How to Wean from Pacifier

You've recieved some interesting advice and I have a similar situations with one of my twins. My girls are just over 2 and one has a pacifier that she uses only at night (and naps when we are home, but not at daycare). I really would like to take it away for the sake of her overbite, but her twin sister (who has never used a pacifier) sucks her thumb. I feel bad taking the paci away when I can't physically take the thumb from the other. So I guess we'll hang on for a while and hope that she gives it up on her own. THanks for the interesting question - and good luck!

we had lots around the house and Olivia would only use at bedtime anyway so we just "lost" one and so she only had one left and then we "lost that one" but we didnt loose it until wt was time for bed and she was exhasuted.I told her we would go buy another in the morning and to just got o bed(I did stay with her until she fell asleep) and then the next morning i would say"you didnt need the pacifier after all,you are such a big girl"
It worked well but we went through a week or so of me staying in bed with her and cuddling until she went to bed and distracting her with extra books at bedtime.

Afriend of mine had a birthday party and had one of those dress up characters show up (spongebob)and she told the kid to give the binky to spongebob and the kid did it and never asked again-LOL

My daughter absolutely loved her bink, and she too ONLY used it when she was sleeping or super crabby and mom needed 10 minutes more to finish the grocery shopping! Listen, my daughter willingly (I swear) and 100% painlessly gave up her binkey, on her terms, and yes she was still 2 years old. She and I talked for weeks about it, about how someday when she was ready she would be able to get something very very special that sat in a huge box on the floor when she was ready to take all of her binkies and put them in an envolope and put them int he mailbox to give to the babies, because that toy could ONLY be played with by big girls. We only talked of this event when she was laying down, awake but not agitated. I never asked for the binkey, I just told her when she was ready she can put then in the mailbox. A few weeks later her special prize came, and she knew what was in the box but since it was a big, plain cardboard box she couldnt see it. It took less than 2 hours until by her own terms she came to me and asked if we can send the binkies to the babies. We made a HUGE show of the envolope and the putting of the binkies in there. The whole time I told her if she does this their will be no binkies in the house, but she will be able to take a toy to bed as long as she went to sleep. (Her toys were, and again honestly vintage he-man action figures she was wanting so bad since she was so enamored with the cartoon of my youth, and it was skelator she took to bed that night) I told her before she went to bed that first night that their was no binkies so she better not ask me for them, and if she does she will not be able to play with the new toys or take the new one to bed. It went over so well I WAS THE ONE CRYING! I stressed and STRESSED about how I would wean a binky-dependant child who is the daughter of a dentist? I hope amongst hope it is something others try, because I swear it was so easy once I let HER make the choice.

My story echoes those of others. My daughter LOVED her pacifier and was becoming more attached to it as she got older. She is a bit slow language-wise, so she wasn't going to understand the pacifier fairy or giving it to other babies. At 2 1/2 yrs old, we just took it away. She was FLAMING mad. She cried and yelled for almost 2 hours at bed time and I was so tempted to give it back. The next night she cried for 1 hour. The third night, she was fine. I was extremely shocked but very proud of my resolve in not giving in. I think it's a lot harder for the parent with stuff like this. Good luck!

I just took my sons away Christmas night. When he was 2 we restricted it to just bedtime and naps, however he got sick some time later and that all went out the window. We had recently gone back to the bedtime/naptime only when I found out I was pregnant. My newest was born in September and after seeing that the baby really needed a binky (completely different brand and shape!!!) and some talking about how it was hurting the shape of his mouth, etc. Christmas eve I told asked him what he wanted most for christmas and after naming a few things, we agreed that if he got everything, Santa was going to take it with him. Well, i forgot and naptime he had it, but on the way to bedtime, I hid them and told him that he promised. He tried negotiating, so I told him to try it out. It took a couple nights of him asking, but not crying or anything and by the time one week passed, he never thought about it again. In an emergency i even unhid one of his binky's for the baby and he didn't even glance twice at it. Every child is different, what works for one, doesn't work for another. Going to the toy store and exchanging for a toy is another way may work for some people, cutting the tip off is another way I have heard but you know your child and what will work or not. People were constantly pushing us to have him get rid of it and giving their suggestions, but he just wasn't ready. When I saw a chance to use something I thought would work, I jumped on it. Good luck!!!!

Does she still nap? My daughter was in love and need of her binky also at bed time/nap time. We restricted it to this time and it helped with the transition. I 'deprived' her of a nap for three days. We went strong all day, played, played, played. I rock her to sleep while singing songs, and each night she just literally passed out in my arms. Never asked for it nor woke up at night looking for it. She inquired maybe once or twice during awake times and i just simply said it was all gone and quickly distracted her with something fun. I dreaded the day we would have to give it up - but it was cake - I hope it is the same for you!!

Hi K.,
Our son was 2 when we took his paci away. We also only used his for naps and at night. One night I just told him no binky tonight. The first two night were a little rough. Nothing major, but he obviously used the binky to calm himself and now it wasn't there. He cried a few times during the night. After that he was fine.
My girlfriend put a hole in her sons paci and it didn't work. He still didn't want to give it up.
Good luck.

I am in your situation, my daughter will turn 2 on March 28th and we are having a baby in June, so I really want the paci gone before baby comes along with a paci too! My additional set back is that we are going to try to move her to a big girl bed between April and June. Other thing to consider is my friend says her son has gone from a peacful sleeper during nap and nighttime to waking up quite a bit since he gave up the paci 8 months ago, he just turned 3.
I like the cut the nipple a little at a time method suggested here, might try that... good luck and post to let us no how it goes:-)

We took it away cold turkey right after my son turned two!! It was the easiest way, he stopped asking about it after 2 days.....We prepared him for a few months by saying he was becoming a big boy and that babies needed it, not big boys. They are smarter than people think and should understand that concept!!! I couldn't stand when my son started demanding for it and that was just unacceptable to me. I did not want to continue to give in to him when he got mad and demanded to have it!! He still has his blanket he uses for comfort, but it's not even something we bring with us when we go somewhere....he mainly just wants it for bedtime. We are having a little girl in June and if she uses one as well, i will probably take it away sooner, BEFORE she starts demanding for it!! Personally, i don't like to see older kids using one, it just doesn't look right. They are mainly for babies.....and i feel when they are 3 and 4 years old with one, it's just the parents way of letting the child be in control....But, you sound like you are trying to do the right thing by getting rid of it by 2! Good for you and good luck!!!

When we started to wean our daughter from the pacifier we also cut it down to just nap and bedtime. Then I read in a magazine to cut the nipple end off the pacifier. We did and it worked. It was much easier than I ever imagined it would be. Good luck!

My son's pediatrician recommended that I cut a little nick in the tip of the pacifier, and cut a new nick each night, so the pacifier will slowly not be as comfortable for him. It worked with no problems. Good luck.

First, let me say I;m not sure why you are in a hurry to take the pacifier away from your daughter, she's not even 2.
I'm a believer in children will leave things when they are ready to. My son left the pacifier and the bottle on his own,. (He was 3). That is their security blanket,when they are tired, when they are sad or upset.They are only babies once, let her be a baby,people are always in a hurry for their kids to grow up.Nowadays as soon as kids walk the parent wants to put them in school. Even in Pre-K, the teacher will tell you, bring their favorite blanket, so they can nap.So I would let her enjoy her binky, because as you said she will not get any story you tell her, or any reason why she cannot have it.To me that's creating an issue. When they get to where its only at night and naps, they are close to giving it up anyway. Oh and by the way,my son is now 11, has never had a cavity and has beautiful straight teeth.

Dear K.,
I have friends in the same situation. I tell them to put them to bed when they are soo tired they don't realize they don't have the pacifier. My one friend, I babysat her daughter at 2 yrs. old and the rule was no binkies at Miss R.'s house. She never gave any grief about it and I treated her like such a big girl that she didn't even want it. I weaned both my daughters off the pacifier before their first birthday to avoid the dependence. They went through a brief withdrawal, but afterwards, they didn't even miss it. I would minimize the use to only when she sleeps and gradually forget to give it to her. I like the one woman's suggestion of giving her daughter a toy to sleep with instead. The only other way is cold turkey and sometimes that could be hard to stomach, especially with a strong-willed child. Hope this helps.

Hi K.,
My youngest used a pacifier, not during the day but he was allowed to have it in his crib. When he was about 21 months, I decided it was time. The first couple of days at nap/bedtime, he asked for it and I just ignored him or tried to distract him, since I didn't think he could really understand my telling him that the binkies just didn't live here anymore. Finally the third night, he asked again and I just said, "You're getting to be a big boy and you don't need one anymore." For a moment I thought he would cry! But he just looked at me, and said "Oh," and laid down. I never heard about the binky again. I couldn't believe how smoothly that went! I hope it goes that way for you and your daughter too.

no easy way. just say you lost it. when she wants a new one say they are only for babies. the older they get the harder it is. again no easy way. good luck.

One day I got brave and just cut the nipple from the binky....when she went to get it and "it didn't work" as she said....We told her it was broken and that she no longer needed it because she was getting to be such a big girl. It worked for her...Good luck!

Another trick I read about (but haven't yet tried on my 1.5 yo) is to cut a tiny hole in the paci so the child doesn't get the same satisfaction from sucking. Start with a very tiny hole then you can gradually make it bigger with the hope that the child loses interest.

But all advice indicates that you have to make a decision to get rid of the paci and there is no turning back. In fact, early childhood specialists insist you get all the pacifiers out of the house so you can firmly follow through. There will be crying, and maybe terrible and sleepless nights for 3 days and either instant peace or sometimes it can drag on for weeks. Be sure you are ready b/c there can be repercussions...my friends said their kids gave up their nap (age 3) or took shorter naps and needed more soothing in the middle of the night. I'm scared to take the plunge. Hope it goes smoothly for you!

My son loved his pacifier and I weaned him at 3. I had a 3 year old and a newborn. I recall discussing the pacifier with my sons dentist. The dentist recommend that I wean him off as soon as possible or it would affect his overbite. So I decided not to give him his pacifier and I let me cry it out. He whined and cried for about 1 day and that was the end of that. I ignored him and when he realized I was not giving it to him, he stopped. It may sound a little rash but sometimes that is what you need to do. My son is now nine years old and wearing braces becaused the pacifier did affect his overbite. And after his braces come off, he will need to wear head gear. My recommendation is to wean your daughter as quickly as possible. Good Luck.

Does she understand what trash is? I know someone who threw it in the trashcan and dumped it so the kid got the hint that it was gone forever. I know someone else who left it with the doctor. So the kid saw that the doctor was keeping it and it was not coming home with them. I think cold turkey is the only way and it will suck for about a week and then she will move on to find something else to comfort her. You can begin with naptimes and only allow it at night if you thnk that is less stressful for her. I am dreading this with my son but I think the sooner the better, i am going to take it away as soon as he gets more teeth. He is teething really bad now since he just broke his first tooth at 14 months and the rest will follow very soon. I do not want him to have the binky anymore once his teeth come through.

It seems a little harsh to me if not done nicely, but a friend told her son that he's a big boy and doesn't need a paci anymore. She took him over to the trash, threw it in, and took the trash out. I'm sure she did it as nicely as possible and got him excited about being a big kid first. He was upset that day, but that was the end of it...and it was pretty easy to understand. He wouldn't have understood a story about sending it away either.
I haven't personally had this problem yet, so I'm not sure what approach I would take. I'm sure you'll get lots of ideas. Maybe you can combine a few to come up with one that will work best for your daughter.
Good luck!

Hi K.,
My 2 year old was soooo dependent / addicted to that pacifier that I was nothing short of terrified to wean her! I gave it to her going to bed, going for nap and any time she was really upset. I'm 6 months pregnant so I knew I had to do it sooner rather than later so that she wouldn't associate losing the pacifier with the arrival of her baby brother.
About two weeks ago I bit the bullet. She's too young to understand any 'fairy' taking it or giving it to someone who really needed it or anything like that so I just decided on a Tuesday that the next day there would be no more pacifier (or nukki, as she knows it). She cried for about 5 minutes for her nap and then slept. She cried for about 5 minutes that night and then slept through. I just told her it was 'all gone'.
Two relatively easy weeks later I'm beginning to think that it was I who was addicted to the nuk! Now if we're somewhere and she gets upset I have to find another way to pacify her but it's not as hard as I'd thought.
Good luck, it may work out even easier than you think.
M..

Hi K.,

I tool my daughter's paci away at almost 2 years when she was about to start day care two days a week. I didn't want her to need her paci there at nap time.

What I did one evening was tell her that her Grandpa needed her pacifiers and was taking them home with him. I took them all and hid them away. Then at bed time, she asked for her paci and I told her that we gave them all to Grandpa. She said - oh, ok and went to sleep. The next day at nap and at bed time she asked for them and I said, remember, Grandpa needs them. And that was it. No crying or anything. Now that she is almost three, she can't remember ever having used them. I hate to say it but cold turkey is best! Good luck.

My two-year old still takes hers at night and at naps at home - not at daycare. My best friend just had a baby and once she meets him, I am going to have her give all the binkies to him as a gift. My girlfriend will chuck them, of course, but that's going to be her farewell to binkies. My husband wants to take it away (which he did with my son - just took it one night and never looked back) but I don't think that will work for my daughter. If the giving the binkies doesn't work, then I am going to have to try the method of cutting off a slide of the tip each night so it gets less and less for her to suck. People say that, with this method, the child actually stops wanting it because they don't get the same satisfaction from sucking it.

Snip a small amounts off the tip, about 1/4 inch. Give her a few days then snip a little more off, then more after a few more days, until there isn't enough left for her to comfortably keep a grip on. She'll give it up.

Good luck!