work" anymore.?

We did it on Friday and it was a hard night, so was Saturday, but by Monday she was okay - still whining for it at bedtime, but within two total weeks it was merely a memory to her.

We used the "pacis are for babies" and that worked with her. ?My reason for doing that though was I knew Caroline was coming along and she would use a paci and it worked. ?Kylie will give Caroline her paci and tell me they are for babies and doesn't ask for one.

?She was only 1.5 when I did it, so her comprehension was not as?advanced?as if I were doing it now, so we went simple. ?When I asked for advice, LB suggested going to build a bear and putting the pacis in a special bear that he can still sleep with and I thought that was a neat idea for an older child.

I am rambling on I know, but I think it just all boils down to John's?temperament, what works for him and your situation (other stressors, etc.).?

We actually noticed a really positive behavior change after taking it away because she knew that acting out wouldn't get her the paci anymore so there was no point.

Good Luck!?

LauraBrett · July 2009

Evans:
??When I asked for advice, LB suggested going to build a bear and putting the pacis in a special bear that he can still sleep with and I thought that was a neat idea for an older child.?

Like C said, dd was three days past her third birthday (should have done it sooner) we took her a build a bear. We talked and talked about it and she stuffed all her paci's in the bunny, all five of them. ?She cried for a couple of nights and that was it. ?A couple of weeks before build a bear I cut the tip off of one and she told me it was broken. ?

We are fixing to do the BaB thing for ds, not looking forward to it either. I think it is harder for us to initiate the process than anything. Hugs to you and ds.?

VivianLee · July 2009

I clipped the tip of Connor's last week. He is still taking it but not as much. I will clip the tip even more tonight. It is not sharp at all. Now he more or less chews on them rather than suck them because the suction is gone now. He definitely gave them a strange look when I gave him the clipped one and brought it to me and asked for a different one (which I had clipped also). He hasn't taken one at daycare since about his first month there but is still very reliant on them at home. I'm hoping this route will wean him soon. Good Luck!! I definitely feel your pain on this one!

<3cici<3 · July 2009

I don't know if this will work for you since Dec is still some time away. But my employer's got their daughter to give up the paci by explaining "pacis are for little girls" and if she wanted "big girl" toys she'd have to give her paci to santa. so, she alone put her paci in her christmas stocking and in return got "big girl" presents on christmas. anytime she asked for it back, they told her they could get it from santa, but she'd have to give back her "big girl" toys.

Maybe you can come up with a special scenario like this to make it his "big boy" decision.

XtraKristi · July 2009

We're just starting to go through this ourselves. Olivia is 17 months and Dr. said do it by 18 months so we're going to try. Will be interesting to see how it goes. She only needs it at nap or bedtime, but she definitely depends on it for sleep. Will have to try some of these ideas. Good luck to you!

crescentmoon99 · July 2009

My SIL and another friend have both just weaned their 3 year olds using the paci fairy. The paci fairy came and took away all their pacis and left them a "big girl" present (and they had gotten to ask for what they wanted as their paci fairy present).

Want a personalized experience?

Getting rid of the paci?

Re: Getting rid of the paci?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards