Getting Rid of the Pacifier - San Antonio, TX

Hi
We just got rid of the pacifier in November (my son is 3 years old). He cried off and on for 2 days/nights and that was it. We explained that the babies needed the pacifiers and he is a big boy. One day when he came home from school, all his pacifiers were gone and in there place were several new cars and trucks. He still talks about how the babies came to get the pacifiers and left him lots of new trucks. If I knew it was that easy to let the pacifier go, I would have done it a year ago. Good luck!

We stared by only allowing the pacifier in bed. When she woke up, if she wanted to get out of bed, she had to lose the pacifier. After a while, she didn't even have it in her mouth when we went in to get her. Then,I just took it away cold turky around 18 mos. The first night REALLY sucked! She screamed (like in anger) and cried for what seemed like forever. But, by the third night she barely even asked for it and we've been pacifier free ever since (she's 4 1/2 now).

Good luck!

I haven't read the other responses, so I apologize for any repeat advice. We cut the tip of the pacifier off and still put it in my daughter's bed as normal...she found it and asked "pacy broken?" We empathized with her and said that it was sad it broke. She would NOT put it in her mouth. She slept with it for two nights like that...just holding it. I threw it away after night two and explained that we could not fix it and broken things go in the trash. That was it....no tears no drama...we just agreed with her that it was so sad, gave hugs and kisses, and did not make it a big deal. Worked for us.

Hi!

Some of these ideas are great (the creative ones) but, I almost think it is sad to take their pacifiers, even though I know they are outgrowing the need for them. A great way to get them to give it up, is to get a basket and tell them a story about "angel" babies in heaven and how they need pacifiers. Put all the pacifiers in a basket and tie a balloon or 2 around the basket and have him help you put it on the porch for the angels to come and get for the babies in heaven. It has worked on every child I know, of course the angels always leave a gift for the child. I love the bunny one also!! Children seem to respond to these stories and love the idea that their pacifiers are going to others. Good luck!!:)

a friend of mine had a ceremony with her 3 yr old where they tied it to some balloons and watched it float to heaven.

i loved that. she said he reacted to it well.

good luck

Try cutting the nipple off and then he will hate it! I have a friend that did it and it worked great. With my daughter, I told her a fairy princess came and took it bc she is a big girl and that worked for her. Maybe try saying his favorite character came and took it so he can be a big boy. Good Luck!!

We cut down the time DS could have it to naps and bed time, then just bed time. Then they disappeared one day; Dad got tired of mom dragging her feet and threw them in the trash. :) He'd ask for it, but we just said they were gone, so sorry, and then distract him.
Other things I've heard work;
Cutting them down to a nub
"Trading" the paci at a toy store or build a bear
The earlier you do it the better!
L.

I went cold turkey on the use of a pacifier during the day at about 12-14months, and had no reaction from her -- she was ok with it; a bit cranky, but what toddler isn't? Within the last couple of weeks, I went cold turkey on the pacifier for nap and bedtime as well. It has been rough. I had to find ways to replace the pacifier in the naptime routine. I underestimated what a huge factor the soothing of the pacifier had on her to "lull" her to sleep. Sleeping at night without the paci was no biggee as we had a set routine...bath,,,book...bed...

Well, we incorporated a little movie time, book and then naptime and for about 5 days that has helped. Today..we are back on a nap strike. Oh well.

However, to speak directly to your question. I would see what you could do to soothe him in other ways so as to replace the habit of going to the pacifier. I know my little girl -- she is 2 now...wouldn't really understand it or get the abstact concept of giving them away, but I have heard some great ideas.

1) bury them in the backyard so mama bunnies can dig them up for their baby bunnies b/c babies need them not big kids.

2) Cut the tip of the pacifier so it becomes deflated, and say...oops, it is broken and no more.

3) When they go into the dr. office for a visit..have them give it to the Dr. so when new babies come in that he can give them to those babies....it will actually be thrown away..but the kiddo doesn't need to know that.

Good Luck.

Hi T.,
I am a mother of three, all of which took a pacifier. Unfortunately, they all broke it differently. My youngest, is a girl, one day just decided she didn't want it any more. My oldest, also a girl, was a little different. We told her that it was yucky and for babys and told her to throw it away. She did but of course she had others hid. We just continued to tell her to throw them away until there were no more. My middle child, who is a boy, he was more difficult. I thought getting him to throw it away would work like his older sister had, but I was wrong. He had other plans. With him I had to slowly cut off pieces of it, until there was nothing but a nub left and nothing to suck. He got mad at it and we were able to throw it away.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!! Hope this will help you.

We went cold turkey off the bottle at 12 months. He did great, once I finally found the sippie cup that he liked. Around 15 months we only let him have the paci at bedtime/naptime. We allowed that for a month or so, then suddenly, one day it was gone. When he asked for it, we told him we didn't know where they paci was, and that was it. He was a little restless for the first few nights, but after that he hasn't missed it. I say the earlier the better, so they aren't getting that much more attached to it.

Good luck.

My Pediatrician had us cut the end of the pacifiers off. When our child discovered his pacifiers no longer worked, he was done with them! It was that simple. He threw the pacifiers out of the bed. I left them on the bedroom floor and he would completely avoid them.

I went cold turkey with my daughter at around 15 months. She only used it at nap and bedtime anyway, so one night, we just didn't give it to her. It took about 3 days for her to stop asking for it and she cried a bit (about 30-40 minutes the first night), but it progressively got better and now she doesn't even remember it (she just turned 2). So, you may be in for a rough night or 2, but sometimes it's best just to get rid of it. I have heard from lots of others that you can cut the end of it off and they will throw it away on their own because they think it's broken, but you have to round up all of the others so that he doesn't find one that is still intact.

Good luck!

I took my oldest sons pacifier away completely COLD TURKEY! It worked wonderfully. Every picture I have of him from birth to 18 months is with that darn passy! I decided enough was enough and I gathered ALL of them - and I mean REALLY search for them - amd trash them. They miss it the first day, but after that they don't even remember it. I have had friends who tried "weaning" them off and they had a MUCH more difficult time than me by a LONG shot. They had lots of tears, tantruns etc. For us it was quick and painless.

I read somewhere about a lady taking her daughter to "Build a Bear" and putting it inside the bear. I know that can be expensive, but you could hide it inside an animal of his choosing. Then, he could sleep with the animal at naps and bedtime. Good luck!

You'll be amazed at how quickly they do get over it! Kids bouce back quickly. I've done it cold turkey - it wasn't a big deal. I wouldn't recommend doing them all at once - that's a little much for a guy his age. Good luck! :)