Binky Addiction

My pediatrician said it was fine for my son to have his pacifier until he was a year old. I don't know why but the day after his birthday he woke up and never used one again. I was so grateful! I wouldn't worry about it until she gets closer to one. My pediatrician also said that at the age of one they still forget things very easily and would be fine without it within a couple of days.

I was the same way. Binky is gone by 1 year. My little one took it and the special ribbon he selected and tied it to the front fence for the Binky Fairy to get. After a nap, he found that the fairy had left him a small toy for him to snuggle with. I think this worked so well for us because his big brother had gotten a visit from the tooth fairy a month earlier.

When it was time for my baby brother to "lose" the binky, my mom began cutting a little bit away at a time off the end of it. By the time it was just over half cut down, he never wanted it again.

Hi A.,

Remember your baby is still so young. Children go through an oral stage of develpment and if your baby needs to suck on something, then your baby needs to suck on something, so do not get upset or force the issue.

Many children want to suck on a binky when they are in the second year. It is a very soothing thing. Some children need it more than others.

So, remember that maybe getting rid of it is what you want not what is best for right now. If during that next year, you can cut down to naps or times of upset, then try it, but defintley do not worry about it.

T. RN Case Manager and Health Coach

I was in the same boat you were.....my son took it at nap and bedtime ........until he was 2.....prior to turning 2 we went on a weekend trip, I got rid of all the binkys at the house before we left......so all I took was 1 binky on the trip...prior to checking out of the hotel I said "Do you think we have everything?" my son shook his head yes.....so we took off "leaving" the binky. It was easier to do it this way so I wouldn't cave in and give it to him that night. So we talked about it.....and I explained we "left" it at the hotel and it's ok because he's a big boy now...etc...he seemed fine with that response until the 1st night....he cried, wanting his binky...I explained to him again how we left it and it's such a bummer...etc.... and well....that was the last he ever spoke of the binky!! :) I think you should wait until your little girl is a little older so she understands she doesn't need it.......she doesn't have it other then nap or bedtime so it's not messing up her speech.......she's doing fine.....you have plenty of time. Good luck!

I have a 12month old that is still using a binky. She only gets it in bed right now. As soon as she ets up it stays in here crib. I am in the process for weining her off of it right now. She seems to do ok without it for the most part. If its not in front of her shes fine. But if she see it she wants it. So just try to keep it out of sight.
Chissy
mom of one

I let Joey choose when he wanted to loss it he stopped using it all on his own and he stopped about 9 months...

Hey, there, A. --

I was VERY AVERSE to even the thought of a pacifier when our daughter was born. For whatever reason, it seemed almost foul to me, like I was putting a cigarette in her mouth or something. Not sure why I felt as I did, but thankfully, I came around to the idea because her pacifier provided her great comfort and a real sense of ease as she slept which she otherwise did not have.

Personally, I don't care one whit what the books say. Every child is different, and it's the child you should listen to for cues that will help you to know when to challenge them and when to comfort them. We are BIG on challenge at our house, and even big on consistency and routine (two other things I would have despised in my pre-baby-having life). However, we are also reasonable enough to feel that one shoe does not fit all when it comes to approaches to kids and their milestones.

We were prepared to let our daughter use her pacifier for as long as she needed to, until she was able to comprehend what it would mean to give it up and what she could do to ease herself into sleep. We never let her have it outside of bedtime - maybe on an occasional car ride when we had to travel during naptime/bedtime. She was never allowed to have it while participating in activities, in a stroller, at a store, at dinner, etc. So its use was very specific to comfort at sleep time.

As her 2nd birthday approached, we began talking about how there were babies who needed pacifiers and she had the choice to give it to the "pacifier fairy" who would provide it to a little baby who was having trouble sleeping. We talked about it for several weeks and had a few false-starts, but then, completely of her own accord, she decided to give it up, and she never had a relapse.

So, that's my story. I don't think there is anything evil about the pacifier and, within reasonable parameters, I don't think there's anything wrong with letting your child use one to feel more comforted.

Hope that helps!
H.

A.,
Please do not worry about your darling little girl still having a binky at 7 mos old. Both of my girls had theirs until they were 2yrs old(naps and bedtime), and I don't believe that it hurt them in anyway. It was comforting to them and so I continued to let them use it. The daycare provider and I worked together to get them to "let go" of it, and eventually it worked. But I don't believe that they are any "worse for the wear" for having it that long.
Good luck to you and your family!
J.

I am a mom who thinks they should get rid of it when they are ready, if it makes her happy why take it away? My 1st child took it until he was 3 my 2nd could have cared less, and my daughter loves her binky but she is only 9 wks old so we have awhile!

The last thing we want to do is cause our little ones any unhappiness but, the longer you let her have the binky the more attatched she is going to get to it and the harder it is going to take it away later. A friend of mine is a dentist and says that binkies are not good for new teeth coming in and may cause future dental problems. We took our kids binkies away from them cold turkey. It was a rough 3-4days but eventually they did not miss it anymore. The hardest part is making the decision and sticking with it. You can do it!!!! You will thank yourself later.

Why take it away. It is something that makes her feel safe. If you want it gone ask her if she would sleep without it for a night. If not then she is not ready. Both of my girls still has things in thier room that makes them feel safe at night.

My daughter is 10 months old and uses her binky more now that she is cutting teeth. She doesn't suck on it as much as she chews on it. We have gone through 3 of them in the last 2 months! I have tried other teething remedies and she doesn't care for anything but her binky. My pediatrician said it is easier to take her binky away (when we decide to do so) than it is to cut off her thumb. I think you will know when it is time to say bye bye binky. Trust your "motherly" instincts.

I was totally in your shoes about 3 1/2 yrs. ago with my first daughter. I said absolutely no binky past the first year!! She only used it in her bed for sleeping (a little in the car at first). I was so stressed about it...year three rolled around and I just didn't know what to do!! It was such a comfort to her. I eventually just said if that is the only time she uses it (not when she is up and out and about)then OH WELL. She will give it up one day...and she did. Just about 3 months ago. She is 4 now and has never even asked me for it one time. She started a new day care and they didn't use binkys at naptime. So she brought it home to me and said "we don't use these at my new schoo." I was ECSTATIC! So, I said well I don't think we need to use it here anymore either because you are such a big girl! She was OK with it. And she is a VERY spirited, strong willed child! So, don't sweat it to much...it's not worth it AT ALL! Now, my second daughter is 17 mos. and is using it just for sleeping and I really don't even think about it. She will give it up when the right time comes! (And you figure they won't get married with it -HA!) Good Luck!

Both of my children loved their binkies. I got lucky (sort of) with my first child, because she got sick one night while in her crib and her binky got all "yucky". I used that opportunity to say "bye bye binky" because she saw that it was "yucky". She was about 18 months old and was very verbal. I would hear her mourning the loss of her binky in her room because she'd say "binky all gone, binky yucky, binky bye-bye". I wanted to rush right out and buy another one...she just broke my heart!

My son is about to turn 2. He also loves his binky. We only let him have it in his crib so I didn't feel too anxious about taking it away from him but knew it was time to consider how to break the habit. About one week ago we couldn't find it and we were a bit panicked. We soothed him to bed with his blanket, a story and his other typical night time rituals. He doesn't talk much so I am not sure what he was thinking about the missing binky but he did go to sleep. Now a whole week has gone by binky-free! I just found the binky and it is going BYE-BYE! Now if only potty training were this easy.......

I know you probably have personal reasons for wanting the binky gone by a year, but my personal feeling is, if it provides comfort, it is okay for the first year or two, I just always preferred it to stay in the crib. Maybe gradually take it away for naps. Then at night, maybe gradually allow her to fall asleep with it, but remove it from her crib if it pops out of her mouth (or take it out after she is asleep).

It will all work out. Just trust yourself and your instincts. I am sure you are a fabulous mom and you'll do it just right!

My suggestion is to get rid of it as soon as possible. My son and daughter both had their binkies for WAY too long. My son just turned 5 in Jan. and he cu them up on his birthday!!! YEH!!! My daughter was 51/2 and now she still sucks her thumb and 7 1/2 which is a whole different question that I would like to post. My pediatrician and dentists always let me know that it wasn't harming my children, at the young age they were, as long as I kept it limited. It sounds like you're keeping it limited to her nap and bed time, but if you can get rid of it now I would. It only get harder as they get older. I know, I will never forget my daughter screaming in terror over it.

What book says to take it away at 7 months? I understand concern with preschoolers, but 7 months is a baby. My older boy used one until 2-1/2. At that point he said he was older and didn't need it. Never had speach issues, teeth issues, or attachemnt issues. They say ear infections could be higher, but my binky boy never had one and my younger one who doesn't like them so much has had 2. I was never a big fan of a kid walking out in public with a binkie, but in the crib its fine.

My son is sixteen months old and still uses the pacifier, it soothes him, it doesn't cause any real damage til they get their permanent teeth, so I am not worried. He has actually started to wean himself during playtime and things like that. I never agreed with taking it away before they are ready, six months is way too young.

Don't Worry. If it soothes her. They say that it's O.K. to use a Binky until they are 2. But not after because it can start to change the formation of their teeth. My son was the same way and at 13 months just stopped using it himself. Give it some more time before you take it away.

Frankly, books that recommend taking a binky away from a 7 month old are ridiculous! This is something to worry about when your child is walking. My one son gave up the binky for his thumb, and then gave up the thumb at age 2 on his own. If the binky is only at nap and bedtimes, you could still use it for a long time. I would avoid letting her have it when whe is not sleeping, and later, when walking around, however. The less they use it, the easier it seems to be to give it up at the appropriate time.

A.,
Try to just "lose" it during the day and oops we can't find it for naptime. It may be hard at first but don't give in, once it's gone it's gone. Babies are great the way they adapt, she'll be able to comfort herself another way(a blanket,stuffed animal,try reading to her).Words to remember: my S-I-L let her daughter have her pacifier whenever she thought she needed comforting(naps,etc)she still sucks it at 8 years of age but "only when she's stressed or upset".Get rid of it NOW!!!
Good Luck!
R.

My daughter was about 18 months when we finally gave it up. She only used it for naps and at bedtime, so I didn't have a problem with it. We talked about it, and she decided she was ready to sleep without it. We gave it up at the nap first, then at bedtime. It was gradual, and it worked just fine. I think if we would have waited even longer, it would have been harder, so I wouldn't let it go past 18 months. Good Luck.

This is my personal opinion as the mom of one binky loving kid and one thumb sucker - let the kid keep the pacifier. Many children have a strong need to suck. I too thought that my oldest should get rid of the binky at age 1. I ended up weaning him when he turned 1, and I thought it was cruel to take the binky away too (he had a hard time with weaning - that is a whole different story) Instead, I limited the binky to the bed when he turned 1. He only had it outside of napping and night if he was sick or if were were out somewhere during "naptime". I kept meaning to have him give it up, and I finally did it around 2.5. It was a pretty smooth transition - we picked a date (day after Christmas) and worked up to it. He got a new build-a-bear Elmo to sleep with instead. Now, I will say that I think his sucking needs were really gone by then - some kids have that need until age 3 or 4.

My youngest, now 2.5, sucks her thumb. What a wonderful source of self comforting for her. We are very blessed in that she only sucks her thumb when she is holding her blanky, so the blanky stays in her bed. My feeling at this point, is that if she hasn't given it up by age 4, we will try to encourage stopping, but I can't imagine a scenario where I take her blanky away.

A one-year-old is still a baby - it obviousy your choice to take the pacifier away or not, but why not follow your little one's cue. If you take it away too soon, that could bring on a thumb-sucking habit, which is much more difficult habit to curtail.

This is one time when a mother needs to go with her instincts and forget the books. Why is having a pacifier so bad? Seriously. If it helps your child, then let her have it. I've had three children, and I see *nothing* wrong with a child having one--especially if it soothes and calms her when she's trying to fall asleep. And why does she have to have it gone by the time she's a year old? Sucking is a *natural*, *normal* instinct--remember, babies do it from birth--so why take it away from her. Even at a year, a child is still a *baby*. A pacifier is a *very* small issue compared to the other things she's learning. Remember, pacifiers are just that--*pacifiers*. They are "pacifying"--soothing the child. Remember, this whole world is new to her. She needs something that is *hers*, something that will soothe her when her Mommy and Daddy aren't around...like in the dark when she's falling asleep.

In a nutshell, let her have her binky. It doesn't hurt a thing...including her palate...and it'll make your life--and hers!!--much easier. She'll give it up when she's ready, and you'll have a happier child.

I promise. <G>

T., mother of three <G>

She is only 7 months old and she still needs it to sooth herself. My son had his until his 3rd birthday. Yes it was long but not uncommon. I told him on his third b-day he would be a big boy and then no more passy. It worked. My daughter just turned 1 and she loves her. I don't think there is anything wrong with it.
S.

Hello! I personally think that she is too young right now to worry about a binky addiction but I can see your concern for later on. I have two boys (ages 4 and 2) and both took pacifiers. My 4 year old was very easy to break from the pacifier. By 12 months, he only had it at bedtime and by 18 months it was gone all together- no problems! One night when we were putting him to bed we couldn't find his pacifier and we looked all around for it and we said that it must be lost and he went to bed without it and was fine from there on! However, my 2 year old is truly addicted and still not ready to give it up. He cries for it all day long and if he doesn't have the pacifier, he wants snacks or drinks to fulfill that need to have something in his mouth. I do think that when they are really young (like your little one) they need that extra comfort that they get from a pacifier and it is easier to explain to an older child that the pacifier "has broken" or "is lost" rather than a little one. So I guess my advice is to take advantage of the pacifier and all the peace it gives you and your little one now and in a few months start giving it to her less and less until it is gone all together!

Hello....first off what the books say doesn't mean that it is going to happen....both of mine were "needy" of it at naptime and bedtime only....so that is a good thing she doesn't want/need it all the time! When they both were 14 months old I did take it away completely and it was so easy with my son....my daughter it took her about 2 days to get use to not having it. But the earlier you take it the easier it is on them (and you). According to an article I read a few years ago in Parenting mag....it takes them 72 hours to "forget" about it. So you can imagine if they are older....they are going to remember it more! I hope this helps.....and good luck! You can always use the binky fairy idea if she is still on it when she is older!

My daughter loved and I mean LOVED her binky. She was 17months when we took it away. When we did it, we had her go cold turkey. It was the hardest thing we have ever had to do. She seemed confused and very moody. I will never give another binky to a child again. It took 4 days before she was her old self. Now it is as if she never had it. I wish we had removed it earlier. Good Luck.

Our three children, who are now grown, never wanted a binky or sucked their thumb.
We are now raising a granddaughter who loves her binky and has used it at nap time/bed time since she was an infant.
She is now 2 1/2 and her binky is by her bedside table and she still uses it at bedtime - never any other time.
If this gives her comfort when she goes to sleep, I'm cool with that because I know when the time is right for her, she'll give it up. Often during the night, it comes out and she never bothers to put it back in.
You will love being a play at home mom. Wishing you the best.

Hi A.,
I have an 18 mos old son who still sleeps with his binky at bedtime and naps. I have had complaints from my in-laws about this but to tell you the truth I am the parent and I make all the executive decisions. Therefore I will tell you the same thing I am constantly reminding myself.......I am the Mom and I make all the decisions. My son will use his binky until I decide or he decides that he is done with it. Dont get me wrong I will not be sending my kid to kindergarten with a binky haha but in the meantime I am no hurry to take away something that makes him secure. Also I am not sure what you have been reading and I am sure there is a lot out there but in my "what to expectant the toddler years" book it is says that around age 2 1/2 is appropriate time to take away the binky. At seven months old I would not be worried about taking away her binky, we dont have to do what all the books say, just do what you feel is right!!!

I was having major problems with my son's binky use; well actually it was more along the lines of a binky addiction!! My friend absolutely raved about the cut method, and all of the psychology behind it. She found it on www.bye-bye-binky.com , which is great that it was also free. We went with it and OMGosh... worked so beautifully for my son with NO tantrums, not even one! Thank you God. Five days later he did not want anything to do with his binky. What a relief it was to all of us to finally be done with those darn binkies. Highly recommended! I am also interested in others experiences.... B.

My little one only uses it for bed time and nap time. She's nearly 18 months. It's the only time she uses one. It's not doing any harm to her or her teeth and it helps her settle down for sleep. I figure she'll out grow it when she's ready.

My in-laws broke their little one who wanted the Binky during the day by making a "sit down" rule. If she wanted the Binky she had to sit still on the couch. That got dull quick and no more Binky.

Try taking the Binky away during nap time. Let her settle with it and once she's asleep take it away and set it aside and let her sleep out the rest of her nap with out it. You can even try setting her down for naps without it all together. You'll be awake anyway so if she pitches a fit you can let her fuss for a bit longer without getting too frustrated too soon.

Good luck.

My oldest, now 4, had her binky for naps and bed until she was 2.5 years. It didn't hurt her teeth or anything else the "books" say will happen. She's fine with no negatives from keeping it for that long.

When we did start working with her to drop it, we snipped the end off with a scissors. She complained, but we told her those were the only ones we had. So, after a week, we snipped it again..this time a bit shorter. We did this three times, and then she was done with the binky. She never was upset with us for 'taking it away' because we didn't. She was also able to ween herself at her own pace this way.
Just an idea that worked for us. Good luck.

Don't always listen to what the "books" say. every child is different and her binky probably comforts her. I have 3 children and all 3 children stop using their binky's at different times. my oldest was 2, but he only used his at nap or bedtime after age 1, he is 11 now and doing fine and my daughter was the same way with hers, she was about 2.5, but only used it at naptime and bedtime as well and my youngest just turned 3 and he was actually about 11 months old when he stopped using his. he used it so much that he wore a little hole in it and after that he just did not want it anymore. When you are ready to have her stop using it, cut a small hole in it and she will not want to suck on it anymore. Don't listen to the books about this, they want kids to grow up way to fast, let he enjoy her binky; I promise she will not keep it forever..lol enjoy your little girl while she is young, they grow up way too fast.

My advice is stop reading those books! : )

You know your child best, and if your she is happy with the binky, let her keep it for now. It may help comfort teething pains too. One thing we always did right off the bat was limit binky use to bedtime and naptime only. The binks never left the bedrooms! This helped alot when it came time to get rid of it, which wasn't until around 3. A few ways to get rid of it: cut off the tips so there won't be anything to suck on. Or, if the child is older she can be a part of the process. If someone you know has a new baby, have her "give" her binks to the new baby because she is a big girl and doesn't need them now. Or, leave them all in a bag for the "Binky Fairy", who will take the binkys for babies who need them, and leave a small treat in their place.

I would let her keep it for now. She is still very young, and for some children the binky is very soothing. My girls were both this way. According to our pediatric dentist and pediatrician, the binky will only start to cause dental problems around age three. What I did was limit binky use to the crib (nap and bedtime) at six months. When my oldest turned two, I pricked a small hole in the tip of the binky. At that point, there was no suction, but she continued to use it as a comfort. Then, I gradually made the hole bigger over several weeks/months. Finally, she was down to just the plastic handle of the binky, which she held while she slept. Then, one day, she told me she did not want the binky in her crib, and that was that. I never thought we would break her from the binky, but they really do give it up in their own time (with some help along the way!). Nothing else worked for us (giving the binky to a baby, gifts from the binky fairy, etc.). This worked like a charm. I wouldn't push the issue for now. Good luck!

Hi A.
Im a mother of two boys, 5 and 3. My first born was seriously attached to his binky until he was about 18mo. Like you, I also read all the books that say they should no longer have it. So what we did was snip the tip of all the binky's. My son no longer found them satisfying and within a week we started finding them thrown from the crib. I honestly never thought it would be that simple. Good Luck!

I have heard not past 1 year, never 7 months:( They have a suck reflex for 12 months which is what the pacifier soothes. As long as she only uses it for sleep I wouldn't worry about it for now. Wait until you can talk to her about it and bargain it away at 18-24 months.

My advice is to wait things out. My older three children used their binky til they were each two. You're doing good by making sure she has it at bedtime and naptime. As long as she isn't using it all the time; she'll be fine. It's a comfort thing for her, and she really needs that. I don't pay attention to what the books say (I also have four children), so my suggestion is not to worry about the binky... when she's ready to give it up, she will.

I am laughing right now because I still have my "blankie" and I am 27 years old. LOL. I am not addicted to it, but I do still sleep with it every night. I think I turned out OK...my sister is the same way. Our husbands don't really mind either. Someday I will probably burn it, but I haven't gotten to that point yet. :) Good luck!

My daughter was almost 17months, we decided to snip the end. It took a week and she stopped asking for it. We decided to ween her off because she would sit in her crib and yell for it when she dropped it. I agree with the other postings that say not to worry about the books. Books are great for guidelines, but every child is different. Good Luck. Just make sure you are comfortable with whatever decision you make.

I would not follow what the books say but what you feel is right . Personally if she is just using in at nap and bed time I would not cut her off from it right now. I would waitand I not others would have a different opinion on this but I would wait until she is a little older. YOu get her off it too early she might start using her thumb and that is harder to break than a pacifier. Now when you do try to get her off it snip the tip of it, not off but to make a whole and she will not like it all that much. I will warn you it will take about a week or two of her crying for it but it will eventually subside.

Hi A., I have been fortunate enough that both of my kids never cared for a binky after 6 months, however if she only wants it during naps and bed time... What is the hurry? I am a strong believer that if it makes them secure, dont rush it and before you know it, she will give it up on her own. My 3yr old is completely potty trained and it makes her feel secure to go to bed with a sippy cup of water, and I hate it because she sometimes leaks out of her diaper at night, but I think that she is happier just knowing her cup is there whether she drinks it or not. B.

The suggestion I read in a magazine once said to cut off the silcone/latex part that goes into their mouth. They will try to use it and realize it in not the same anymore. They suggested at this point to say that binky is broken. The hope is that with binky broken it is not fun anymore and they won't want it. I would just make sure that there is nothing that could break off that would hurt them.

It's like a safety blanket. I tell my little one he can only have it when he sleeps. Once he falls asleep, I take it away. Eventually we took it away for naps.

At night we replace it with something else my boys really like. Maybe they have a new toy from X-Mas. Tell them they can sleep with the toy instead of the pacifier. My son has a favorite stuffed bear and bunny. My other son sleeps with different things... the last couple days it was a huge plastic transformer toy. Heh... whatever works... right?

A girlfriend told her daughter they were giving the pacifiers to children that didn't have any.

Hi A.! My son was obsessed with his binky and at 18 months old I decided it was time to be done with it. I read in a magazine to tell him that a binky fairy was coming to take his binky to little babies that needed them really bad and to set all his binkies out one night and don't give them to him again. So we decided to try it and it worked! I don't know how much of it he understood since he was only 18 months old, but it worked! I was willing to try anything at that point because we had tried everything - even cutting the tops of the binky off and giving him that and it didn't bother him at all as long as he had one in his mouth and one in his hand. I know it is a hard thing to do because they are so attached to them, but it was worth it for us. Just a suggestion. I know how hard it is to do because they love them so much! Good luck! :)

She's only 7 months old. Binkies are one of the ways babies and kids soothe themselves. And, actually, it is better than using their thumbs, because you can take a binky away! Plus, a lot of thumb suckers end up having a lot of orthodontic problems later on. As long as she isn't walking around with a binky in her mouth all the time (use it for naps, bedtime, and when she is really fussy only), and she is broken of it by the time she is about 2 1/2, (aim for 2, settle for 2 1/2 if you have to) you shouldn't worry about it. Many kids just give it up on their own. The pacifier containers all say not to cut any holes in the pacifier or cut the top off because it becomes a choking hazard. As far as breaking her of it later on, taking it away cold turkey is probably better than trying to phase it out, but it depends on the child. For older kids, you can tell them you are sending their pacifiers to a baby that needs it. Any way you do it, if they don't give it up on their own, they will cry for a few days at naps/bedtime, but they will be fine after that. Let her have it for now- don't worry about it until she is at least a year and a half if she hasn't given it up by then. Good luck.

Hi A.,
Luckily neither one of my children took to the binki but I've heard some mothers have a really hard time breaking their kids from this. I've heard you can take the binki and each day cut a little off of the binki and eventually the binki will get so small it will be hard for your child to keep in her mouth and she won't want it anymore????
Some people just take it from their children. I'm not really sure what the best way is to go.
Sorry.
T.

Hi A.,
This is what I did with my daughter, and it worked GREAT! We cut the tip of it off. Just enough for it to loose it's suction. Then, every few weeks, I cut a little more. Until there was NOTHING on it. At that point, and it was several months, she wanted me to throw it out. But I had her do it. That way if she asked for it again, I could say "don't you remember, you threw it away." It worked wonders. But why are you persistant on her coming off of it so early? This may be her comfort. I was just curious. Good luck. I did it this way for both my daughters. I tell everyone about it, because it worked so good. Glad that your a stay at home mom. I was for eight years. Now my little ones, I have 4, are in school. I started working at the school so that I could help pay their tuition. It is always great to hear that there are stay at home moms. There weren't that many when I did it. I think it is becoming more common.Which is awesome.! Enjoy her, they grow up way to fast.
T.

A., there is no need to take it away from her at night or at naptime. Especially when she is cutting teeth it is a good solace for you. Just because the experts say something does not make it cut in stone. Each child is different. Most children will allow you to take the binky away by the time they are a year old, but if not, it's alright to let it go a little longer at nap and bedtimes. It a solace to them, but during the day substitute a toy or blanket for them to feel comfortable with.

My daughter is 10yrs old now and I had a similar issue when she was an infant. I started giving her a special doll, Lily, when I layed her down along with her binky. After awhile I was able to take away the binky and she just slept with the doll. She still has the doll and when she had her tonsils out or goes away from home for the night Lily goes along as a reminder of home.

My son was the very same way. My boys were only a year apart , so I was getting very little sleep so I was afraid to take it away. FINALLY, a friend told me to snip off the very tip of the pacifier, I did it when he wasn't around and he tried to suck on it but it wouldn't work. He was broken of it in one day! I struggled for two years for nothing! The younger a child is the easier they are to break of things before it becomes a habit. Good Luck - you can do it.

I had 8 children and only one loved his binky.Itseemed to make him content at bedtime.In fact he was the most contented child I had.I wouldnt worry about it now, she will give it up when she is ready..

Take it away by 9 months. She may have a few bad days but it is easier than if you wait. You are not hurting her and it only gets harder the longer you wait. I can't stand when I see 3 and 4 year olds walking around with pacifiers.

I have heard a few different techniques of taking the binky away. One that worked for my cousin was to snip a little bit off of the tip each day. Soon, it's no longer enjoyable for them and it is gone! My son loved his binky as well. When he was two, I solved the problem rather easily. One night before bed....we couldn't find it!!! I told him that I would look for it and as soon as I found it I would bring it up to him. I did find it...but, not for several days! He had no longer been asking for it and the problem was solved!

Do you have a friend with a much younger child? Tell her Big girls don't use binkies and the baby needs binkies. Then allow her to gift the binky to the baby. When she asks for it later and she may just remind her she gave the binky to her little friend and big girls don't use them.
I use hope she doesn't love it like my cousin loved her baby blankie. My aunt would wash it and it grew smaller. It's now just big enough to tuck in a wallet and even though she is an adult with 5 (yes I said 5) young ones she still carries it.

Hi, A.. I had the same problem with my daughter when she was your daughter's age. We had binkys everywhere! One day (and i can't quite remember how old she was but I think around a year) I told her that the Binky Fairy was going to be coming to take away all her binkys so she could give them to other little children who didn't have any...I made this HUGE deal out of the Binky Fairy coming that when the final binky disappeared she was done with them. She never saw the Binky Fairy, of course, the binkys just began "disappearing" until they were all gone. Can't hurt to give it a try and see if it works for your little girl...you never know! Good luck! :)

Really, if she only really needs it during naps/bedtime, I wouldn't personally mess with it. Alot of kids just give it up on their own. And if it's limited to bed, that doesn't seem so bad. The books are great, but you have to do what works best for your kid. Besides, most parents obviously don't do that, given the number of 2 and 3 year olds that I see with their binky! Good luck (sorry I'm not more help but my son never really was interested much - he like to chew on the side once he could hold it and that's about all. one night he threw it out of the crib and we never gave it back - and he never even noticed!)

Throw the book out the window! There's nothing wrong with a baby using a pacifier to help soothe themselves. She's only 7 months old! Many kids have them until at least their first birthday - my 2nd child had hers until her 2nd birthday. If it starts to interfere with their speech you need to limit it or ditch it then but that's a ways away for you.

If your child finds comfort in sucking then taking they'll just use their thumb/fingers if you take away the pacifier too soon. Most dentists and doctors agree that the pacifier is much better than the fingers/thumb because it's easy to take away when they are 2 or 3 years old. It's bad for the teeth and speech if a child continues to suck on their thumb past 3 or 4 years old - and many thumbsuckers continue to do so until they are much older!

Coming from a dentist- get rid of the binky as soon as possible because it affects the eruption and positioning of her teeth. It can even affect the growth of mandible and maxilla. Now you will have to tackle the behavioral issues accompanying removal of the binky. I took my son's binky away at 6 months and pretended like we never had one. He went through an adjustment period of crying and asking for binky. I told him we lost it. We then made a special trip and I let him pick out a special teddy to sleep with and a baby blanket of his choice. He is five and till today-he must have his two favorite items to sleep with. I tried to refocus his attentiont to something that was not harmful to him. It took us about 2-3 months of adjustment but eventually he forgot about the binky. He did try to suck on his thumb - I quickly put some hand lotion over his hands so when he would put it in his mouth he did not like the taste -especially at night. You have to nip bad habits at the right time quickly or you will have a 3 year old w/ a binky and crooked teeth. Remeber, having to do braces is highly expensive and you should try to avoid that cost. We get a lot of patients in our office who had thier children use a binky till 3-2 and now they will need early intervention of orthodontic treatment-
Going through a tough time now is easier than having to deal with the consequences later. Hope my lecture helps....:)

All I know is the longer you wait the harder it is and it's the same with going from bottle and a sippy cup. My son is sixteen months and we started weaning him from his binky at six months with no real problem and around seven months we stated giving him a sippy cup to play with so when we were ready to switch he knew what it was and he was using only a cup by ten months. when we took his binky away we gave him a special blankie instead so he still had a comfort item at night and during naps

I started w/ my baby slicing the end of it off a little at a time once a week. by the time he was eleven mos he was done with it. I also lessened the amount he had it throughout the day

I had the same problem with my daughter, who is two. I let her keep the binkie until she turned two and she only got it when nap time and bed time came around. I wouldn't let her have it when she was up because she learned to talk with it in her mouth. I finally just tossed all of them in the garbage told her no more and she was okay with it after a few tears. I gave her a blanket and stuffie to replace the binkie and she was quite ok with that.