Over the weekend I realized that younger son has been weaned from his pacifier for a few weeks now! He will turn two in a month so I am happy that we don’t have to worry about it anymore. And I am even happier that the pacifier weaning process was pretty painless (for everyone involved). My older son also gave up his pacifier around this age, and it was also a smooth process. So I figured I would explain how we were able to go through the pacifier weaning without tears for both boys.
For more on this topic, check out the full Potty Training & Pacifiers collection
Using Pacifiers at Night (and Naps)
Right from the start, we tried to use pacifiers for when our children were tired or fussy. We would try to keep them away if they were happy, playing, awake, etc. Of course, this didn’t always happen; but we tried to do better with it as they got older.
Eventually pacifiers were just meant for naptime and bedtime (or if they were sick). This was much easier with my first son though… my second boy ended up being more attached to his pacifier and played with it in his mouth more often than my first son ever cared to.
The key to just using them at sleep times is the next tip…
Part of My Pacifier Weaning System = Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Clean up all of the pacifiers and put them out of sight. Only get them out if your child is asking for one.
I had to keep switching my hiding places because he would climb up on the counters or dig through the cabinets to get to them. He always figured out where I kept them. For a while I was putting them on the counter top near the sink. But then he knew they were always there. And to him seeing the counter alone reminded him about his pacifiers (he is a tricky one). He also knew that I kept extra in a certain pocket of the diaper bag. So he would go digging for some on his own.
Hiding them for real made it easier to lessen their use during this pacifier weaning process.
Part of weaning from the pacifier is your own dependence
After two years, us parents are so used to reaching for the pacifier when our child starts fussing. We always grab one before a car ride, pack one (or five) in the diaper bag, and keep one in our child’s bed.
Eventually I had to get myself out of these habits. And I took the risk that my son would scream for his pacifier if we were out and about without it. I was nervous to leave home without one. But I knew that if I had one with me, I would let him have it… so they stayed at home. And they stayed out of sight. And I stopped buying more at the store whenever he would bite through another one.
Gradually we just all learned to do without the pacifiers. And now I love getting to hear his babbles and see his smile more often 🙂
More Parenting Advice about Pacifiers
The Paci Fairy Helps Kid Get Rid of Their Pacifier
Karissa shares the fun way that she convinced her children to give up their pacifiers with the help of The Paci Fairy! If you haven’t heard of her, then allow me to let you in on a little secret – She Is Amazing! And she is exactly what Karissa’s kids needed 🙂
Click Here to Read The Pacifier Fairy
Choosing the Right Pacifier for Your Baby
There are so many pacifier options out there! It can be daunting. But it is also nice to have the option to try different pacifiers to see which one your baby will like the best. Babies can be very particular about the type of pacifier that they accept. And in my experience, it can take multiple tries to find the right one.
There are different options for shape, size, firmness, and texture. So while the list below certainly isn’t comprehensive, it gives a good variety of options to try as a starting point!
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