My son will be a year old next week and I'd like to wean him from using a pacifier. He really only uses it at night for bed time, but he gets antsy for it as soon as we go into his room for the bedtime routine. Another thing - for some reason he'll take naps for the sitter without using one and never even fusses for it, but when I'm home on weekends he wants his paci for every nap. Thanks in advance for any tips or ideas on how to wean him from the pacifier!
Thanks for the great responses! I waited a few months until he was 18 months old, instead of a year to wean him from this. I just cut the tip of the paci and had it in his crib as usual. Well, it kept popping out of his mouth and he kept laughing about it. He knew something was up and that it wasn't the same, but he didn't mind much at all. The next day he didn't even want it near him. However, my excellent sleeper (2 - 2 hour naps a day and sleeps 8pm-8am) is now sleeping less. It could just be coincidence with his age that he'd be sleeping less anyway. It was definitely harder on me than him to 'ditch' the paci! Thanks for the responses!
Cut the tip of the paci...just a little bit. He won't be able to get the suction he is used to, so then he won't want it. We did this with our son and within 48 hours he had given it up.
Good luck!
Just remove it and get rid of it! Out of sight, out of mind! If it is gone, you won't be tempted to give into it. The baby will quit expecting it! It won't take him long to forget it at this age! Give him a lovie, blanket, of something else to sleep with.
Good luck! It won't be as hard as you think!
Just wondering why you are so ready to tear this security from him? It's just my opinion, but I don't believe any of the hype that parents/doctors say about security items,buck teeth, etc...
It makes them feel comforted in a world that is still so new to them even after a year! A year really isn't a long time!
Just my 2 cents...:)
"oh no, we lost the paci".
Talk to the sitter and find out what she does. Also I've heard about a story someone found online about a paci fairy, like the tooth fairy. You read the story to them then if they're willling you leave the paci out like you would a tooth. In the morning its gone and replaced by a gift of some sort. It may take several nights but I've heard it works. Of course it may be more effective for older kids.
I tried gettin my son off the paci at a year and he wasn't ready even tho he only wanted it at night also. I had the same problem as you did he didn't even take it to the sitters but wanted it with me. She said he didn't even ask for it. Before his 2nd birthday I just acted like we couldn't find it and when he would ask where it was I acted like it was lost and he would go on to something else. He never cried or anything. Two days later he really wasn't even asking for it and within a week he was "broke" of them for good! Good luck..it's so much easier with out them!!
My daughter used her pacifier for naps and bedtime only. Two days before she turned 1, I just threw it away. Yes, the first nap and the first bedtime, she cried a bit. But after she realized the pacifier wasn't coming, she quit, and peacefully slept through the night.
Out of sight, out of mind!
But think about it...your baby doesn't even think about it with babysitter...so truth be told, he REALLY doesn't need it. AT ALL. He will fuss about it with you as long as you allow him to.
I say ditch it cold turkey. Weaning sometimes can make it more difficult. When they are this young, it is just easier to cut it off. Babies and children are much more resilient to change than we are.
