Binky/Pacifier/BOBO HELP

Don't freak out! Breathe. It's only a paci to you, but is comfort to him. We put up with the binkis longer than most probably. We kept them around for bed & nap until 3, put put the stops on daytime use after 18 mo. or so. Just remember, it's like potty training & sleeping through the night...they'll accomplish it all before college!;O

D.

That is hard, my daughter used hers until she was 3! Most kids stop somewhere between 1 and 2. Try snipping a tiny bit off each day and they will not want it!

Hi Bobbie! We just successfully weaned our 18 month old off her pacifier so I'll share what we did. But, Zoe was a year older so I'm not sure how this would work with a 6+ month old. About two months ago we attached the pacifier to a small (about 8 inches) stuffed animal with a hair tie. (I'll send you a picture if that would help...just be careful there's not a string loose/choking hazard.) We continued giving Zoe the pacifier but she was required to hold onto the animal if she wanted to suck.

First, she realized that she couldn't play if she had the pacifier in her mouth. It limited her to one hand so she began losing interest but still wanted it at bedtime. After a few weeks of her having it whenever she wanted, we limited the time to bedtime and naptimes. We did that for about a month and when we got her in the morning, even said "Drop the duck" so she knew it stayed in the crib.

Just over a week ago, she fell asleep in the car withOUT the pacifier so I transferred her to her bed when we got home and decided it was time to end the pacifier. That night, I rocked her to sleep without it and she hasn't had it since then.

Some people might detach the pacifier from the stuffed animal because the child has associated comfort with it too.

Just our experience with the whole thing and so relieved to have ended her addiction. Good luck and let me know if you have more questions!

H.

Why would you want to take it at such a young age? With my first i was really worried about going beyond the first year with nursing. When i had my second, i realized i was doing no one any good by trying to wean before my child was ready.
My friend, who hates pacifiers as well, compromised. Her son can have his paci in the car, in the crib , and in church.
Just keep in mind this is self soothing for your son and he feels more secure with it. If you take it away, be prepared to hold him more and be his self soother until he finds something else to self sooth (blanket, thumb, etc).

I hope you find something that works for you and your son! Liz

Well I been through 2 children 2 and 3 now and have a home childcare. For some children if they are teething it helps to have something like a teething toys or pacifier.

My daughter didn't like the pacifier she liked a rattle we got at Walmart on 1 end and it had the teething gel on the other.

Our son liked his pacifier but we lost interest on his own before he was one. He never wanted it again.

Most kids lose interest in it. I have a 1 yr old I watch and
he will only use it on occassion, only if he sees it.

Unless there 2 I wouldn't worry. Keep in mind the hardest teeth on them are the top 2 and bottom 2 teeth.

I would rather have the binkie than the thumb,
you can't take that away at all.

Good luck and don't worry !

Right or Wrong we let them have it until around 2 2 1/2 and only for naps and bedtime. Prior to 18 months, they could have it as needed. It is a real comfort and they really do have the need to suck. At this age it won't hurt their teeth. I wouldn't try it at this early stage, as I think they will form an attachment to something else for comfort. When my youngest was around 2, it showed signs of wearing out, we showed him where it was broken, had him throw it away and that was it. A few times when he asked for it, we just reminded him it was broken and we didn't have anymore. No crying...Good luck.

Well you have gotten lots of info and tidbids and I will just throw mine in on top. I am the youngest of 3 children and my mom said that none of us ever needed a binki or sucked our thumbs. My 4 year old had a binki and then at 9 months traded it in for his thumb. My 19 month old stuck it out with the binki and then last september when we had out daughter my mom came down while I was in the hospital. She confiscated the binki and we have not needed it since. My youngest now 5 months old has just started sucking her 2 middle fingers (how strange)and we are trying to get her to trade them in for a binki. That makes me think that the need for a binki is some how genetic. Our conculssion on the whole thing is we could take away the binki but we can't cut off the 4 year olds thumb. I read an article about the whole thing and sucking is pretty much the only thing a baby has control over and there only way to comfort themselves. At 1 my middle child has learned other ways to comfort himself and the need for the binki is not there. I would say try to stick it out until 1 simply becuse you don't want him to trade it for a thumb. I am not a binki fan and I would say that at 1 or shortly there after take it away. I can't stress enough I can take away a binki but I can't cut off the thumb. Good luck!

Hey Miss Lady,
I am a mom of four, 2 of them had the same problem. I use to poke holes in the end of the of the rubber and he doesn't get the same "feel" from it. It doesn't take long for the "want" to go away.
M. Harris

I took my the pacifer away from my daughter at 2.5 years. I used Easter as the day we stopped. I told her the Easter Bunny took the pacifiers away so he can leave you toys and candy (I had a huge spread of goodies for her when she woke up). She asked me for it for a few weeks, but I just kept telling her the Easter Bunny has it and remember he left you all the goodies. She would say yes I remember. I said ok and changed the subject. It worked and she never used one again ;-)

my son was off his paci by 8 months. at about 7 months i tried to switch from 0-6 to 6+ and he hated the ones for older babies. he would not suck on them. finally i lost all of the younger ones and he had a choice 6+ or nothing. he chose nothing on his own.
i have also heard another tip. cut the end of the paci off. if there is nothing to suck on why would he want it. this way might be a little cheaper.

I broke my daughter of the paci very quickly. Start giving him the paci only when he sleeps. He willlearn that he cna only have it when he is napping or at bedtime. We introduced a "bun". It is a bunny head with a blanket attached. She pretty much transferred from the paci to bun. So now she gets bun while sleeping and the pacis are a thing of the past.

What is the issue? If he loves it and it helps to calm and soothe him, why does he need to wean off of it so quickly? I recommend letting him use it till he's ready to give it up. You can limit the use to bedtime and in the car if you don't want it constantly in his mouth all day. I say if it ain't broke, don't fix it! When he's older and you can reason with him, that's the time to break the habit, IMHO.

Take it from me. Life with our babies passes so quickly...don't sweat the small stuff!

Blessings,

M.
www.JFCfoundation.org

My son is 9 1/2 months old and still likes his paci at naptimes and when he is upset. It calms him. I don't let him keep it in his mouth all day or during playtime or bedtime, but when he's upset or trying to nap, it's a good thing. As another working mom, I would not try to take away this calming release for your son. It makes them feel close to you (it reminds them of nursing which you didn't mention if you did) and it is a way for them to calm themselves. If you take it away, he'll just learn to suck his thumb or hand to have something else to calm him. If he is two and you want the paci taken away, that would make more sense. Don't add more stress to you and him. It is already tough for them to have to be away from mommy all day. Give yourself and him a little slack. He'll give it up when he's ready and it won't even be a struggle. Good luck and give lots and lots of kisses to your boy!

With both of my children I had to just take it away completely. I tried weaning them off by just giving it to them in the evenings and at nap times, but it didn't work. In the end I told them both that the pacifier fairy came and took it because they were too old for it and new babies needed pacifiers.

I would not attempt this at this age. Children need something to help sooth them and it seems your son likes his binky. My youngest just turned two and still uses a pacifier but only for naps and nighttime. It has made it very easy to get her to put herself to sleep and stay asleep all night. If you want to learn more visit the AAP website. http://www.aap.org/pubed/ZZZBQKBWQ7C.htm?&sub_cat=1

We are planning to wean our daughter off the pacifier soon since we are expecting our third child in July.

I think if you try to do it now you will cause alot of crying and sleepless nights over nothing. You can also talk with your pediatrician about this.

Neither of my kids ever liked a paci - but they sure did breastfeed for comfort as well as hunger! After all, what is a pacifier imitating? Nursing at the breast. And breastfed babies rarely wean themselves from nursing before a year and more often 2 or 3 years of age. So that sucking need continues for a long time.

I personally think that weaning your son at the age is soon. It soothes and calms him. I am a Firm believer in Paci's. My oldest took it until he was 10 months and threw it at me as well as the bottle.

My youngest took the paci for nap/bed only and if he is sick, sad or not feeling good until 18 months and now does NOT have any interest in it.

I weaned him off of it and It just took 2 days of him crying and him waking up earlier.

Good Luck and I hope this helps.
M.

I wouldn't worry. My little girl is almost 10 months. She still takes her's a naptime and at night. If you don't want him to have it all the time, just limit him to "only in the crib". Just make sure at other times there is plenty of distraction. I was determined mine would not "walk around sucking on a paci". SHe is also VERY adaptable to most evey situation. My mom waited until my sister was two, and she painted the end of her paci with "No Bite" (for nail bitters). When she didn;t like it, mom told here it was old and to throw it out. Worked great.
I think with both of ours, it will be easier to take away when they are able to understand a little better. Good luck!

No need to be concerned that he still wants his pacifier. In fact, babies have a need for the sucking-response for at least 12 months and many after that for security. I weaned my daughter from it the day she turned 2 years old. She missed it for about a week, but only cried 1-2 days and just at nap and night-time. My belief is that anything that can provide some security and a sense of nuture is a good thing. Also, for any worry later about crooked teeth, there is still very little if any proof that pacifiers can cause your teeth to grow crooked. And, if you stop by age 2 years old, there will be NO issue at all. Relax and let your baby enjoy his pacifier. Many Blessings - L.