when to take the pacifier away??

[cli638]

when will people start looking at me funny if my child is still using her pacifier? what is the general recommendation? what do people do in "real life" ??

[Wife_and_mommy]

We have a 3.25 yo who we're working on this week. He agreed tonight to take his pacis to church tomorrow to "the babies". We'll see how that goes.

I think it's completely up to you. There are lots of options between not having it and never taking it out. You don't say how old your kiddo is but a good way to start would be only having it at bed/naptime. Our transition has been a few months in the making.

[Riley's mama]

I know this is supposed to be a "real life" question, but we followed the Baby 411 book and took the pacifier right after she turned 6 months. I was surprised at what an easy transition it was. She hadn't used it to sleep at night, but was using it for naps. We basically took it at the same time that we started putting her down for naps in the crib (Ferber) and it wasn't that bad.

I think the most important thing to do is just help your LO by giving a lovey or something like that that they can associate with sleep. Good luck!

[KBecks]

My 6 month old no longer uses a pacifier. When he seems not to want it as much then we stop. I personally think it's weird to see 2 year olds with pacifiers and I would not want that with my kids, but I understand different families have different ways.

[Melaine]

We are still dragging our feet on taking the pacis here. (DDs are 2 and a half). However, we cut back a long time ago to pacis just at nap and bedtime, so that really helps. At least I don't feel like the paci is keeping them from talking or things like that (also no one will think "why does that big kid have a paci?" in public). I honestly am just hanging on to it with thoughts of it helping transition them to toddler beds...which is a terrifying change (at least for me).

[amandabea]

Our DD is in FT daycare, so we used each room transition to reduce the paci use. Transition from infant to 1 yo room - went to paci at night and nap time only. Transition to 2 yo room - went to no pacis for big girls. This worked well for us as there was a "reason" we could use for the change.

[nfowife]

We are starting the transition to in the crib only (night and naps). I know it will be a long road, but I think it is time! DS just turned 2 and he loves his paci. I don't feel it interferes with his speech right now (in terms of development), but I am concerned about his teeth. DD on the other hand never took a paci, but she is a finger sucker. I know that is going to be MUCH worse to stop, but she only does it at nighttime so it's more contained.

[KrisM]

We took DS1's away at 4 months because we were putting it at night about 25 times and we thought it would be best if he learned to sleep without it. After a few tough nights, he did learn and learned to suck his fingers instead. He'll be 5 next month and we're still working on getting his fingers out of his mouth.

So, with DD, we didn't take it away. A week or so after she turned 2, she never picked it up again. We were just going to start working on it with her, but it was a non issue.

DS2 rarely takes one now. DH can not get him to accept one at all. I can sometimes in the car, but that's about it. He's 8.5 months.

I regert taking DS1's so early as the finger sucking is much harder to deal with. If we had to work on it at an older age, it would be a few tough days but it'd be done.

[jenny]

My baby stopped wanting it at around 7 months. We also didn't give it to her as often as she got older. She started teething and wanted other things to chew on besides a paci.

She's 8.5 months, and when we've tried to give it to her, she spits it back out.

I've heard some children naturally wean themselves. But I've also seen 2.5-year-olds with pacifiers. So I guess it depends on the baby and the parent.

[HIU8]

DS was 3 when we were finally able to get rid of his. For his 3 yr old checkup he gave it to the doctor for another little baby to use (doc threw it out of course). For an entire month prior, we had been talking it up and getting DS prepared. The first week was HARD, but he has never looked back after that. The dentise has remarked about his mouth and was concerned about the length of time he used a paci. I know we are in for some major orthodontia for DS.

DD never really liked the paci, even as a tiny infant. She really only liked the soothies with a finger stuck in them. We used them to help her calm herself up to about 3 months of age when she refused those as well. She is not a finger or thumb sucker either.