Hi everyone,

I never had this problem with my first daughter because she never liked a pacifier. However, my younger daughter is now almost 2 and I'm wondering if it is time to take the pacifier away.

I want to clarify that the only time she gets this pacifier is for naptime and bedtime. She does NOT have it any other time as I find it absolutely appauling to see a child walking around with one. I'm not knocking anyone who does that for their children, it's just my personal feelings on the subject. It's stictly a comfort thing for sleep.

Anyway, I know it may be getting to the point where if I don't stop it soon then it will get harder. I guess I'm wondering when any of you took the pacifier away and how you went about it?

Thanks!

I have 4 children, and each of them was different. My daughters definately had them longer. One son never liked one, and one until about 1. If it's only at nap/bedtime, I don't think that it is uncommon for them to still have them at 3. Unless it's causing dental problems, there shouldn't be anything wrong with it. One thing I noticed with my youngest daughter was that thumb sucking started almost immediately after the pacifier went away. It's tougher to take the thumb away! Good luck.

Thanks chiefan!

The pacifier isn't causing any problems with her teeth so that is a good thing. It's funny you mention the thumb because that was my older daughter's thing and it was very hard to break that habit. My husband is really more concerned than I am at this point which is why I came on here to see other's opinions.

I plan to take it away when my son is 2 years old as well. I also only use it for nap or bed time and don't like to see him with it any other time.

I hope to cut a hole in his pacifier or do a burying ceremony (I have heard of people doing this). I know there are many other things you can do but I can't think of them right now.

I am interested in seeing the advice others can give on this topic.

Apparently i had one until i was 4/5! My mother tells me that she paid a pound a day to stop!

My youngest daughter did as well. She never left the house with it though!

My youngest daughter also had a pacifer at nap and bedtime only.

When she turned 3, we decided it was time to take it away. Before we could, she had to have her tonsils removed. So I, being a weak mom, could not do it then. I thought she needed the comfort.

After she recovered, my oldest daughter came home for a visit. She brought our 2 month old granddaughter with her. Well, it worked out great, because the day they went back home, I removed the pacifier from my daughters room. When it came bedtime, she looked everywhere for it. "We" finally concluded that the baby took it home with her.

Every now and then, she would think about it and remember that the baby must have needed one and took it home.

My youngest daughter also had a pacifer at nap and bedtime only.

When she turned 3, we decided it was time to take it away. Before we could, she had to have her tonsils removed. So I, being a weak mom, could not do it then. I thought she needed the comfort.

After she recovered, my oldest daughter came home for a visit. She brought our 2 month old granddaughter with her. Well, it worked out great, because the day they went back home, I removed the pacifier from my daughters room. When it came bedtime, she looked everywhere for it. "We" finally concluded that the baby took it home with her.

Every now and then, she would think about it and remember that the baby must have needed one and took it home.


That reminded me of when we brought my son home from the hospital shortly after taking the pacifier away from my daughter. She would always take his! :)

i took away my first little girl's pacifier away when she was 2 1/2 and we had NO problems at all.... she was VERY attached to it, but at 2 1/2 she was old enough to understand that it was time to let it go. i showed her pictures of ugly teeth on the internet (g00gle images has tons of great pictures) and told her that was what happened when you had too many binkies and she got rid of her binky that day and has never looked back.

with my second (she's two and a half now), she's having trouble with her teeth because she has a small mouth and an extra tooth and she's cutting her molars which is h*ll for her. i am letting her keep the binky until all her teeth are in because it's a comfort for her. she only has it at naptime and bedtime too, unless i can tell that her teeth are really bothering her and then i might let her have it other times, but i try not to do that if i can help it.

she has a special box we call her binky box that she puts her binky in first thing when she wakes up. i try to let her do it herself, so that she feels like she is in control of things on that front (she's very independent, so as much as i can let her think she is in control....).

anyway, i actually think it's easier to wait until your daughter is a little older and is easier to reason with before trying to take away her binky! :)

My daughter was close to 2 when she let go of her pacifier. Like you, I only allowed her to have it at nap/bedtime.

When it was time we put her pacifiers in a special box for the pacifier fairy. I explained that the pacifier fairy is the one who comes and gets the pacifiers from the "big" girls and gives them to the new little babies who need them now. Amazingly this worked well. My daughter thought it was good to give babies pacifiers. She would find ones I didn't know were still in the house (her secret stash...hahaha) and bring them to me for the "fafier fairy."

Good Luck. Hope this helps a little. Just know that you and your LO will know when it is time to give up the pacifier.

Angela

MCR - I love that story and will keep it in mind!

Thank you for all the responses. I honestly didn't expect this many!

I think I'm going to wait a little longer as you suggested mcr285. It is very hard to reason with her right now as she is very stubborn and wants what she wants when she wants it. The strong will of a toddler!

The binky fairy was also a great tip and I will keep that in mind. I'm sure my older daughter would love to help with that since the tooth fairy has been making regular apperances lately.

When it was time we put her pacifiers in a special box for the pacifier fairy. I explained that the pacifier fairy is the one who comes and gets the pacifiers from the "big" girls and gives them to the new little babies who need them now.

A friend of mine did this with her twin girls - even had the pediatrician mention the "binky fairy" to them, and it worked! The day they put them in the box was the last day they ever had one! Great tip!