Happy Tips For Weaning Kids Off Their Pacifier
December 12, 2018
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First off, allow me nation you lot that I am a big fan of pacifiers. They were seriously life savers when my oldest boy (now 7) was born. I receive got had i kid who was a pacifier addict (he's at in i lawsuit 7), i that was a pollex sucker (she's at in i lawsuit 4), too i that didn't actually suck on anything except his stuffed fauna (he's at in i lawsuit 2).
One affair that people electronic mail me close quite oft is close pacifiers. They desire to know when they should larn rid of them, how to larn rid of them, etc.
Today I'm going to part around of my ideas too around of the ideas that folks shared inward my Toddler Approved Positive Parenting someone Facebook group regarding how to wean kids from pacifiers.
My get-go comment is usually, why? My minute comment is usually, what are you lot going to supersede it with?
Typically the reasons for weaning a kid from a pacifier mightiness include nighttime wakings (child wakes upward a lot because the pacifier falls out), parents experience he is also sometime for a pacifier, parents are worried close the child's teeth, the kid is having ear issues, or the pacifier mightiness effort challenges alongside nursing (if the kid is however young).
Before you lot wean your kid off of their pacifier intend through the reasons your kid is using the pacifier too endeavor too regard a replacement behaviour you lot tin instruct your kid instead.
Many children honey to suck on things too a pacifier fills that need. When removing the pacifier you lot volition demand to regard other ways to aid your kid create total that need. You may abide by that the kid starts sucking his pollex instead or sucking on pjs or blankets or fifty-fifty their hair. My pediatrician has ever said that he'd prefer kids to purpose a pacifier because you lot tin at to the lowest degree take it, versus a pollex or hair.
If your kid is using the pacifier for self soothing too it is a comfort object, regard other comfort objects you lot could innovate to the kid prior to weaning the kid off the pacifier. Possibly a special blanket, stuffed animal, etc.?
When is a skillful fourth dimension to wean kids off a pacifier?
There is no difficult too fast rule. Each kid volition survive different. Some doctors recommend waiting till later a kid is vi months since the incidence of SIDS is lower later that fourth dimension (and around doctors intend using a pacifier reduces the risks of SIDS).
We weaned our boy off of his pacifier when he was two years old. Some hold off until their kid is older too tin communicate amend too empathize a fleck better.
I would recommend avoiding weaning a kid off of his pacifier during a big transition period- for instance a novel baby's arrival, a move, menage unit of measurement changes, sickness, or other stressful periods.
What are around ways to wean a kid off a pacifier?
Here are a few ideas from several of our community members plus what worked at our house. Each kid volition survive different. Some demand to receive got it ho-hum too receive got it survive a gradual transition spell others are fine alongside it beingness a quick weaning experience.
At my describe solid nosotros position all the pacifiers inward a big envelope too position them inward the mailbox. Then nosotros went dorsum within for an hr or so. While nosotros were within my hubby snuck exterior too replaced the big envelope alongside a special gift. When nosotros went out exterior to the mailbox nosotros discovered that the pacifier fairy had come upward too taken all of our pacifiers to novel babies too nosotros got a special novel toy to slumber alongside too a treat!
2. Cut the pacifier tip off.
Many mothers recommend you lot gradually cutting the tips off of the pacifiers. Cut a piddling fleck to a greater extent than off each calendar week or each day. Over fourth dimension the kid realizes that they don't travel good whatever to a greater extent than too volition halt using them.
3. Have the kid exclusively purpose it at a specific fourth dimension of solar daytime (bedtime/naptime).
Many parents similar a to a greater extent than gradual strategy yesteryear using the pacifier exclusively at specific times too like shooting fish in a barrel whittling it downwards to only bedtime too and hence eventually removing them.
Some kids are fine alongside only a alarm that on a specific appointment all of the pacifiers are going to larn away. On that solar daytime you lot tin receive got the kid aid you lot throw them all away. I would definitely brand certain you've come upward up alongside a replacement strategy earlier you lot create this.
5. Wrap it upward too give it away to a novel infant friend.
Some kids mightiness honey getting to part their special pacifier alongside a novel infant too survive a helper. Obviously nation that bring upward to only throw the pacifier away later you lot travel out :) This strategy plant best alongside older kids who tin empathize that giving away their pacifier would survive helpful for a novel baby.
6. Attach a balloon to it too transportation the pacifier away.
I sentiment this was a cute sentiment though don't honey sending balloons upward into the air to litter the oceans... if you lot receive got additional ways to brand this work, travel yesteryear them along.
7. Have the kid give it to Santa at Christmas inward telephone commutation for all of her presents on Christmas morning.
Instead of leaving out milk too cookies, travel out out all of the pacifiers. Tell your kid that Santa wants to receive got the pacifiers to all the piddling boys too girls who are lamentable or sick at Christmas.
8. Stop buying them!
Let your kid know that you lot aren't buying whatever anymore. At our describe solid they got lost hence oft hence we'd run out pretty quick! :)
9. Trade them inward at the toy store.
Put them inward a big ziploc handbag too receive got them alongside you lot to the toy store. Tell the shop staff that you lot are going to merchandise the pacifiers inward for toys (wink, wink). Pick a toy too stealthly pay for it too inquire the shop workers to throw the pacifiers inward the trash.
10. Get a replacement lovie or stuffed fauna for them too receive got them merchandise it alongside you lot for the pacifiers.
One reader mentioned that she had a pacifier stuffed within a Build a Bear. She recommend that you lot NOT create that :) At to the lowest degree it didn't travel for her. Her kid at in i lawsuit hates that bear! LOL.
11. The Elizabeth Pantley method
This is i strategy to suspension the pacifier/sleep association. Elizabeth shares her strategy inward the mass The No-Cry Sleep Solution.
I'd honey to take heed what has worked for you lot every bit well? Any tips you lot tin share?
One affair people don't elevate is that oft yesteryear weaning kids off of their pacifier they receive got a difficult fourth dimension going to sleep, particularly at nap time! If I had it to over in i lawsuit again I would hold off LONGER to receive got away my child's pacifier. He was a really oral kid at historic menses two too actually needed that pacifier. He would've had a much to a greater extent than successful transition too would receive got slept amend if nosotros had waited longer. My boy stopped taking naps completely in i lawsuit nosotros sent his pacifier to the pacifier fairy, although the transition was super like shooting fish in a barrel too he never actually asked close it again. That doesn't hap to all kids, but it did alongside my oldest.
Whether you lot wean your kid mutual depression temperature turkey or gradually, delight cry back that the pacifier has served a demand too has been a really of import particular inward your child's life (in most cases). Be emotionally supportive too admit how difficult it is too give lots of hugs too extra honey to your kid during this transition.
Also, if your kid loves pacifiers, what are your favorites? We loved the Nuk pacifiers and the Avent pacifiers (pictured above) that nosotros got at the hospital.
Come bring together our Toddler Approved Positive Parenting someone Facebook group to inquire questions too speak over other parenting topics.
Jackie at Happy Hooligans has also shared around pacifier weaning tips that are helpful if you lot are looking for additional ideas.
Jackie at Happy Hooligans has also shared around pacifier weaning tips that are helpful if you lot are looking for additional ideas.