DS will be 15 months old in two weeks. He still takes his pacifier at night and during naps. He rarely has it during the day....just usually when he's fussy because he's tired. I've tried a couple of times to let him go to sleep without it...HA he screams bloody murder....but the instant he gets it....he lays down and is asleep in a few minutes. I don't mind him having it, but I don't want him to rely on it either. It's like he has to have it to sleep. I'm not sure when or how to get rid of it? Suggestions? ↓
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Name: lin7604 | Date: May 1st, 2008 10:53 PM
i am in the same predicament as you! my son is 18 months and only uses it for nap adn bedtime. I too have been thinking maybe i sghould get rid of itow before it becomes a bigger problem to get rid of? I think since it's only for sleeping," what's the big deal" in many ways but then i don't want to battle with a 3 year old if he doesn't give it up on his own as many say they can do when ready. I work in the daycare field and i am going back to work for this fall, and the daycare i might work at has a policy "No soothers", so if i take this job i will have to def get rid of it by sept! ↑
Name: RMC | Date: May 5th, 2008 11:41 AM
I don't think it's too old. I start trying to wean at about 2, but my 15 month old won't go to sleep without a pacifier. He only uses it for sleep and for comfort when he's sick. ↑
Name: mjvdec01 | Date: May 5th, 2008 11:59 AM
We were advised to get rid of the pacifier and bottle by 18 months. Apparently after 18 months it develops in to a habbit and it is not a necessity anymore. It's best to get rid of it before that happens. We weaned my daughter completely form the bottle at about 13 months and the pacifier was gone at about 15 months. ↑
Name: bubbasmom | Date: May 5th, 2008 1:27 PM
My son is 27 months and still uses is at naps and bed. Trust me, I wish he did't use it. We tried once recently to take it away and he just screamed and screamed. I am due in July so trying again now is really bad timing. We are going to try around 3 and use supper nanny's advice of a paci fairy! This is really my son's only vice (he is in a big boy bed, talks great, is potty training) so I'm not too worried. I may regret it in ten years when I pay for braces, but oh well. ↑
Name: ewilson | Date: May 6th, 2008 1:30 AM
DS was born in Feb when dd was 27 months who still used her pacifier at night. My daycare helped wean her during naps. With in the last month she has completely given it up and no longer uses it for night or naps. She mostly did it on her own. We would offer her something else like her favorite blanket or stuffed animal when she asked for it at bed. If she totally freaked out we would give it to her because she was still adjusting to having a little brother. One night she asked for it and I offered her blanket, she took the blanket and never asked for her pacifier again. I think that they will work things out on their own and do it when they are ready. ↑
Name: MNMOM | Date: May 14th, 2008 12:17 PM
My pediatrician recommends eliminating the pacifier at 12 months. The longer you wait, the worse it is to get rid of. I wasn't convinved 12 months was necessary until he showed me the studis that babies greater than 12 months that still use a soothie have more ear infections - something to do with creating more saliva when sucking all the time....I can't exlplain all that science part of it, but he convinced me. ↑
Name: drea | Date: May 15th, 2008 11:35 AM
my dd is 19 months and still uses a pacifier. At her check up last week I mentioned to her doctor that I was still having a hard time getting rid of her pacifier and her bottle (she only has a bottle in the morning and one at night, otherwise its cups all day long). He said to work on the bottle first as she will need the pacifier (I am pg with twins) so I guess he figured she'll need that security. At daycare they dont let her have it except during naps and I've noticed she isnt asking for it as much especially when we go out. I am not forcing the issue with her b/c she is going ot have 2 new siblings soon and I want to make the transition as smooth as possible for her. I believe in letting them do it when they are ready (within reason that is) ↑
Name: ajsbabies | Date: May 15th, 2008 9:24 PM
My son is going to be three and he still uses it at nap and night time. I chose to pick my battles and if a pacifier comforts him I don't see a problem with it. I use an orthopedic one and it doesn't seem to bother his teeth either. There are worse things he could be putting his mouth and if you force him to get rid of the pacifier then he might start sucking his thumb. He will definitely be getting rid of this year though and I think he will be ready too so it won't be a big battle.
My dd is 28 months and still uses hers anytime she sleeps and in the car. She'll have it all day if I didn't hide it. Bad thing is, she has 2, more if I let her. She'll be rid of it before the holidays because I'm due with #2 then and I don't want her taking the baby's away... if we give the baby one. We didn't want to use one at all, but they gave it to her at the hospital everytime the nurse had her for anything(we were there for 4 days because she wouldn't eat much). If your ds is still in the crib I recommend taking it away now. He won't be able to hit/bite you and he'll soon learn that he can't get to the binky/pacifier and will learn to live with it. however, try giving him a transitional object. We did that with dd a few months ago, now she needs that as well...ugh. It would be much easier if family wouldn't give her one behind our backs. They all let her have it all day when she stays with them... as many as we send. That could mean 4-5! When we try to take it away next time, there won't be any family visits, overnight or daytime...here or there until she has accepted that its gone. The pediatrician recommended cutting the rubber off of them so she couldn't suck, but could still hold them. ↑
Name: jenniferjo | Date: May 24th, 2008 2:23 AM
Oh, funny story. Dd has 2... she calls them sniffy/sniffer and sucky. The clear one is the sucky and the brown one is the sniffer. She was calling it smelly, so we had to change it to sniffy lol. She won't put the rubber one (brown) in her mouth because it collects dirt and hair, but she still has to have it. She constantly rubs her nose with it. ↑
Name: lin7604 | Date: May 25th, 2008 12:05 AM
BWIND: what did you decide to do???
I am still debating what to do... ahhhh ↑
Name: Quinns Mom | Date: May 26th, 2008 12:18 AM
My daughter turned three in March and was still using a pacifier (we call it a nunu); at night mostly as she no longer naps. She went to her first dentist appoinment a couple of weeks ago and he said to get rid of it. We hadn't noticed but her teeth don't actually close in the front. There's a gap about half a centimetre between her uppers and lowers. The dentist said it should self correct because she's still young but if it doesn't we're looking at some lovely orthodontic bills. When we took it away that night she screamed pretty much all night. She goes to bed at 8pm, she screamed until around 10:30pm, woke up around midnight and screamed for another couple of hours. It was lovely. My sister told me to expect two more days like that but that was it. She didn't mention it again until she came strolling out of her room last week with one in her mouth!! We just took it away and she got pissy for a bit but that was it. I thought we were screwed and that we'd have go through it all again but we didn't. I have a three month old now and if I can get away with it he's not going to get one at all. ↑
Name: lin7604 | Date: May 26th, 2008 8:47 AM
well if your 3 month doesn't us it by now then you won't need it! i find that they need it a lot sooner if they are going to need it. I had NO intention of using one either until we were a tthe hospital ( i had a c section) and they gave him one to use. I was pissed, that was it, he needed it . I tried not to give it to him after but he was one of those really hungry babies and ate every 2 hrs, so with out it he wanted to eat all the time! ↑
Name: BWIND | Date: May 30th, 2008 10:34 PM
lin7604.....Yes, ds is still taking his pacifier when he sleeps. He's addicted. School is out now, so I think DH and I are going to start trying to get him off it for nap time. HOpefully, it works. We had no problem with the bottle,but I have a feeling this may be different. ↑
Name: AmandaManns | Date: May 31st, 2008 9:08 AM
My son is almost 2 1/2 and he was addicted to his binky as a baby. We took his away when he was 15 months old because I decided I wanted to get rid of it before he would ask for it. We had a hard time for about 2-3 days and after that not a problem. I have a friend and both of her kids took a binky and for a long time, and now one of them has a speech impediment and the other one has teeth that all are messed up. They both took theirs until they were over 3. ↑
Name: lin7604 | Date: Jun 1st, 2008 1:59 PM
ya i think 2morrow i am going to cut the tip off his and hope that he decides for himself that he doesn't like it anymore. Then if that doesn't work i will take it away for nap and hten i don't know if i will do nap and bedtime all at once or just nap and then do bedtime after naps are down and good with out it? ↑
Name: cors1wfe | Date: Jun 3rd, 2008 1:27 PM
I made a big deal about getting rid of it - I started priming my son at 9 months - even though he couldn't talk I know he understand - he only used it at night and naps - I told him big boys don't need a binkie - when he turned 15 months he threw it out the window - he never asked me for it again LOL -I thought he would throw it in the trash nope right out the car window....LOL as a reward I took him to Target and he picked out a toy - he was so happy about his new toy - I am sure that is a fluke but 2nd son - I started telling him about losing the binkie - he gave it up before 15 months - he wanted to be a big boy like his brother - my second son asked for it a time or 2 but each time I took him to the trash can and showed him it wasn't in there - (he tossed it himself) he got over it fairly quickly he didn't scream bloody murder for it or anything... ↑
Name: lin7604 | Date: Jun 3rd, 2008 1:37 PM
you are so lucky it was that easy...... Well i did it today, i told him when he woke up that today is the day that no more soother. SO at nap i put him down, gave him his gigi and covered him up with his blanket adn then he started to feel around on his left side for his soother. I reminded him that he can snuggle gig if he need to but that's it. He screamed for about 10 min and then it was on and off for another 5 min and now it is quiet..... SO i guess we will see how long he ends up sleeping too, as he used to sleep 2 hrs. Then we will see how bedtime goes without it again. wish me luck! ↑
Name: cors1wfe | Date: Jun 3rd, 2008 6:12 PM
Yes Lin keep us updated - I am curious - when he wakes up tell him what a big boy he is and really reinforce it without actually bringing up the soother word....LOL ......it sounds like he's pretty ok with it - that's really not bad he hardly missed it! With my first - he only used it to fall asleep and he would fling it across the room after he fell asleep it was the funniest thing - each morning I'd go in to get him and see the binkie right by the door so I could only imagine him flinging it out across the room LOL .....good luck sounds like he's going to be just fine! ↑
Name: lin7604 | Date: Jun 3rd, 2008 8:37 PM
well he only had half a nap, i was afraid of that. once he gets to that 45min-1hr mark when they transition into the second part thatis when he would put it in his mouth if it fell out and then go back to sleep for another hour. He was sleeping 2 good hours before, sometimes a bit more adn bed between 8-8:30. Well since he only slept 1 hr i put him to bed just after 7pm, he has been screaming his eyes out now for 16 min! I went in after 10 min, shushed him, recovered him up and reminded him it was bedtime, he started right back up as i was walking out. I just don't know if i should go in again in a bit, let it be? how long do i let him cry, etc etc????? ↑
Name: cors1wfe | Date: Jun 3rd, 2008 10:07 PM
LIN - it's going to take some time for him to adjust as far as crying it out it's really up to you .....every parent has their limit as to what they can handle and that is a personal decision.....I was very fortunate when it came to my boys giving it up I wish I had some magic trick to help you .....maybe you could start telling him what a big boy he is and that pretty soon big boys give up their soother tell him pretty soon you would like to see him toss it out maybe if you lay a foundation and game plan he will get on board I know it sounds silly but I know he understands..... ↑
Name: lin7604 | Date: Jun 4th, 2008 11:04 AM
thanks. Last night went alright ( after his hysterical 35min of crying), he woke up between 4 and 5, cried talked and fussed on and off but we didn't hear him after 5 until 6:50 which is a normal time. I hope today is better but i assume it will be worse as it will be day 2 without it and he will realize it's not coming back...... ↑
Name: cors1wfe | Date: Jun 4th, 2008 11:33 AM
LIN - hang in there if you are consistent it may only be a few days of adjustment! You will so happy once he's forgotten about it ↑
Name: lin7604 | Date: Jun 4th, 2008 12:52 PM
thanks, i know it will be a great thing for all of us once it's over and done with! it's just a bit of pacience i need when he's crying as i don't want to let it go too long and cause other issues, if ya know what i mean... ↑
Name: cors1wfe | Date: Jun 4th, 2008 6:12 PM
I know exactly what you mean .....just focus on the benefit of your patience and that will help....how did he do at nap time today? ↑
Name: lin7604 | Date: Jun 4th, 2008 6:15 PM
he did WONDERFUL!!!! i was very surprised. He kinda got the panic look when i was leaving, and i kept talking to him, looking busy ( closeing blinds, etc) as i was leaving and then all was good when i closed the door. A few min later i hear a few wimpers but that was it, he slept approx 1.5hrs so better then yesterday. He was happy when he woke and has been in a good mood all day. SO lets hope for the same at bedtime! ↑
Name: lin7604 | Date: Jun 4th, 2008 9:24 PM
well he has made me so proud!!! I took him for a slurpee this pm for being such a big boy!!! Bed time has been great too, it's been 8 min since i put him down and nothing, not a peep. I let him take his stuffed monkey to bed as per his request and all is good. Gosh maybe i should of did this months ago.....!!! :) ↑
Name: DeeD | Date: Jun 5th, 2008 3:59 AM
It depends on who you ask, what your babies temprament is like and what you use it for. Honeslty-it is your business and your business only. I would tell you yes, it is too old. But my kids have all quit using it at about 5 months-until this guy. He LOVES his binky. I am not sure when I will take it away. Each child is different, each child brings us different experiences. But you are the mom, so ultimately-it is up to you. ↑
Name: cors1wfe | Date: Jun 5th, 2008 2:59 PM
LIN - AWESOME!!!!!!! He is going to transition smoothly from what you are saying! I am so happy for you......I would say positive reinforcement is the key. ↑
Name: momtostetson | Date: Jun 10th, 2008 10:16 PM
As a speech therapist I just have to say it is best to get them off of it as soon as possible. It can do horrible things to teeth. It can also cause problems with speech later in childhood. I do not have suggestions to get rid of it really, my mom just "lost" my sisters and she said after about a week of crying she forgot all about it. ↑
