Mom Seeking Tips for Taking the Pacifier Away from 18 Month Old

Try gradually cutting the nipple down. Don't cut all of it off at once, but a little at a time, until eventually there is nothing left. My friend did this. When her daughter realized there was nothing left to suck on he threw it in the garbage.

Hi there....when my 6 y/o was 2 we gave hers to Minnie Mouse. You could also let her know that they need to be sent to a new baby. I did that with her bottles at 1 y/o.

I read up on pacifiers because my daughter had refused to take one, then at 9 mths we started her in a new daycare and all of the children had pacifiers. The teacher in her class found the pacifier she got from the hospital (when she was born) in her diaper bag and gave it to her. Much to my surprise the second day she was in the daycare I picked her up with a pacifier in her mouth. I was shocked and annoyed that they would get her attached to a pacifier after 9 mths. From everything I read the advice the experts had was to let them have it and not worry about weaning them. They disproved any concern that parents have regarding them causing problems to their teeth and they said that 90% of all children quit on their own by 3-5 yrs old. If that is the worst of your concerns then you should be glad and let her have it. What I have learned is that you need to pick your battles and determine what is truly worth fighting over and I don't think a pacifier fits that category. If she needs the comfort then I wouldn't push it. My daughter is 16mths old and she can make it without the pacifier if she doesn't see one but when she is sick or in the car it is a necessity. My in-laws have made constant remarks to me about weaning her and I really don't feel the need to. My daughter has enough to deal with from trying to learn how to express herself, to learning to use a spoon etc she doesn't need one more thing to change and make her uncomfortable right now. I would let your daughter have it and eventually she will wean herself especially as she realizes big girls don't have them.

N.,

I second the cutting the nipple part, we did this with my son and after 48 hours he had no interest in it any longer.

Good luck!

J.

over a weekend take it away! dont give in! she is going to cry and scream! give her a new toy or take her some where to get her mind off of it! throw it in the trash and do not buy another one! it will be hard at first but you just cant give in! get her mind off of it!

Hi N. -

Have you read some of the responses from Trena V's pacifier question? Although your children are different ages, I think much of the same concern is there.

I allowed my children to have pacifiers until they were one, however, it was my mother who really got them over their dependence by making them quit cold turkey. It was hard on our entire household for about a week, but once they were weaned, it was a glorious feeling not to be slaves to their "pacies." No more fretting about the whereabouts or sanitizing them when they dropped on the ground, or buying them late into the night because they disappeared somewhere in the house. My mom was absolutely right in telling me that WE depended on their "pacies" and needed them more than our kids did because it was a quick fix to keep them quiet.

What many moms don't realize and are resentful about is that pre-schools and daycares don't allow pacifier usage because they are trying to encourage children of that age to become independent and less reliant on objects that provide false security. A pacifier or blankie or stuffed animal is not going to provide the safety, security, or confidence that a human being will do (i.e. parents, teachers, etc.). Most importantly, however, children need to eventually learn how to comfort themselves by going through a little anxiety and working through it with parental and/or teacher guidance - not temporary comfort from inanimate objects.

Many of my own friends anguish over the fact that their two-year olds aren't speaking at the level they should be because their kids would rather just rely on the comfort of the pacy rather than trying to express themselves with actual words. Concerns about proper dental growth are valid (I don't know ANY dentist who would advocate pacifier usage after age one), however, I think most importantly, giving up the pacifier is foremost about encouraging independence. After all, we don't want our children growing into needy, insecure adults. Now is the time to encourage your child to "self-soothe," and while it may be difficult at first, the pay off is their independence and what a great feeling that is for everyone around! Blessings to you and yours.

N.

One thing that might work is take her pacifier and cut off the nipple part. Start this when you have a couple of days off (like the weekend) and give her back the pacifier as it is. She will eventually get tired of not being able to get what she wants from it and throw it away herself. I do hope this will work for you.

N.

Hi Nicky

If you have a child you is imaginary which most children are:)
Do this talk to her about fairies or any other thing that she might like! Say all the fairy in the world need a little thing to hold:) and if you give them you little friend(her pacifier) to hold they would bring something else to hold! Have her but the pacifier in a bag or anything else take her along and hang it out side overnight and in the morning take her along to see what the fairies left! You need to get her something in return like a bear or something soft that she could cuddle at night like a bear or anything else. place in the bag over night! let the imagination expand:)
Make if fun paise her when she put the pacifier in the bag!
I hope this works! Please update me:))

Best wishes
A.

I agree with Christi C :) Sounds like she still needs the comfort, maybe her version of a lovey/security blanket? Maybe if you wait a couple of more months she will be ready to say goodbye to it easier. I let my son use his binky until he was 2. Then it stayed in the bed for only naps and bedtime. Finally I told him about the "binky fairy" that came and took big boys pacifiers when they did not need them any longer, to give to new little babies that need them. The binky fairy of course left a nice gift by his bed in exchange ;) Corny I know! But it worked like a charm- never once asked for that binky after that. But, if you really are sick of the binky and want it gone, I do agree that cold turkey is the way to go. My sisters used that method and after a week of H*ll it was all over :) Best of luck!

We cut the tip off of my sons pacifer as well and it worked wonders. He no longer had an interest in them. We made sure to go around the house and any we found we cut the tip off of them as well. If he found them he would put it i his mouth and realize it was another broken one and throw it in the trash. It wouldnt hurt to try it, If It dosnt work then it might be to soon to take it from her. Good Luck

Hi N.,

My son did the exact same thing. In Daycare they did not allow it, and first thing he did was put it in his diaper bag. As soon as I picked him up first thing he would do is put it in his mouth. Well, one day we were doing something and I said how's my baby doing. He looked at me and said I'm not a baby I'm big zachary. I laughed and decided to use that against him. That night when he asked for his pacifire I said BoBo is for baby's are you a baby. (he was 2 1/2 at the time). He said yes I'm a baby I want BoBo. I new he was messing with me because he wanted his BoBo. I let him have it but after 2 weeks of consitantly asking him if he was a baby it worked. It was bed time and I was so tired and just wanted him to go to bed and I asked him if he wanted BoBo he looked at me and said no mommy BoBo is for baby's. I'm big Zachary. I was so happy, he's hasn't used one since. It's been about 2 months and he hasn't asked for it.

So find something to use against your daughter, and be consistant with it. Hope this helps, and good luck.

V. :)

Do you know anyone with a new baby? Perhaps you can try the you're a big girl, and there's a new baby that needs a pacifier...you can take them all, put in a pretty box, wrap it up and give it to the new baby that needs it. If not, the way my parents got me off the bottle, it was around easter and they said that the easter bunny was having babies and needed the baba to feed them. I fell for it, and in return the easter bunny left me a little stuffed bunny, (still have it to this day). You could use the same story, just make it for the paci. Good luck!

Hi N.
Firstly 'the then babysitter' is what I liked from your email. Any child care provider that 'requests' the parent to come in because they cannot deal with a screaming child should become 'the then' fast. They will cry period. You need to ask yourself are you ready for her to stop using the pacifier. If you are ready then get firm about it.
My girls used a bottle until 2 years old. I always told myself well one more month well one more week. they drankw ater from sippy cup but not the milk. The day after they turned two, I got up and felt pretty upset at myself for dragging this bottle thing. That morning I took all the bottles, nipples and threw them away for my myself. I was afraid if i kept them around i'd give in. A few days were difficult as the girls did not wnat milk in a sippy. fine. then no milk. but then they eventually forgot about it and started drinking milk from the sippy cup. my reason for telling you this is that i learned that unless i become fiurm they will not let go off something they're used to. pacifier is a part of her. If you're done with it then get rid of them entirely, do it the same day, not one for naptime one for bedtime. forget that. it gets confusing. it's either yes pacifier or no more.
good luck
V.

My daughter was very attached to her pacifier but I took it away cold turkey about a month ago (she was 16 months), we had a couple of nights where she cried for a while when she went to sleep but she got over it and now she does fine without it. She occassionally will find one around the house and pop it in her mouth but we get rid of it quickly. You'll be surprised how easily she will forget about it once you take it away.

MY DAUGHTER IS 15 MONTHS OLD AND HER DAYCARE ALSO DOES NOT ALLOW THEM UNLESS ITS NAP TIME I HAVE FOUND THAT WHEN WE ARE AT HOME IF SHE DOESNT SEE IT SHE DOESNT WANT IT..I DO GIVE IT TO HER AT NAP AND BED TIME UNLESS SHE IS REALLY FUSSY FROM TEETHING I MAY GIVE IT TO HER A LITTLE SOONER TO HELP CALM HER, BUT IN THE MORNING WHEN WE WAKE UP WE GET OUR SHOWER AND I TAKE IT FROM HER TO BRUSH HER TEETH AND HIDE IT SO SHE FORGETS ABOUT IT. AND THIS HAS WORKED FOR ME, BUT FOR GET IT IF SHE SEES IT...LOL

Try only giving the pacifer during naps and bedtime. When your little one wakes up make her leave the pacifer in the crib and tell her she can have it when she takes a nap. When ever she demands it, put her in her crib. Make sure she understands that she can only have her pacifer when she is in her crib.

Just me, but I'd let her have it - it sounds like she still needs the comfort that sucking provides. Around that age we started making rules, though, and the paci's were only for sleep so they stayed in the bed, etc.