Does your toddler still use a pacifier?

coasterqueen wrote: I'm starting to get very concerned about pacifier use at this age. I'm not sure when to get rid of the darn thing. She's still nursing, but when she's not that pacifier is her saviour. There for awhile we were able to only use it at bedtime, but then when she started teething with these 2 year molars I caved and gave it back to her. Now she won't part with that thing for a second.

The sitter got her over it and she doesn't use one at all there now. I have to hide it from the babysitter the fact that I still let Kylie have one. I just can't bear to hear her cry and holler for it non-stop. I've tried reasoning with her telling her "binkies are yucky, binkies all gone". Similar things like that as well, but she doesn't care. LOL.

I keep saying I'll deal with that habit after she's done nursing, but I'm not sure.

Anyone else's toddler attached to the paci?

amynicole21 replied: Karen, Sophia's still using her's too I haven't been very good about restricting use, but at daycare she doesn't use it except for at nap times. I really don't look forward to weaning her from this, and I don't know where to even start. I just remind myself that she will not be walking down the aisle with the darn thing

Jamison'smama replied: There are so many mixed messages about paci use---My ped just said that they will start "paci talk" so when they are up, running around and talking to take it when you can. Jama is still very attached to it--when she nurses she keeps it in one hand and switches back and forth. We have started a habit of throwing the paci in the carseat when she gets out of the car to go shopping (she gets one in the car) and she throws it on the bed when we get up. We make it a game--she loves to throw stuff. I try to hide them around the house so she forgets about them.

I know it is hard---I do try to give it to her mainly just at home but I cave a lot as well.

alice&arik replied: Arik never used one, except the first few days when he was born and my milk wasn't in yet. But he never really liked them. Sometimes just as a toy.

paradisemommy replied: i'm tavens great big pacifier but he never took to the real ones..lol

ediep replied: Jason only took one when he was really small, but we are still having a hard time giving up the bottle!

Elle replied: My kids never wanted the pacifier... And they never wanted bottles either... I had the hardest time putting them to sleep without a paci! Not so much trouble about the bottle, because all 3 of them breastfed till 18 months, and from then on they started drinking in a regular cup.

Sorry, no advice on the paci issue!

MommyToAshley replied: Ashley hated paci's and bottles too, so I am no help either.

I just wanted to send you some strength and will power for when you do decide to wean her. Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

MomToMany replied:
LOL! That's how Hannah is too! She didn't like bottles either. The boys were on bottles, but never liked the paci's.


I wish I had some suggestions or ideas. Good luck, and I hope you find something that works.

Boys r us replied: Braedon was addicted to his "binky" I took it from him at 12 months b/c my ped told me that was the magic time to get rid of anything that could become a comfort thing..bottles, pacifier. He said after that it becomes increasingly harder to get them to give it up b/c it's such a huge part of their security. But my main reason for taking it is b/c I thought about all of the germs that thing must have had on it...it was one thing when he was not mobile or even crawling..but when he started walking and getting into things and laying it here and laying it there..I said No More! It was hard for the first week, then it was done and over. You just HAVE to be consistant, that is the key. If you take it..then it has to be gone or if you take it and only let her have it at bedtime, then you have to stick with that.

BUT...you are her mom and only you know what is best for your own little one, so if you don't see it as a problem, then don't worry with it, b/c have you ever seen a 16 yr old with a pacifier in their mouth?

aspenblue1 replied: Isabella never used one until she was 1 I try to only let her have it when she is tired or riding in the car but that doesn't always happen. She finds them everywhere through the house.

Kirstenmumof3 replied: OMG Claudia will not give up her pacifier. She loves that thing! It has been such a life saver for us!

kimberley replied:
LOL me too with Jade! i never even bothered with them for any of my kids because i was always worried about nipple confusion since it is a different "suck" for a paci.

just wanted to wish you all GL!

jem0622 replied: Gabe is addicted to his 'mimi (that's how he says binky)'. I felt guilty for going cold turkey on nursing him after my D&C so I haven't pushed the matter. Nathan (4) gave his up at 1 yr. but Nathan kept the bottle until 18 mos. Gabe gave up bottles on his own at a year. So if it isn't one thing it is another!

He usually gets it for sleeping only but sometimes he asks for it when he's walking around and is sleepy.

Edited to say that there are a few ways to help them ditch it. Slowly (very slowly) start cutting off the tips of them. They think they are 'broken' and don't have the same suction so they ditch them. The other thing to do is if you are preggo or not also...tell them they have to give them to the babies who need them at the hospital. Even go as far as taking her there and handing them to a nurse. Tell them why you are doing it and they can throw them away after you leave.

coasterqueen replied:
Yeah, I've heard about cutting off the tips, but I also heard it wasn't safe.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do. We are going to ttc this summer and in the back of my mind I'm hoping Kylie will wean from bf during my pg so I'm not sure whether I should take the binky (mink is what Kylie calls it, lol) away from her because of all those other changes. Oh well, I guess I will apply the same logic to the binky as I do to bf, when she is ready she will let it go.

Thanks.

Boys r us replied: Speaking of cutting the tips off..that made me remember another reason of why once they've got some theethers..it's a good reason to kick the binky to the curb..my nephew had his until he was 18 mnths and he started biting the end off of them while napping..THAT IS A HUGE HAZARD!! So, anyhow, just one more thing to keep in mind..I know I know..as if you're not already overwhelmed

jem0622 replied: I remembered one more trick and it is safer. Poke a hole in all of them with a stick pin. When they suck it will collapse and they will think it is broken. The cutting the tip off part was suggested by a pediatrician. I don't think that the theory is that the child would keep it in their mouth for more than a second b/c of the condition of it. Gabe uses silicone only and these do not tend to give it to his chewing or so forth (or Mommy's either when we are being silly).

Kimberly C. replied: [COLOR=purple][/COLOR]
Hi Im new to this message board thing. I couldn't help but notice your pacifier delema. My Pacifier addicts have been clean and non-sucking for about 8 years now, teehee. They are now 10 & 11, but my boys were attached-BIG TIME. We called them the "NiNee brothers" for the longest time. They not only would suck on one, they would have one in each hand too, hysterical!
I decided to wean them together one brave night, Clay was 4 and Derek was 3 (I know-but we moved to another Country when they were 2&3, and then we had a baby sister, never seemed like the "right time" so many transitions in their little lives, I don't regret letting them have it longer)
Their teeth, are perfect! No concern in their bite at all-that is a relief. Personally, I think some children need more oral pacification than others. Goes hand in hand with their personality. I think if you try to force them to stop too soon, it might do more harm than good really. Same with the potty training. How I weaned my boys was when they were not looking, I put them in a cookie jar (they would have no clue, but I decided, if the plan was a flop I could get them again). We "couldn't find" their Ni-Nees? We looked together for them-but weren't anywhere to be found. They cried for one night, and that was it?!?! To my surprise, it was easier than I thought. Being that they were older, I think that helped too. I tried the holes in the binkie trick, but for my boys, it just made them mad and frustrated!

Guest replied: Funny! I just reread my last post, I put the pacifiers in the cookie jar, not my boys!! Teehee

Kaitlin'smom replied: Kaitlin never took one, but did start a bottle at 6 months for the sitter and she likes to have on before bed, ped said she need to stop them all together so we are working on that slowly, most nights she is okay with her sippy but on her bad nights with the molers she wantes her bottle, and thats when I usually cave, just so the poor thing can get some rest.

beckamouse replied: i actually heard my aunt say that she put olive juice on the pacifier any time my cousin chelli wanted to suck on it. chelli hated olives with a passion. she'd hand the pacifier back to my aunt and say ew dirty, my aunt would "clean it" with more olive juice saying the pacifier must be going bad and hand it back. after a while Chelli must have just plain given up on all pacifiers because now she doesn't even like them at all.