I was wondering if anyone else out there has experienced this problem: My son is 2 1/2 and was, until now, still allowed his pacifier (at bedtime only) and I recently took it away. The first few days were whiney but he has since gotten over it with one exeption, since the first day, he now wakes up at 5:30am and wont go back to sleep, he cries and wants us to come get him. I mean he screams. Once i get him he's usually ok but I'm a bit cranky because it is 5:30am. A little history, i usually get up myself around 5:30-6am and get ready for work before waking him up around 6:30 or so. It gave me some time to myself in the am. He occas. would wake up earlier but would grab his pacifier and go back to sleep. He wasn't really sucking it anymore but liked to have it there. I'm wondering, did I take it too soon? We did just move and it's been an adjustment for him, I'm sure. I'd hate to move backwards, too. Saturday mornings are now really early for all of us and it's tough not to get irritated... I love my boy but i want to find out how to solve this and get some peace back in the mornings. HELP!!!
(It is also making him tired before nap time at his dayschool, now.)
Hi H.,
I haven't read all of the posts, so... one suggestion that I saw from another poster some time back was to poke small holes in the bulb of the paci so that it loses its suction. If it doesn't give him the same feeling, he'll stop using it.
M.
H.- I can really relate. We took my daughter's passy away when she was 3 and then the nightmares started. After 3 weeks with no sleep, I finally relented and let her have it back. It took until last month, at 4 1/2, for me to get it away from her again. We made a big deal out of it. I told her the binky fairy would be coming and leaving her a present. She is in love with Build a Bear, so we also took her to Build a Bear and she put both of her binkies into a bear. For the next few weeks she happily snuggled her bear when she needed comfort and didn't need the binkies anymore. She was also happy with the card and present she got from the binky fairy (thank you Super Nanny for the idea). My suggestion would be to introduce a new lovey for him to snuggle with and make a big deal out of what a big boy he is by giving him a special gift (like from a binky fairy). I am going to tackle this with my 2 yr old soon and hopefully these techniques will work for him too! My only other thought is that both of my kids have been getting up around 5-530 the last few weeks (it really is taking a toll), maybe it is another factor that is getting him up like the birds.
Good luck.
H.,
There are some great ideas here, you just need to find what works for you and your son. Here's my story & what worked for me. Hope it helps!
My daughter used her pacifier until her first teeth fell out (she was almost 6 1/2) - I had checked with her dentist and he said the pacifier does not cause problems until the permanent teeth start to come in. She was also only using it at night & I prepared her for month that once her first tooth came out, no more sucking. What worked for me is I got her a special animal blanket (a security blanket with a bear head) and sewed her favorite pacifier to the underside of the head. She used to have a string of them ands he would suck on one and finger the other 2, so by doing this I did not completely take away her way of self-soothing, but I did take away her ability to suck. She goes to sleep just fine now while holding onto it rather than sucking.
Good Luck! ~ B.
You could try to help your son find a replacement item. Something else that he chooses that he would like to sleep with in place of the pacifier. Maybe even take him out to buy something new that is special for him in bed and see if you can work in the idea that he has this to stay in bed with until you come ane get him in the AM.
Good luck.
We tried to take my son's away when he was 18 mos but i had surgery so we gave it back and tried again a month later. We also have the early riser issue. I would suggest giving him a small stuffed animal to hold. It has helped my son. He is also 2 1/2 years old.
My daughter also had a pacifier and I tried a couple of times to take it away. She also only took it at night. I know you feel like you will be going backwards but at about 3 she told me it was time to get rid of her pacifier. If that is his only security blanket I say let him have it a little longer. It is not like you are letting him walk around with it.
all i can tell you is to work around it. we took my daughter's from her in DEc at 2 1/2 and it went really well.....however, she no longer takes naps really. She just had rest time in her room for 1-2 hours. That is how we decided to handle it so the best I can tell you is to work around it somehow if you can
My oldest daughter (She is now 12 1/2 yrs) never took to the pacifier but instead would suck her third & fourth fingers. I was worried about her teeth but her dentist said that until her permanent teeth came in, she was fine. She intermittently sucked her fingers but then stopped at age 4 (before her perm teeth) so I think that each child has his/her own schedule. I don't think it would be an issue giving it back, especially if it will help to soothe him so that you can have your peace of mind.
If he isn't using it during the day, and he needs it to get back to sleep in the morning I say just let him have it. I think sometimes the paci stigma goes a little far- no biggie to let him have it if you would rather have your extra hour of sleep. He will phase it out himself eventually on his own. That being said, if you really want him to stop (which is just fine too) I'll be willing to bet he finds another way to soothe himself back to sleep if you give it another week or so.
Hi H.,
Taking the pacifier away from your son is quite okay. No Problem.
His waking up at 5:30 a.m., rearrange your routine to include him now.
Get in a mom's support group and take some parenting classes to help you in your transition.
Here are some resources:
www.kidspriorityone.org or ###-###-####
You are doing great. Keep up the good work. Hope this helps. D.
Try a sippie cup of water in his bed at night so he can find it in the morning. I dont think you took it away too soon, but too late actually. Like my son and his bedtime bottle...its no longer a need its a want...an addiction.
As for the weekends could you and your husband take turns getting up w/ him? You get up sat. and hubby gets up sun. That way you both get at least one day a week to sleep in. Its what my dh and I do.
Ok,
My question is why the need to take away his security item? If he only took it at bedtime and didn't really suck it all night, it won't interfer with teeth and if it makes him feel "warm and fuzzy" what is the problem?
I think you should give it back.
My daughter has a lovey that she likes at bedtime or when she is tired or sick and she is nearly 7. My nearly 5 yr old sucks his thumb when he is tired, but again, not all night, just as he falls asleep and in the wee hours when he is waking up. And he twirls his hair (or mine at bedtime).
I think kids need these self soothers. I know you might think he is too big for a binky, but there is more attached to that pacifier then a sucking tool. It is his "mommy replacement" when he cannot have you. If YOU need for him to give it up, try and find a replacement like a soft blanket, or a favorite stuffed toy, anything that makes him feel that "warm and fuzzy" feeling. We ask so much of our kids these days. they are away from us so much of the day. I just think they need something to make it all OK. Just some stuff to think about. Good luck whatever you decide. You are a great mom to want the best for your son.
A.
The pacifier presents a lot of dental problems. I don't think 2.5 is too young, however I do think it's old enough for HIM to do it himself. Tell him there is a special day coming up where he's big enough and finally gets to have Paci FREE day, tell him all kids do this when they get BIG enough. Make a big deal about it, offer cake and ice cream and set it up like a birthday party. It's HIS day and HIS responsibility to go around collecting them all, and throwing them in the trash.
We did this with our son, at age 3... if I had thought a little more creatively how to do it before his 3rd birthday, I would have.
Good luck!
Hi H.! We just went through this with my son. We gave him something else to carry around besides a pacifier- a toy car. He really likes the movie Cars, so we bought him a little car from the movie and let him take that to bed. He carries the little car everywhere, but threw all of his pacifiers away. we just explained that he was a big boy and now had a car instead. It took a couple days, but now he has been pacifier free for about 2 months. Good luck!! Hope this helps!!
Probably not what you want to hear but this is how transitions go. I suggest just getting him up when he wakes up and finding some quiet toys for him to play with while you get ready for work. As for the weekend, if you have a TV in your room then you could have him come in there when he wakes up to quietly watch cartoons while you rest a while longer. It is not as good as sleep but it is better than being up. We call it horizontal time. It is better than no sleep.
My son is on day 3 with no paci and we have had very few problems at nap and bedtime. He only used it for sleeping like your son. In order to get my son to give up the paci I told him he could have something else in his bed to keep him company. He decided on a matchbox car. So maybe to get your son to give up the paci you can trade him for something else that he likes and keep it in his room as a special sleepy time item. Best wishes to you and your family.
