PR- Pacifiers

BluepointToasted · April 2014

At what age do I really need to take the pacifier away? DS will be 19 months in a few days. He only takes it at bed and naptime, only in his crib. I was thinking about trying to break him of it when we get back from our trip in two weeks. Is this a good age? Should I just leave well enough alone for now?

BluepointToasted · April 2014

WhoCanItBeNow said:

We tried the whole "You're a big boy!" thing. His response to that is to lay on his back, flail his arms and legs and say "No, I'm a baby. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaah".

Lol, I can totally see this happening! I thought to maybe wait a while until he can understand cognitively a little more. I feel like if I take it away now it will end up a CIO situation that I am not feeling like dealing with.

suziqnc · April 2014

My DD loved her paci, and wanted it all the time. At around 15 months, we did a loose version of the Bye Bye Binky method. I was scared to take the paci away, and had prepared myself for the worst. It actually went really well, and was probably harder on me than her. (I didn't realize before starting this how quick I was to give her the paci when she started crying) After the 2nd day, she was napping at school without crying for it. After the 4th night, she didn't even ask for it at bedtime. The other nights, she would cry for about 15 minutes or so. There is no harm in trying it now. Good luck!

BluepointToasted · April 2014

I was thinking 2ish. But daycare seems a little like he shouldnt have one. They are like "Oh, its perfectly fine mom, whatever he needs" but inside I feel like they are judging.

They also seem to have some weird issue that he sleeps in a sleep sack at home. I don't get it. Its so cold, and he moves around so much in the night I don't know how he would keep a blanket on.

secretsout · April 2014

Mine still has his, and he is 28 months. I half heartedly encouraged him to give it up a while ago but it didn't go well. He really only uses for sleep time and when he doesn't feel well. I don't let him have it all day and he doesn't really use it when we go anywhere either. I've started telling him that when he is three he won't be able to have it anymore, maybe if I spend a long time getting him used to the idea it won't be too much of a fight (ha). It's not a battle I'm choosing to fight right now.

I don't think there's any harm in trying, but I don't think it's worth a fight at that age.

BluepointToasted · April 2014

What WCIBN said. I have no problem with DS having it in bed. My cousins kid is almost 4, and has it in her mouth probably 95% of the day. Can't understand a damn thing that kid says. I judge her for that.

(My cousin for not taking it away, not the kid for being unintelligable)

NoSoup4You · April 2014

We took DD's away at 18 months. Biggest parenting mistake to date. Her sleep went to hell. I insisted on powering through for some ridiculous reason. Probably judgment from others. We suffered for months. I'm not putting an arbitrary timeline on DS. Obviously he can't keep it forever, but I'm going to be more flexible this time around.

RayRay007 · April 2014

I was planning two-ish. I figured by then she would understand better the concept that it was gone. It happened a bit earlier than two (22 months?) by accident when my mom was babysitting and couldn't find one. We rolled with it then.

FalconCrest · April 2014

Before I had kids, I was so anti-paci. Then I had 2 pacifier addicts. DD1 gave hers up when she was close to 4 and DS gave his up when he was around 2 1/2. I tried both times to make them give up the paci, but that resulted in nothing but tears and loss of sleep. DD2 doesn't care much for the paci.

cedenton · April 2014

DS wasn't allowed to have his when he moved to the toddler room at DC except for naptime. The first day they left it in his cubby and said since he didn't ask, they didn't give it and he napped fine. So...he doesn't get a paci at DC at all and (almost) only for naps and bedtime at home. In the morning he takes it out of his mouth and throws it back in the crib of his own volition.

I've been thinking of trying to get rid of it altogether, but then I don't.

ppants · April 2014

At 1 yr, they only got them to sleep. At 2 yrs, they went away for good. DD was more of a binky baby than DS so she was upset the first nap without it, but did fall asleep without crying. Bedtime that night, she cried for about 15 min. No tears the second day. Whenever you decide to do it, just stick with it.

ByeBabyBunting · April 2014

Our new DCP just gave us shit about it too, and they told DS that "mommy is going to take that away from you, you're a big boy now". Well, I had no intention of taking it away and for the next few nights DS sobbed at bedtime because he thought I was going to take it. Great communication DCP!

He only has it at night in his bed at home, and it has been that was for ages since he wasn't allowed to have it in the toddler room at his old DCP. It doesn't bother me at all that he uses it at night, but I'm glad we got rid of it during the day early, especially since he as a speech delay.

fancynewbeesly · April 2014

It was our New Year's Resolution, last summer Reese was pretty good about it just in the bed/crib. However over the fall she wanted it all the time. Later we realized it was because she wasn't feeling well. I refuse to take it away now, so she will have it until college. She only has it in the bed.

Littledeer84 · April 2014

So I wanted to take it away years ago...but she still sleeps with it. She was just such a crap sleeper, I couldn't imagine taking away one thing that comforts her. She didn't do lovies...it is like her bink is her lovie. She is on her last one, once she bites through it we are done. We have told her that, so (fx) it won't be too bad when the time comes.

wiggyslilsis · April 2014

DD is two. She will give it up if you ask her tobut sshe hasn't figured out how to comfort herself without so we keep one on us so if she gets hurt or scared she can have it. She was close to giving it up but then her allergies hit and she melts down if I take it.

I am going to try to get it down from whenever to just bed time, nap time, and the car by 2 1/2. I will see if she will give it up on her own but if not I will actively try to get rid of it by 3 since she will understand more by then.

I worked in daycare and the teachers that were dead set on the kiddos not having binkies drove me crazy. If mom/dad/guardian said they can have it then give it to them.

NotSharknado · April 2014

Sophia is with her Pacis all day and night. She's always double fisted. 2.5 and I have not even considered it yet.

kmm2150 · April 2014

TyrannosaurusLex said:
Genuine question - why do people care so much about taking the paci away? If the child is only using it at home and at sleep time, what's the issue? Assuming they are using an orthodontic approved one of course.

Full disclosure / I had mine till I was 5 at sleep times, gave it up of my own accord one night (I remember it) and have great teeth (brag) so I am truly clueless. It just really seems to bother people?

I think there are two big factors - one is that past 24 months, frequent sucking on something - pacifier, bottles, whatever- affects permanent development of teeth, palet (sp?), etc. The other thing is speech - if LO constantly has a binky in their mouth they are probably not developing good clear speech. Obviously, if it's truly only for bedtime, these are probably not as serious issues.

For us: DD was pretty much only using hers at bedtime and naps, and had been totally without it at daycare for awhile. Then, we flew..then she got sick.. And suddenly she was addicted. It also seemed to become more of a battle of wills as she got closer to two, like I'm going to be stubborn as hell and wear you down on this, even though I KNEW she did fine without it at daycare.

The week before her second birthday, she woke up Saturday morning and the just disappeared. We had one breakdown at nap, and had a long talk about what a big girl she is and all the things she get to do that her baby cousin can't do yet. It was SO EASY I was shocked. She just didn't care, and once I held strong for 24 hours, it was over. Didn't even ask for it at bedtime the first night!

Good luck!

kmm2150 · April 2014

WhoCanItBeNow said:

wiggyslilsis said:

I worked in daycare and the teachers that were dead set on the kiddos not having binkies drove me crazy. If mom/dad/guardian said they can have it then give it to them.

I agree for a younger child. However, here they are not allowed to let a child walk around with anything in their mouth- pacifiers included. They don't need to lose their license because a child that can walk has a paci still. The toddler room only allows them for naps, the preschool room does not allow them at all. I have no issue with that. He has it right now and in 10 minutes when he's asleep I'll pull it out if he hasn't spit it out already.

Ours also said it was an issue once they were mobile because kids would take each others and they couldn't keep straight whose was whose=germs. Not like they aren't openly licking everything in sight but still.

wiggyslilsis · April 2014

That makes sense @WhoCanItBeNow‌

I should have been clearer. I meant for like the 1-2 year olds. Also, that is not in the licensure laws here...if it was I would totally understand and it would be in the parent contracts. I was lead teacher of the 2 year olds and they kept it in their cubby for nap times and occasional really rough day. And some teachers would walk in the room and take the binky while the kid was falling asleep which would lead to screaming and fits and all the kids awake.

nanabanana06 · April 2014

I think the AAP says 1 year for binkies to be gone. It has to do with speech and teeth development. I got Rosie's binky away at 11 months. Cade still has his though. He's a little more difficult than his sister with stuff. We're giving him until 18 months.

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