Advice on Breaking from Pacifier

Hi! I have a 2 year old little man and he still takes a pacifier. We will only let him have it at nap times and at bedtime. Occasionaly we'll give him and let him have it without being in his bed but normally that's when he is sick. I do think that they still have that need to suck on something. I think of it like this, that is his one thing that makes him feel comfortable when times get rough, or when he's around new people or doing new things. If someone tried to take something like that away from me, I would be really upset. Now, we plan on getting rid of it at his next birthday and introducing something else that's not to go in his mouth. LOL I know my son started daycare for the first time in January and I tell her that the only times that he should get it or when he sleeps, that's it! She follows the rules too and he really doesn't ask for it unless he's really sleepy.

Personally, I think at 14 months he is too young to understand trading them in for a toy. I agree with the others that there are so many reasons why you would not want him to have it at day care (sharing...eeew). If he sucks his thumb without the binky, there is nothing you can do about that, he may still have a comfort need that is met by sucking, but at leaat he will not be sharing his thumb with the other kids (hopefully). Neither of my kids were ever suckers, but I have seenother kids at the day care passing the binkies back and forth.

Hi Carrie.
Faith mentioned a great idea that we used with our daughter. Only we did it on her 2nd birthday, so she was a little older and had a little more understanding of what was going on. She traded all her pacies for some cake topper toys at the local Publix bakery. That way she knew that Mommy and Daddy didn't have them anymore so asking for them back was a non-issue. She only asked once, the next night... I reminded her that she traded them for her toys, and that was it. No crying, never brought it up again. The end.
It almost sounds to me like it is not a big issue for you guys though. Maybe you could just tell him that pacies are only for at home, and not send one to daycare with him? Then he wouldn't have to give it up cold turkey. A lot of people transition in a similar way (only letting them have them in their bedroom, then only while they are in their bed, then only at bedtime while in the bed, etc).
I would be afraid of the "sharing" of pacifiers that would go on at daycare too. So if you go that route (not letting him take one), you should be clear with the daycare providers that your son is not allowed to have one. Maybe he won't be bothered by it.. there is so much other stuff to distract him there...
Good luck, every kid adjusts differently and you know your child best.
If you do opt for the trading idea, maybe you could set up a trade with a stuffed animal of some sort that he could take to daycare with him and sleep with as a security object (instead of the paci).
Enjoy the fascinating toddler years!

My son loved his pacifier. I used to dread the day that we would have to take it away because he used it all the time. When he was 11 months old he figured out how to put the whole thing in his mouth so we had to take it away cold turkey. It was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be! He cried for it off and on for 2 for 2 to 3 days and then never thought about it again. Listen to everyones advice, but do what you feel is right for your situation. Good luck!

Cut the tip of the nipple off and it will not suck on it the same. If he learns to bite the tip and still suck on it keep cutting it shorter and shorter. He will find that it is useless and he will not want it any more. It took my daughter 2 days and we had the nipple basically cut all the way off by the second night. She liked to sleep with it for a few days afterwords but just held it in her hand because there was nothing to suck on. she was about 15 months when we took hers away. It was a lot easier than I expected. THe first night was a little rough, but she adjusted very quickly. Hope this hleps.

Hello,
Well, for starters I used to be a daycare worker and I will tell you this "MOST" daycares do not like the children to have pacifiers during normal play time, only at nap and if the child "needs" it to sleep or not disturb the other children at nap. I reccommend asking about this with his daycare and/or enforcing it. Cold turkey is the best way but don't wait until he starts daycare that is already a major change in his life he does not need two at a time at that age. My son at that age went through several major changes and he ended up keeping the binki until his fourth birthday and then he gave them up for a "special toy" He still asked for it a couple nights after and then nothing, however he stills has the need to put stuff in his mouth when he is unsure or tired, AKA his shirt collar. Good Luck, N.

My daughter was 15 months old when the doctor told me to get rid of the pacifier because it was messing up the alignment of her teeth. She said it was a habit, not a need. She too only had it at nap and bedtimes. She and I picked a date a couple days away to throw away "BT" (what she called it) because the doctor told her she was a big girl. We counted down and on the chosen day, there was drama but I made her throw it away and say that she was a big girl. The first day she asked for BT at nap/bed and I said "BT's in the garbage, you are a big girl now". The next day, she asked and I asked her back and she could say "garbage, I big girl". By the third day she looked at me and said "BTs in the garbage, I big girl" and she never asked for it again. I hid all the other BTs so she couldn't accidently find them in the transition. My doctor assured me that kids are resilient and most of the time its the parents that have the hardest time! She was right! Good luck!

Usually, I would say just let him keep it. But in your case, I think he's old enough and not dependent enough to have it taken away. You really don't want to deal with binkies at daycare. You never know if other kids would "steal" it and suck on it themselves then give it back. Dropping it on the floor, etc. It would be a very easy way to spread more germs and possibly have him sick more often.
He really won't understand anything gradual at his age. So "weaning" him won't really work. Plus, you've said that he only has it at the beginning of naps and sleep so he doesn't really need it anyway. I don't think he'll start sucking his thumb. They usually start that very early on if that's their preferance. He isn't an infant anymore. He may still find comfort in sucking, but he doesn't have the "need" as you inquired about.
I would gather up all the binkies and put them in a bag. You can then, if you think that would work, have him "trade" his bag of binkies for a gift of some sort. Maybe a new sippy cup or little truck or hard book. Whatever it is that he likes. At his age, he will probably only look for it for 2-3 days then once he realizes that it's gone, he will move on.
I wish you luck and patience!

I just took it away from my two boys when they were 1 year. Neither one of them sucked their thumbs and within a week or two they adjusted just fine.

get him a snuggletoy for bet time. take away the pasifier, It probably won't be missed

I had children who would not take a pacifier & only sucked thumbs - my twins now 5 still suck their thumbs when they sleep. It is always a tricky business to make those choices for them. But here is my 2 cents for what it is worth.

I would take away the pacifier to start school - if he goes to sucking his thumb, there is nothing you can do - however - you can set the limits - we do not allow - nor have allowed since they were 2 - to suck their thumbs while they were awake. It has worked for us. I know you would like to see him transition from not getting it to not needing it - but it is totaly up to him. There are worse things than him sucking his thumb. Just also remember he is going to have lots of new stuff to interact with & maybe he just won't fall into the thumb routine.

Good Luck & God Bless