My Six-month Son Addicted to Pacifier

My oldest was my binkie boy. When he was 3 he gave it up. I didn't think the time would ever come... But, as I was reminded by a wise mom of teens, no child has ever gone to college with a pacifier.
Relax.
LBC

He's still pretty little to take it away from him unless you're replacing it with a bottle. When he 6 YEARS and still sucking on it, THEN you have a problem ;-) As long as he's off of it by 12-16 months, you shouldn't have an issue. Let him have it for the time being...he's still a very little baby.

I would not worry about it until he is closer to a year. At his age it is very normal and they often need to comfort suck. One thing that helped us with both of our kids was to start limiting the pacifier only to the car for trips and in bed/crib for naps and sleep, unless something was up (sick or a change) by around 10 months or so. That kept them from "hanging out" with it, but still allowed them to use it for what it was good for. My younger boy pretty much stopped using it on his own, but my older one hung on to it at night until right after a year--I waited because I weaned him just before a year and didn't want to "take everything" all at once. I've had friends who would have given anything to have their six month old LIKE the pacifier! :)

don't worry about the pacifier unless he is still addicted to it at more than a year or two. at 6 months he has a sucking reflex and it helps to sooth him. I would not worry about this yet. it is not until he has all his teeth that it becomes a problem.

This is perfectly normal behavior for a 6 month old. Their senses are not yet fully developed and the sucking reflex is there in full force so it is soothing and calming to a baby trying to navigate this big new world.

If he were nursing - he'd be using your breast as his comfort measure (babies NEED to suckle, even just for comfort, it is a biological instinct). I would allow him the pacifier. Wean him off slowly at the 18 month to 24 month mark... but not now.

why do you want to cut off a pacifier at the age he needs the sucking??? what is the problem my 2 1/2 yr old still sucks his thumb but is slowly outgrowning it. he only does it when hes tired.

Here are some very clever and helpful tips for getting rid of pacis:

http://www.theskinnyscoop.com/search/pacifier?utm_campaig...

Updated

Here are some very clever and helpful tips for getting rid of pacis:

http://www.theskinnyscoop.com/search/pacifier?utm_campaig...

Your baby NEEDS to suck now at just 6 mos. old. It's not considered a problem per se by pediatricians or professionals until 3 yrs old. Then they start to suspect lack of bonding and the binky is a necessary replacement.

Hi L., no tricks no gimmics, just throw it away. He cried because you allowed him to get addicted to it. It's not need he just wants it. I had 3 children and never used a pacifier, my mom had 5 and never used one. J.

Don't worry about it now. I would start trying to get him off around 12 months.

It's not an addiction, it's a developmental thing. Some babies use their thumb, some a binkie, some do it more, some do it less. Let it be. He'll be fine. Relax :)

I went to age 1 yr. I don't think you need to worry about taking it until then.

No, let it be.
A school dentist ( we were living in the UK then where they have school
]dentists) once told me that sucking needs are different for all children
because of the structure of their jaws. I had 3 children. The one
that needed his pacifier the most had a severe underbite and ended up
with surgery. The dentist said that sucking on a pacifier doesn't cause
a problem, but it is the other way around. The problem makes the
child want to suck.
The pacifier isn't doing any harm to your child, but if he is happy
don't take it away.
No child goes to school with a pacifier.
Jaw structure is genetic and a mixture of the parents bits.

t

Definitely do not take it away at this point. He's a baby and it makes him happy. The pacifier saved us on many occasions. If you son sleeps with it it is beneficial in that it helps prevent SIDS. Your son will give it up when he's ready. My son threw his away on his own when he was about 2. If he's 3 or 4 and still using it then you take it away but right now it's all about comfort for the baby.

Hope this helps! Good luck.

Don't be in such a hurry to take it away from him, he obviously need it to soothe himself. My kids both used them. My son gave it up at 2.5 and my daughter around 3. When they started seeing the dentist I asked if he was concerned about it and he said he didn't start worrying about it until after 4.

I agree with the moms who said don't take it away, he still needs it and it's not an "addiction". He'll give it up when he's ready. What to do? --There will be lots of "battles" to fight, don't make this one of them.

One of my daughters used a pacifier well afteer the age of one, and also a "blankie" with a silkie edge. Believe me, at 46, she uses neither (and didn't when she went to kindergarten) or even nearly that age. (By the way, she doesn't smoke or drink other than socially, either -- so it didn't translate into those additions.) She is a respected artist and also an art teacher and a great mother to a 13 year old. She was, however, probably the most sensitive of all my 7 children. Some children just need more comforting and security than others. I don't think he's old enough to understand why you are taking it away. When he is old enough to talk and understand, you can get him to join in a "program" to give up the pacifier in favor of some other toy or special activity. This is too early for that, and certainly he won't be harmed in any way at six months by a pacifier.

S. Toji

Some kids use a paci and some suck their thumb. Whatever method they use to self soothe is fine. My son was a paci kid and didn't give up the paci (on his own) until his 4th birthday. We tried to get rid of it when he was 2 and then again at age 3. But we had a new baby when he was 2 and I had just had major surgery when he turned 3 so we figured that since that was the only way he self soothed, he needed it during the times of stress. Then a week before his 4th birthday, we told him that his little cousin who was just born really needed his paci's and that we would be giving all of them away. So we had him put all the paci's into a bag and we took the bag and he mailed it to his little cousin. He asked for the paci maybe once or twice the first day or two and then never looked back.

My daughter has been a thumbsucker from the time she was an infant. I tried everything I could to convert her to a paci. But at age 4 months I gave up when she figured out how to literally chuck it out of her crib. She couldn't roll over yet, but figured out how to chuck the paci out of her crib :).

I truly believe in letting our kids learn to self soothe themselves at an early age. Both my kids were great sleepers from the get go. My son slept through the night at 4 months and my daughter at 3 months. We would put them in bed drowsy but awake. They used either the paci or thumb to self soothe and fall asleep. They are now 5 and 3 and both fall asleep on their own, are smart and fun kids.

My son has great teeth, has only had 3 baby cavities and his teeth are straight and his bite is perfect. Some think that pacis can make the jaw bite change. My daughter definitely has a slight overbite, probably from her thumbsucking, but also probably from genetics from my side of the family. We faced the fact that like me, she will need to have braces later on.

I say, let your son use his paci as long as he needs it to self soothe. When he is ready to let it go, you will know. I'd say probably between age 2 and 4 he will be ready to let it go.

If you really want to eliminate the pacifier, don't offer it. Unless you are going to offer food, don't pull it out of his mouth, that is why he is crying. They love to suck at this age. As long as he is getting enough food and hitting all the developmental milestones, you can let him have the pacifier, or not, up to you.
Don't pull it out of his mouth though...
Good luck
R.