Getting rid of pacifiers

[flashy09]

I just noticed a pacifier of DD's that was almost complete bitten off. That looks like a terrible choking hazard and when inspecting her others, I saw a little hole at the top where her teeth go in most of them. She is 2 now and it's been on the back of my mind to get rid of them anyway.

She only uses them at nap and bed time and never asks for one during the day. But she always wants one to lay down with. What is the best method to end them? A paci fairy that takes them for babies and leaves her a treat? Leave them at Grandma's house? Show her the broken ones and tell her they don't work? I was thinking maybe combine all three thoughts and take her broken pacis to Grandma's house where we leave them for the paci fairy....then go outside for a bit...then come back in and there is a cookie where the paci's were. But perhaps that is too much drama and I shouldn't make it such a big deal.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated! She spits it out after falling asleep so hopefully it won't cause night wake ups, but it's just the going to bed part I am dreading.

[queenmama]

DS bit the tops off of a couple of his and that's exactly how we weaned him! We said we weren't buying any more, so when they were all "unsuckable," that'd be the end. He did keep one bitten-off paci for quite awhile, but it was almost like a teddy bear in the way he carried it around.

Your DD is younger, though, so I'm not sure she could grasp that idea. DS used pacis for faaaaaaar too long!

Lara

[belovedgandp]

DS1 was almost 3. We did the paci fairy - somehow he managed to fall asleep staring at the silly thing across the room on his dresser. In the morning there was a new train toy.

The next two were younger. We took them to build a bear and put the pacis inside an animal. DS2 still sleeps with his animal over 4 years later. There was one traumatic night when I think I was going to have to cut open the leg of DD1's animal, but it worked out.

[alootikki]

We went to a family wedding out of state, and stayed in a hotel. DS was 2 years old - he was exhausted from staying up late each night for wedding events, and didn't really miss the paci when we put him in the pack-n-play. When we drove home, we "forgot" the paci in the hotel. He was still so exhausted for a few nights afterward (and out of his normal routine) that by the time he remembered, he had already slept through the night without it. He was a little upset that we "forgot" the paci, and did want to drive back to the hotel to get it, but we were able to distract

[BabbyO]

When we got rid of our pacifiers...we just stopped offering them. The nap and bed time were the last to go, but we basically put off getting the pacifier before bed. ie: read 1 story and say its time for bed...child asks for pacifier....offer drink of water/stuffed animal, rub back, soothe, etc. It wasn't long before we were able to completely get rid of the pacifiers there really wasn't any drama.

[flashy09]

When we got rid of our pacifiers...we just stopped offering them. The nap and bed time were the last to go, but we basically put off getting the pacifier before bed. ie: read 1 story and say its time for bed...child asks for pacifier....offer drink of water/stuffed animal, rub back, soothe, etc. It wasn't long before we were able to completely get rid of the pacifiers there really wasn't any drama.

Already she doesn't ask for one until in her crib and getting tucked in. But I am sure she will freak out if I don't provide one and not go to bed. That's what I don't know how to handle! Is it better to have prepared her with the fairies beforehand or just not make a big deal and tell her at bedtime we don't have anymore and move on?

[flashy09]

The next two were younger. We took them to build a bear and put the pacis inside an animal. DS2 still sleeps with his animal over 4 years later. There was one traumatic night when I think I was going to have to cut open the leg of DD1's animal, but it worked out.

Haha, I am debating keeping an emergency one, but not sure if that's like a smoker keeping a cigarette just in case! Seems like if i have one ,it will get used...

[Mopey]

The doc told us to get rid of it right after her first birthday (maybe 14 months?). I felt badly as she only ever had it to sleep since I wasn't crazy about it in the first place but it seemed to work for her. My ped said parents are always nervous and usually found it was much easier. Well, she was right. My hubby decided she just wouldn't have it that night. She cried a little but it seemed to barely make a dent. Such a relief. If she's really chewing them she may be ready to get rid of them! Good luck!

[TwoBees]

Haven't BTDT, but I was behind a woman and her DS in line at TRU once and the DS "paid" for his new toy with his Ziploc baggie of pacifiers. Would that be an option?

[Giantbear]

We did a paci party at grandma's. a few weeks before, we really talked up having a paci party at grandma with cousins where we would eat cake, get a gift and throw out the paci's. Very important to do it at a house other than yours so they don't ask for them again. We played up that she was a big girl and big girls don't use them and got an ice cream cake with a picture of a paci on it and after, she took them all and threw them in the garbage. Grandpa then made a big show of taking the garbage bag and throwing it out. It was tough the first few days, she would tell us she missed her paci, but slowly that faded. first couple of nights we had a couple of wake ups.

The worst was three weeks later. I was showering and she was in the bedroom when i hear her yell "daddy!!! guess what i found!!!" and she came into the bathroom with a paci she had found in a draw in her mouth. I dried off and told her i had a bubble gift for her, but she couldn't have it and the paci. She sucked twice, took it out, went to the kitchen garbage and threw it out. And i gave her her gift.