In the Know for You To Know

You’ve decided, the time is now to say bye bye to your child’s pacifier.

Now you’re asking yourself, So how do I do this?

I’m glad you asked, here are some tips to help you say bye bye to the pacifier—

Younger Is Better

Children should stop using the pacifier around the age of 2 years old.

Some parents like to stretch it out until 3 or 4 years old. However the older your child is when you take the pacifier away, the harder it will be for both of you.

Why? They have memories and routine with their pacifier. So younger is better.

Why Does It Matter?

Pacifiers can result in early dental problems for your child, which can really be seen when their adult teeth begin to come into their mouth.

Dental problems may develop depending on how long, how often, and how strongly your child sucks on their pacifier.

Continued sucking can cause changes in the proper growth of their mouth, the roof of their mouth, and the position of their teeth.

What Do I Do If My Child Won’t Give Up Their Pacifier?

Gradually have your child wean off the pacifier, try limiting use to nap time and bed time at first. Then let your child use the pacifier for short periods of time if you feel they particularly need it, and then continue to gradually shorten the frequency and amount of time the pacifier is used.

On the other hand there are some parents who say the only way to go is cold turkey. This may entail crying for a night or two until your child gets used to self soothing their way to sleep.

No matter how you approach this, if it makes your child afraid or tense, stop it at once and re-evaluate for a better time.

Offer An Alternative To Their Pacifier

Offer your child an alternative to hold as they fall asleep, like a cuddly toy or soft doll.

If they’re used to having the pacifier during the day while they’re awake, try distracting them with a fun activity or favorite toy.

Time To Be Creative

Cut the pacifier’s nipple little by little

Continue to do this over 1 week until nothing is left. Once it is cut the pacifier loses the sucking appeal. You can tell your child a story about how pacifiers will naturally shrink as they become a big kid.

Every child loves a superhero, so turn the Pacifier Fairy or Binky Fairy into one

Tell your child a story about how the Pacifier Fairy is coming and will leave them a surprise in exchange for their pacifier.

You can set a specific day for the Pacifier Fairy to visit, decorate for the event and during the party when no one is looking the pacifier magically disappears.

Or you can leave out the pacifier on a special plate or in pretty tissue paper in a box and magically it’s taken away by the Pacifier Fairy leaving her trail of glitter.

Tell your child there’s a baby who really needs their pacifier

Whether the pacifier is to be for a new baby in your immediate family, extended family, family friend, or a baby in a far away place, story telling is a great way to explain that now since your child is a big girl or big boy they can help other little babies by giving them their pacifiers.

Make a special occasion of packing the pacifiers in tissue paper in a gift box with a big bow and tell your child you’re going to take the box to the baby’s mommy or daddy. Or you’re going to take the box to the post office to mail it to the baby’s mommy or daddy.

You can put the pacifiers into a balloon (or a few balloons depending on the number of pacifiers you have) and send off the pacifiers by balloon express.

Take your child to the store to pick out a new toy to replace their pacifier

Before you leave home wrap the pacifiers in tissue paper and place it in a box so it can be mailed or donated to a child or baby who needs pacifiers.

Fun stuff to do

If your child uses sucking on the pacifier to relieve boredom, keep their hands busy or distract them with things they like and are fun.

Rewards and Reminders

Sticker charts, small daily rewards, and gentle reminders are also very helpful.

Whether you chose one way or a combination, it’s important be sure to collect all the pacifiers around the house and everyone’s house. The last thing you want is for your little one finding a pacifier a week or two after they gave it up and having to go back to square one again.

Timing Is Important

Try not to take away the pacifier during life changes (like potty training), major transitions (like a new baby) or traveling so not to put additional stress on the process.

Once you’ve made the plan to wean your child off the pacifier, make sure everyone is on board and everyone sticks with it.

What’s important is encourage your child with positive reinforcement, lots of love and plenty of hugs.

Giving up the pacifier is a tremendous accomplishment for your child and for you. Congratulations!

What are your ideas on how to wean a child off the pacifier? What worked for you? We’d really like to know! Send us an email at kidstoothhotline@proton.me Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kidstoothhotline

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!