Operation Paci-Need Advice
This week has been HELL! We've been down to 1 paci for a few weeks now and only at naptime/bedtime for months. The ones we've gotten rid of so far were put under her pillow and left for the "Paci Fairy" who left her a treat in it's place. And she did great with this. Saturday after her nap I couldn't find her paci so I kept tellhing her sweetie Mommy can't find paci so we need to find it or you won't have it at bedtime. Well bedtime came and I still hadn't found it and told her that when she asked for it during story time. DH said he'd go look for it. He found it but we didn't tell her that because she seemed to be doing ok with us saying it was lost so we thought we'd take advantage of it and go along with it to see how she did. Saturday and Sunday she didn't do too bad for naps/bedtime but since then it's been awful! She's been breaking my heart and DH and my patience are being pushed to the absolute limts with the sreaming and crying and not settling down at naptime/bedtime....it's taken HOURS for her to fall asleep and she doesn't fall asleep without us in the room, so we've been there for all of those hours.
I can't imagine how tough this is for her being as she's had it since birth, was super attached/addicted to it, and really does not know how to fall asleep without it! We've tried encouraging her to snuggle with her Taggie (her other "lovie") and stuffed animals, we've tried letting her have her projecter on, my Mom even brought back out to her the fisher price crib aquarium she had as a baby. I'm tempted to tell her we found the paci but have it be not as good (I would poke holes or snip it a little bit) and then continue with that route hoping she weans herself and that would be less painful for her. DH said no, we can't go back at this point we've come this far. Today/tonight is day 5 of being without it, but I'm worried this is going to continue and it's not good for her to be losing this sleep and getting this worked up about it every time. Last night and yesterday she was just so emotional at naptime/bedtime she was just crying/screaming about anything and everything....she wasn't even saying it was because she wants/needs her paci, but DH and I know that's where it's steming from...not having that security.
This was my worst fear of taking it from her and it's now come true! We really HAVE to get her away from it and asap because her teeth are really bad and the ped dentist of course thinks it's from the paci. After hearing her last results and seeing her x-rays from her cleaning a month ago DH and I have been so upset with ourselves for letting her have it this long and worry about her being picked on when she starts school. I just don't know what to do and what would be the best to do this for her and us at this point.
Re: Operation Paci-Need Advice
I fear this with my youngest. I plan to take his away for good in a few months. He uses his just for sleeping too. My oldest was awesome about it. We took it away one night and he couldn't have cared less. If I were in your shoes I think I would stick to your guns and not let her have one. The bottom line is that you know you have to take it away so you might as well do it now since you already started. I'm sure it is so heartbreaking to watch her cry for it, but I'm guessing that a few more nights and she'll be fine.
Now the true test will be in a few months when I have to take Dylan's away. We'll see if I follow the advice I gave you if he doesn't handle it well either ;o)
We are right there with you.. Binky free since Saturday.. so I don't have much advice. The first two days were rough for us, but the last two have been OK.
The one thing that seemed to help Eve, since she has her care bear obsession. I happened to buy her a book for her birthday about a little girl who is afraid to go to sleep (she's afraid of the dark) and Bedtime Bear comes and helps her go to sleep, shows her the dark isn't scary..So the 2nd no binky night, that she was having the worst time of it, we gave her a new little bedtime bear (she already had a big pillow type one). It actually talks.. so we told her that he would help her go to sleep.. And it really helped.. The night after that, she basically copied a line from the book and said "I know I won't have any trouble falling asleep.".
I mean, I am sure that if we gave her the binky back, or made it where she could reach it, she would take it.. but she's doing pretty good so far.
m/c 1/2/08 and 3/12/08
Eve Amelia- Born 2/24/09. 6lb 9.9oz
Natalie Ruth - Born 6/13/11 7lb 6.6oz
Don't go back.
You may have a couple more days of misery but she eventually will be completely fine. When we took Claire's away I broke down once and gave it to her early on. After that, we stood firm. She had a couple moments and a few times stole Evan's and ran around with it but in general, after the initial shock of losing it, was fine. And she was with it 24/7.
Good luck!
Thanks girls! WOW sorry for all the spelling and grammatical errors.
Melissa-that's a good idea. She responds really well to books and relates to them, quotes them, and acts them out all the time so maybe I'll try to find a book.
we went cold turkey with M. don't give in. i know it's hard.
M never asked for it that 1st night, but he was certainly looking for it- it was always in the same spot on the shelf and i would always move it to the changing table for him to grab once he was out of the bath every night. that first night he was looking for it and seemed distraught that he couldn't find it but i totally ignored him. i continued on doing everything else as normal. bedtime was easier then naptime, but after a week he was ok.
our dentist was the reason we stopped also