If you’re here, it’s most likely because you too have a pacifier-obsessed child and no clue how or when to break the habit. Like everything else about parenting, you’ll find an overwhelming amount of different opinions when it comes to ending pacifier use. We were able to successfully get rid of pacifiers after just 3 days! So I figured I would share information on what we did, in case you were needing to hear another success story 😉
1. Make the decision to quit
This is important! We chose to get rid of the pacifier when our daughter turned a year old, as was recommended by her dentist. Whenever it is you decide, stick with your decision! If you try to take it away and then later regret it and give the pacifier back, it will only make it harder when you decide to take it away again. Breathe through the crying and remind yourself that this is just a phase that will pass.
2. Reduce pacifier use
As a newborn, we pretty much let London have her pacifier whenever. As she got older however, we started to minimize the use to just naps and bedtime. This was really really helpful, as it let her slowly get used to the idea of not having that security. If she got fussy during the day, we would distract her by singing her favorite songs or pulling out a toy. It was surprising to see how she really didn’t need the pacifier during the day as much as we were giving it to her.
3. Eliminate use and replace
Once she was down to only using the pacifier for naps and bedtime, we hid the wubbanub and decided to see how she would do without it completely. This was the harder part of the process. She cried whenever we tried to put her down for the first three days. On the bright side, the length of time she spent crying did go down each day. Reality is, your baby will cry that first nap or two (or day or two), but rest assured that they are capable of falling asleep without the paci. They just need to realize that themselves 😊
4. Be patient
I don’t regret introducing the pacifier, as I do believe it has its benefits (like reducing the risk of SIDS). So I just accepted that breaking the habit was going to be one of those things that you dread and then look back on and laugh once it’s all passed. For most babies, it will be a rough transition. But you and your baby will make it through and be happier in the end 😊
I hope this information is helpful to at least one other parent out there. If it was, leave a note in the comments! I would love to hear how the process went for you!
Bermarie Jerez 