Mother's Advice

My daughter was not able to hold in a paci because of her tongue tie...so her twin brother never got one either. He used one in the NICU and I used them with him in the early days home but then decided I didn't want a paci dependent baby (not that there is a problem with that) I just hate seeing 3 year old with a paci in his mouth...I just didn't want that to be an issue...EVER

I have 27 month old son as well and he is still in his crib and he has had a bed size pillow for almost a year now. I didn't see a problem with it seeing how he can stand and putting much do for himself. He also has a night light in his room cause he had down time before he goes to sleep. He tooks a book or something to bed with him to relax him before he falls asleep so he need some type of light to see. Then once he falls asleep I go in there and take what doesn't need to be in bed with him and I leave the night light on. It's not a bright one. D.

When I read your post I was sort of jealous (LOL) I have a 3 year old and a 19 month old. Neither of them would take a pacifier. We always kept plenty on hand just in case but they would push them out of their mouths and keep on screaming. My husband and I had months of sleepless days and nights.
So, I say sleep let her have it for now.

My daughter had her "binky" till about 15 months old, when we took it away. I was fine with it, she used it to self-soothe. It was nice because she didn't have any problem with waking up at night, she'd pop in her binky and go back to sleep. We slowly took it away, first she could only use it at night and nap times, then only at bed time, then took it away 100% I think 3 months is still acceptable to use a pacifier!

We gave my daughter a pillow right around age 2, we got her the small (travel size) pillow with a cute pillow case. We just recently gave her a "real" pillow Age 3 1/2

As for the nightlight, I'd say don't introduce it unless your kids are scared of the dark!

if you take hte binky away now.. your baby will stillneed help to go back to sleep. So.. you will still be up with the baby. there is not much a 3 motnhs old can do for them self. my pediatrician said to take the binky away by 15-18 months.

I gave my daughter a pillow at around 15 months. I bought a travel pillow at walmart and took 1/2 the stuffing out. at first she didnt sleep on it. But after a while she really liked the pillow and now alwasy sleeps on it. - I put the stuffing back in the pillow after a while.. I ahd someone make me pillow cases out of receiving blankets..(they are just the right size.)

I have always had anight light in the bedroom.. not for the baby- but for me so I could see them when I came in to check on them. If your child doesnt want a night light - then dont get one.. but I thought it was handy.

I never used a pacifier with my daughter. I gave her a SMALL water bottle instead. I think it will be easier now than later to break her of it. I did have a night light when she transferred to a regular bed (in case she got up it was enough
light to walk but not play and stall bedtime. Pillows are dangerous for babies (easy for them to roll under and jam against the crib bar. I would not use it until she is in a regular bed.

A little about me: Proud mother of a Army Staff Sgt., (female)
in Chemical Warfare (Recon).

It is important for your 3 month old to learn self-soothing and a pacifier is a great way to do that. I wouldn't try to break her of it until she is about a year old or so. It won't effect any teeth until about then. My oldest was a pacifier lover and at about 9 or 10 months he gave it to me one morning and just never wanted it back. You hear a lot of horror stories about kids still using them at 3 or 4 years, but you aren't there yet so just be glad that there is something that your baby can do to help herself. As for your two year old, you can have a pillow at two, in fact my two year old daughter has had one for about 3-4 months and it really helps her sleep. Just use an older/flatter one because she doesn't have a big neck and so no need for a big puffy pillow. A night light can come in anytime. If you don't need it for yourself for going in their rooms at night, though, and your kids haven't shown anxiety, I wouldn't worry about it until you need it (maybe for night time potty training).

So I have read a few other replies and I am at the other end of the spectrum. I stoped the pacifier when my son was 3 months old. He would wake up 100 times a night and I had to get up and put it back in. Nap time was no problem with or without out it. One day I had enough and read up on different techniques so I just threw it in the trash that morning. Nap was a little rough but he figuered it out fast. Bed time was the same, but each night got better. Within 5 days it was like he never had one. Now my son only used it to sleep. Not during the day or when awake. He didn't have that big urge to suck.
My son is 2 now and has had a pillow for over a year now. He needed the extra support because of reflux and the wedge was not high enough. He did good on the ground on a pillow, didn't roll around alot so we tried it at nap and went from there.
Nightlite from day 1 simply because I needed to be able to check on him with out turning the light on. He's in a big boy bed. He gets a flashlight/lantern every night with his books. I turn it off before I go to bed and he's find. If you're going to try that buy rechargeable batteries. Better for your pocket and the enviornement.
Good luck and keep us posted!

1- too early, baby is learning to comfort herself and being that each child is their own person... you can actively help her stop using a pacif. when she understands what is going on
2- pillow when she's old enough to ask for one
3- night light; if you don't have one don't offer one unless fear of darkness becomes an issue
good luck ;)

The sucking reflex is very important for brain development, probably more than most parents realize. Let her suck! To learn more about this topic do a search for primal reflexes. There is a great deal of information that pediatricians are just learning about too. You may contact me in person: ____@____.com Please place Mamma source info in subject area. I will send you the FAQs about a program I teach called Brain Gym.

Kind care

D. Carlisle - Special education & Self-help Coach

hi S., I don't think you need to rush breaking your 3 month old of the pacifier at all. My hsband and I took our 3 year olds a exactly one year along with the bottle, that is when major tooth development occurs so as long as you do it by then no biggie, if that's what soothes her. The two year old should not have a pillow in the crib, what I did was put one of her small blankets and fold it a few times to cushion underneath her head it just seemed safer. my daughter received a pillow in her toddler bed at almost 3. we got my 3 year old a fish take for her 2nd birthday and that sort of acted as the night light ( of course we put it up high) and I found the sound of the filter relaxed her at night, she does great. it's only a 3 gallon. hope this helps.:)

I have 3 kids 16, 13 and 8. My first child I allowed to have a pacifier for longer than I should have, she began depending on it and it was really difficult to break her habit. The other 2 kids I weened off as soon as possible. My suggestion is to break the habit now and let her wimper it won't take long. The best time to ween her is during the day when others arent trying to sleep, that way if she cries it won't be bothersome. Regarding the 2 yr old, I personally would not give a pillow to yet. I think there would not be a problem for a night light though.