Are we the only ones?

bigbootyjudi · August 2013

Still using pacifiers?

I've been trying to wean Gio off of his since he turned 9 months old, at least off of having it throughout the day, but something always seems to pop up (and "they" say not to do it when your kid is sick/teething/a disaster). He got a set of two teeth at 9 months old, then a set of three at 11, and now he's getting his molars. If I have to wait for him to stop teething, I'll take it away when he's...what...3? :0

I really wouldn't mind him being so attached to his pacifier if it wasn't currently causing this ridiculously red rash around his mouth. He sweats a lot when he naps, so wet drool + sweat trapped underneath a piece of plastic...it looks bad. He has red bumps all around his mouth and on his chin. He'll only take an Avent pacifier and I'm not changing pacifiers this late in the game.

I feel like we're the only ones left. STMs, should I just pull the plug...literally? Everyone keeps telling me that if I wait until he's 2-3 to take it away from him, it's going to be hell.

britvahok · August 2013

Micah only uses a paci to go to bed at night. I'm not sure when I want to completly wean him off. Maybe in a few months. Since he only uses it at bedtime I'm not really in a rush

CRey13 · August 2013

D always hated the pacifier so no help there. My sister had hers until she was four and she turned out okay. My parents would hide them from her and she would climb on top of my dads desk to find them on the top shelf. She gave them up cold turkey when she started preschool.

skooz · August 2013

DD only gets hers for naps and bedtime (and occasionally for a long trip in the car). We started taking it away during the day around 6 months, but I'm not sure she would fall asleep without it. I haven't decided when to take it away completely. My niece just turned two and still uses hers at night and honestly it doesn't seem all that weird or super old. I would like it to be gone before two, but we'll see how it goes. Me and DH both used a paci well into toddlerhood, if that's even a word.

Tapthathank · August 2013

We still use a pacifier - DS gets it at naps, bedtime and in the car. He knows that it stays in his room and in the car. We call it a pootie (Orange County) - so when we leave his room and he has it in his mouth I point to his mouth and I say, "leave the pootie here" He tooks it out of his mouth and leaves it...or sometimes just spits it out. I think it helps that I'm not physically taking it out of his mouth; he has a part in it.

BBJ - I would definitely use it if DS was teething and nothing else would work!! I have heard that getting rid of it when they are a little older can be easier because then they can be involved with stopping - a ceremony of giving them away, throwing them away, etc. He's not going to have it forever!

klp28 · August 2013

DS still uses a binky for naps, bedtime, and in the car. Honestly, I couldn't care less. He's only 12 months old! He can't speak or express himself to tell me what he needs, so if it's soothing for him then that's fine with me.

FWIW, we took DD's binky away when she was about 26 months or so. She was only using it at bedtime by that point. It was wayyyyy easier than I expected. She was old enough to understand basic concepts. We traded her a Mickey Mouse stuffed animal for the binky. She's never looked back.

Jessica Swanlake · August 2013

I think it is fine for now, but try and phase it out by 24mos. I was 3 when I stopped using a binky and it was traumatic enough that I still remember exactly how it went down. My mom was on the phone. I was sitting on the stairs with my elephant. She put the phone down, walked over zoinked it out of my mouth then went back to talking to my aunt. It is my earliest memory (outside of a flash of what my nursery looked like). I was super dependent on it so it took a long time to get over that.

cedenton · August 2013

Yep, he still gets one. I try not to give it to him unless it's naptime or bedtime, but...well, I'm not always successful. I'll probably ask them to only give it to him at naptime in the next room (on MONDAY!), but I won't try to be more strict at home until after we get back from Puerto Rico (so 14 mos).

Megispreg · August 2013

DD has hers for naps, bedtime, and the car. I'm not really worried about it. I think we'll transition away from it once she's old enough to be bribed. She uses the kind with the stuffed animal on it, so I'm hoping I can just remove the paci part and she can keep the lovey.

lady_tytah · August 2013

Yes. It's is only qualm. He woods eats reg food sleeps through the night and is teething something serious. I just looked and all 4 molars are coming in. Not just the one I saw break through. I'll deal with that at 18m with potty training.,

JayandEmm · August 2013

W only uses for sleep and when I need to leave him at the church nursery. I'm not worried about. My pedi told me that if they're using it for sleep only, more often than not, they give it up on their own around 2/2.5.

twoitalians · August 2013

You're not the only one. DS still uses his. I thought he was weaning himself off it a month or so ago when he was only using it for naps, but the past two weeks he's wanted it all the time. I'm sad about it because I don't as many kisses when he has his binky. But I think there is a little growth spurt or wonder week going on that he needs the comfort so I'm not pushing to wean him just yet. Plus he likes to chew on it for his teething instead of regular teethers.

vic8504 · August 2013

DD only really uses it for naps and bedtime. Though she has been teething like crazy lately so she has been grabbing it more as it seems to be her favorite teether. I am not too worried about getting rid of it right away.

NeneCakies · August 2013

Still a go for naps, bedtime and car. On extended trips or in new places we still have one available at all times just in case. If she's using it more than usual and I notice a rash starting I'll dab a little lanolin on it. Seems to help.

Mrs. Rohde · August 2013

We still use it for sleeping and long car rides. It's his soothing thing so I'm not about to take it away. DD dropped hers around 2. It was no big deal and she was only using hers at night.

piphigirl · August 2013

We went cold turkey at 3.5 months and haven't locked back. I don't think it is a problem to still use them, though!

mmknightly · August 2013

I keep one in the car and one at DC for emergencies. She also takes one for naps and bedtime. She doesn't use it throughout the day, so I'm not in a rush.

BatDaughter4Eva · August 2013

J gets it only in the crib.

The other day I saw a girl, that I'm sure was over 4 years old, with a pacifier in her mouth. Clipped to her shirt. I envisioned going home from work, and throwing away any paci I could find.

fastcarsandfreedom3319 · August 2013

In the crib, in the car, and in dire emergencies when we are out and about, we still use a binky. You're definitely not the only ones!!

austenfan919 · August 2013

DS still uses his for sleeping. I won't take it away until he is STTN (which he will someday, right?). I did recently stop sending it with him to the church nursery or letting him have it when he plays in the crib while I shower, which were the only daytime times he got them.

DD was just using hers for sleeping when she turned 1, and we took it away cold turkey. She did pretty well with it.

I think it is fine to use occasionally until 18m or 2 years. After that, I would probably side-eye. But I have no experience taking it away from an older kid to know how tough it would be. It could be easier if you can involve them in some way (trading it for a new toy or "donating" it to new babies, etc).

Buona Fortuna · August 2013

We've only ever used pacifiers at night and still do. He doesn't go to sleep without one and I'm not willing to lose sleep over it.

jillybean7582 · August 2013

DS gets one for sleeping including in the car when we drive more than 30mins and He needs to nap. I try to leave them in his room out of sight because if he sees it then he thinks he needa it but if its not in eyesight he could careless.

Keoh1215 · August 2013

Still on the binks here! We aren't that worried as long as she is done with them by 2. My nephew is still obsessed with his and he just turned 4. No way will that be happening here! (hopefully)