Getting rid of pacifiers?

avalei · November 2013

Any advice for transitioning? My daughter just turned two and only uses one for naps and nighttime, but is rather attached...

authorofdreamz · December 2013

I don't really have any advice just wanted to say good luck since we are in the same boat!

Today, was actually DD's first day without her paci. This morning I planned on transitioning her to just naps/nighttime but after she cried almost all morning, I decided to just do away with it cold turkey because I felt like it would make things worse to give it back and then take it away again. We went out and did something fun to get her mind off it and after that she was pretty okay. She asked for it a few times but no more crying and she went to sleep fine without it.

heath06 · December 2013

My daughter is 2 1/2, and I tried getting rid of it (more accurately, manipulating the situation so SHE wants to get rid of it) this week, since I was off. I started cutting a small hole and I've been cutting off a bit more every day. She realized by day 2 it was "broken" but still wanted it. There's only a tiny bit left now and today during nap, she said she wanted it on the dresser. Never used it. It's a bit harder for night time, but I told her she can still hold it if it's broken or she can use it with her dolls. So far it's working okay - she's waking up a bit more at night but it's not so bad.

blu-eyedwife · December 2013

Is your daughter in daycare? That was the key to our transition. His DCP even said it would be easier for them than us, since they can use the other kids as examples.

Day 1: At naptime, he asked for the pacifier, and they told him he was a big boy and didn't need it anymore. Then pointed out that all his friends didn't use a pacifier and he agreed he was a big boy and didn't need it. He said "paci" a few times and fell asleep. Still used it for bedtime.

Day 2: Didn't ask for it at naptime. Still used it for bedtime.

Day 3: Didn't ask for it at naptime. At bedtime announced he was a "big boy. no pacifier" and hasn't used it since.

Spin313 · December 2013

We nixed the bink a few days ago and are still struggling with getting DD to sleep.

We went OOT for Thanksgiving and, because our schedule was messed up and we were getting to bed late, DD didn't need/ask for her binky at bedtime. When we got home, we just decided to go with it. She was VERY upset the first night; she cried for a long time and then we had to rock her to sleep. Now she wants to be cuddled and rocked to sleep, but she did end up napping and night-sleeping w/o the bink. We'll go with it for now and worry about weaning off rocking once she's over binky's disappearance.

fancynewbeesly · December 2013

We are going to have that problem as well. She primarily uses it for nap/bed. She is perfectly agreeable for it to live in her crib. However, she is VERY attached to it---and she sleeps REALLY well, I am scared for her to be up all hours of the night looking for it.

TeacherVicky · December 2013

We got rid of DS's at around 25m. He too only used it for naps and nighttime sleep and was very attached.

I talked about it for weeks before we did it in an attempt to "prepare" him for the transition (we had previously attempted a few months prior and it was a huge failure). He knew and would talk about how he would be saying bye bye to it, how it would go in the garbage, how pacis were for babies and how he was a big boy now.

He cried at bedtime for about 3 nights and for naps that weekend. The following week he got his big boy bed and never mentioned it again.

I think it helped us a lot too though that he hadn't had one at DC for naps for months by that point.

FabulousMrs.P · December 2013

We're right there with you. I told DH last night that I think I am going to get rid of it just before Christmas as I have 5 days off in a row...at least I won't have to go to work completely exhausted if she doesn't sleep.

I thought about trying to go without it just at naps first but I didn't know if it would be too confusing to not have it at nap and then have it at bed time. I think we might just go cold turkey. I think it is going to be rough on us as she is VERY attached to it. I was originally going to wait until her 2 year old molars come in, but I think each day she has her binky, it is going to be harder to break the habit.

SuperMom17 · December 2013

Go cold turkey. We just cut DS's today actually- I threw them all in the garbage and put him down with no discussion. Obviously not in front of him, but when he was put down there just we tent any pacifiers in the crib. He didn't fuss or cry at all. I am of the opinion that the earlier the better and depending on how aware she is, it might be a battle, but in the end you're realistically talking a tough 2-5 days ad then it's done.

luvmygirlss · December 2013

cold turkey takes about 3 days 5 at the most, considering thst you don't give in:) I'm not a fan of teasing/ weaning or playing games like cutting holes. It traumatic enough to hear the heart breaking crying, why prolong it...

SuperMom17 · December 2013

luvmygirlss said:

cold turkey takes about 3 days 5 at the most, considering thst you don't give in:) I'm not a fan of teasing/ weaning or playing games like cutting holes. It traumatic enough to hear the heart breaking crying, why prolong it...

Could not agree more!

FabulousMrs.P · December 2013

We took the plunge and got rid of it. I posted above, but it took about 3 days and she was over it. So glad that we decided to just go ahead and do it!

Cocoasushi · December 2013

My daughter had a huge attachment to her paci. She's four years old now. Getting her to drop it was difficult, but the hard part only lasted about a day.

About a week before her 3rd birthday we explained to her that on every little girls third birthday, the paci fairy comes to take her paci to give to a newborn baby who needs it. And being three years old makes her a big girl, not a baby anymore. This gave her time to cope with the fact that it would be going away very soon. The night after her birthday party, we had her put all of her pacifiers in a basket and set them on a table with a note to the new baby that would be getting them from her. The next day was hard for her, especially at naptime, but because she believed that she had given up her pacis for a good cause to a new baby that needed them, she was ok with it.

I'm not sure this would work with every kid, but it worked with my oldest and I certainly hope it works on the next.

Getting rid of pacifiers?

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