How bad was it getting your paci-addicted DC off the habit?

Sunflower777 · August 2011

DS#2 is 2.5 and is very attached to his paci. Yesterday we went to the dentist and she mentioned he has an open bite due to the paci use. So I know it's time to help him kick the habit.

If your DC was attached to the paci, and you got him/her off it around age 2, how'd it go? I think we are going to do the paci fairy thing, I've been talking to him about how he's a big boy now, and the paci fairy will come and give his pacis to little babies who need them, and leave him a big boy toy.

Any other tips or suggestions?

AnnapolisLari · August 2011

I've been prepping DD. She knows that it's got to be gone by the time she's 3. It's going to be ugly.

We've gotten her down to just bedtime and naptime, but God forbid the binkies not be in bed with her.

She's started chewing on them, so as they get holes, I am tossing them. She's down to 4.

ghm · August 2011

Honestly, taking the paci away from Ethan and Maile was far easier than I thought it would be. Ethan had his at nap/nighttime until a little after 3. At 2, I had limited them to the bed. When I finally took them away completely, there were no tears.

Maile was chewing hers up, so I took them away (at the same time as the bottle) around 19 months. She asked a few times, and I told her "sorry, they're all gone." She never cried (and she sure can throw one hell of a tantrum!).

lsufan · August 2011

DS2 used one for sleeping until a couple of months after his 3rd birthday. His front teeth were a little pushed out, but the dentist was not concerned. He said that the teeth usually shift back on their own, unlike with thumb sucking. Anyway, one day we were down to one last paci, and it was so torn up and stinky that I told DS we had to throw it away. He said he was fine with it, and that was that. That was about 5 months ago, and his teeth have definitely shifted back into place. Good luck!

Yodajo · August 2011

It was really easy.

DS2 was very addicted to them. He would walk around with one in his mouth and then one or two in his hand. Sometimes he would evn try to cram two or three in his mouth at a time. When he turned two though, I couldn't find them one night and I just decided that was it. He cried a bit that night and during nap the next day, but it wasn't horrible.

One thing I think is important is that you have to be sure and not apprehensive about taking it away. If you waver, they can sense it and I think that will make it harder. DS2 also was very attached to his blankie and having that still helped a lot.

kcisthebombdotcom · August 2011

My friend's DD is also 2.5 and she went cold turkey with the paci this week. She was surprised at how easy it was.

I think the paci fairy is a great idea.

GinandTonic · August 2011

I waited too long. DD was 3 and was pretty addicted. I stopped buying them and one night, we couldn't find one and instead of sending DH out to get some, it was just too bad. It made for a high-strung couple of weeks on her part - she had a hard time calming down. And bedtime wasn't pleasant for awhile. But, she's over it and talks now about "When I was a baby and had a bink-bink..."

DS sometimes says "I still wish Mia had a bink-bink. She talks to much and was much quieter when she had one."

shopgirl78 · August 2011

DD was three when we took it away. At the time, she was only using it at night. One night, MH got her to trade it for a bandaid. She went to bed fine. The second night was harder but it got much easier. It wasn't THAT bad.

DS1 didn't take a paci.

DS2 still has his at 19 months....not sure what will work for him.

Yodajo · August 2011

GinandTonic:

I waited too long. DD was 3 and was pretty addicted. I stopped buying them and one night, we couldn't find one and instead of sending DH out to get some, it was just too bad. It made for a high-strung couple of weeks on her part - she had a hard time calming down. And bedtime wasn't pleasant for awhile. But, she's over it and talks now about "When I was a baby and had a bink-bink..."

DS sometimes says "I still wish Mia had a bink-bink. She talks to much and was much quieter when she had one."

OMG, yes! Be prepared for how much louder your house is going to be!

I also forgot to mention that we told DS that we gave his pacifiers to the little babies that needed them. We played up that he was a big boy now and all the little babies needed them more than he did.

Sip_Sip · August 2011

I will say it ended up being far easier than I thought it would be. I did it cold turkey. Told her that I had to take her binkies to crying babies at my work. She whinned about it for maybe two days. I had more anxiety over it than she did.

I was at the zoo one time when I overheard a mom and her son giving his binkie to the zookeeper "for the baby giraffe". I thought that was cute.

JCS2007 · August 2011

DS 2 just turned 2, and still is very attached to his. I am looking to take it away at some point, but we are down to just nap/bedtime, so I am not in a huge rush. Our dentist will take pacificiers- apparently the kids can bring them in, and if they agree to no more pacificiers, the dentist will 'buy' them in exchange for a gift certificate to the local toy store.

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