https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 10 Apr 2026 20:26:42 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ditching-the-pacifier-3-year-version#post-2823754 Mon, 21 May 2018 10:39:43 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2823754@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So, I probably hold the record for the latest weaning ever, and I've written a few posts on this as well, but my kid just ditched hers in April and she'll be 5 in two weeks. I offer that perspective only to say that if for some reason it doesn't work, please don't despair, it will work out eventually. We tried multiple times, and our kid just wasn't ready. She had a very real physical "addiction" to it - she never asked for it, never missed it or cried about it, but she couldn't settle down for bed without it, and as a high energy kid who goes to bed late as it is, after a few tries and midnight exhausted bedtimes, we just gave up the fight. I noticed in April that her sleep shifted a bit too - she always slept pretty solidly, but tossed and turned a lot and once a week or so would wake up and ask for one of us to lay with her (falling asleep pretty quickly, thankfully), and then after she was with my mom for a week in April, where she slept hard from all the activity and didn't use the paci at all, we just kept it going and she was settling down more easily without it, so it's worked out just fine. </p> <p>Best of luck to you, and just know that it'll be OK if it takes a while! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ditching-the-pacifier-3-year-version#post-2823703 Mon, 21 May 2018 07:04:18 +0000 RonjaL7 2823703@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We took my daughter's away at 3. We a book about a character "Bea" who gives hers to a Pacifier Fairy for awhile before hand to get her used the the idea. Then we decorated a brown paper bag and put 1 in their outside her door. The next day she got a barbie in its place. She immediately decided she was ready to give up the rest of them once she saw a gift. So she left the rest the next night and got a small gift for each one. It was a little hard for about a week at bedtime but she was ok. I did end up giving her one of her brothers broken ones (which I clipped the entire top off of) so that she could hold it in her hand on a particularly rough night. She was upset it was broken but just holding that piece really helped. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ditching-the-pacifier-3-year-version#post-2823694 Mon, 21 May 2018 00:04:43 +0000 Mrs. Turtle 2823694@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We ditched ours younger, but I second the idea of "giving" them to another baby. We "mailed" ours to a baby we took care of that didn't have one. It was like 9 months ago and she still talks about all of the pacifiers going to baby E. I think having a specific baby in mind was really helpful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ditching-the-pacifier-3-year-version#post-2823688 Sun, 20 May 2018 22:05:36 +0000 peaches1038 2823688@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are gearing up to say bye bye to the binky as well. DS just turned 2.5 and only uses it to fall asleep at bedtime. He doesn’t nap with it. He does also find it in the morning, which gives us probably an extra hour of sleep. We got some books at the library about how big kids don’t need binkys and he asks to read them, so I’m taking that as a good sign. Though, he does inform me that “that girl no need binky, but I do!”, so maybe we aren’t quite there yet hahah </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ditching-the-pacifier-3-year-version#post-2823674 Sun, 20 May 2018 20:49:25 +0000 MrsSRS 2823674@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We were exactly the same. So we started talking it up a few weeks before we did it. DS had seen a Build a Bear before but never been in one. We talked about how soon he would be too big for binkies and he would be ready to throw them away. Then we would go and he could pick out a special big boy lovey to make to sleep with. We talked it up so much that a few days before I was going to tell him it was time he walked into the kitchen with a fist full of binkies, dumped them in the trash and announced it was time to go make his new cool lovey. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ditching-the-pacifier-3-year-version#post-2823659 Sun, 20 May 2018 19:09:01 +0000 MrsADS 2823659@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Following... my son is 2y8m and extremely attached to his paci, although it's limited 90% of the time to sleep. (the other 10% is when he's really exhausted or really upset or sick). He doesn't use it at all at daycare - although his naps suck there.</p> <p>He would have it 24/7 if we'd let him. I am having baby brother literally tomorrow so I don't really want to "rock the boat" right now, but I'd like to get rid of it by the time he turns 3 (in August). I dread it though! He has an extremely intense personality and I know it won't be easy. It gives him so much comfort when he's upset, too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ditching-the-pacifier-3-year-version#post-2823658 Sun, 20 May 2018 18:51:47 +0000 sckim 2823658@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just ditched the paci last month at 25 months. I was SO nervous about it. her sleep was good and when she woke up in the middle of the night she would look for her paci and fall back asleep. She only used it for naps/sleep. </p> <p>One night i cut the tip off two of her pacis and told her it was broken. Gave her another 'broken' paci after she spit the first one out. She cried for about 5 minutes the first night. She asked everyone to please buy her a new paci for the next 2 days but then completely forgot about it. </p> <p>My DD2 was 1months at the time and used the same paci (smaller version) and I was worried that DD1 would get jealous, but shes only put her sister's paci in her mouth a couple times the first week and it hasnt been an issue since. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ditching-the-pacifier-3-year-version#post-2823656 Sun, 20 May 2018 18:47:53 +0000 wrkbrk 2823656@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ajsmommy: This gives me hope! If he would wean himself I’d pay him 😂🤷🏼‍♀️ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ditching-the-pacifier-3-year-version#post-2823652 Sun, 20 May 2018 18:27:16 +0000 Ajsmommy 2823652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My dd was just over 3 when she stopped using it. She only used one at night and nap and if she got really upset. Anyway one night she just didn't put it in. She held it. Then she did the same thing the next night. And that was the end of her using a pacifier. </p> <p>She had started to chew on them just prior to stopping...not sure if that's a sign or something.</p> <p>I'll also add I wasn't worried or even planning to take them from her. So it's not like she heard me saying it or anything. I was in the camp they she'd do it when ready and she totally did. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ditching-the-pacifier-3-year-version#post-2823651 Sun, 20 May 2018 18:26:03 +0000 Anagram 2823651@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did both of my girls around 2.5, and I would call them very attached to the paci. With DD1, it was easy because she fell and hurt her teeth and the dentist said the paci would really make everything worse (her front 4 teeth were all loose), so we ditched the paci cold turkey, and DD was old enough to understand the paci would hurt her teeth and make them fall out.</p> <p>With DD2, we talked about it for a week or so ahead of time, and then wrapped up her pacis and took them to a neighbor (who was in on it) who had a new baby. DD2 was VERY excited to give her pacis to a new baby to enjoy, and it was a very smooth transition. She got a little teary at her first nap time but reminded herself she gave her paci to the baby, and then she was fine from then on out. We also gave her bottles to the baby when she was 2, and gave her diapers to the baby right after the paci. The giving everything to the baby method was a slam dunk, mainly because DD2 loves babies so much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ditching-the-pacifier-3-year-version#post-2823649 Sun, 20 May 2018 18:19:28 +0000 wrkbrk 2823649@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetCaroline: Same boat. Following!!@SweetiePie: Ours also says up to 4 is ok (sleep only).</p> <p>DS is 2.5 next week and his paci is his favorite thing in the world. I’m scared. 😂😳 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ditching-the-pacifier-3-year-version#post-2823635 Sun, 20 May 2018 15:34:04 +0000 SweetiePie 2823635@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did it right after he turned 3. Was same as yours, only used it for sleep (though he used it for his one nap plus bedtime).<br /> We talked about it for a week or two - how when he turned 3 he’d be a big boy and the binky fairy would come and take his binkies to give to other babies.<br /> My first tip - the night you decide to do it, THROW THEM ALL AWAY. Destroy them. I had a few false starts (before 3yo) because I’d say they were gone then he’d cry and seem so sad and I’d cave and be like “oh she forgot one!” 😂 The night I decided to rip off the band aid I literally threw them all down the building trash chute before I could cave and change my mind.<br /> When he was asleep I took them and replaced them with a toy he had wanted. It wasn’t a soother or lovey - he already has a lovey - because I didn’t want to introduce another “crutch”. </p> <p>Honestly, it wasn’t as bad as I thought. He wasn’t a paci monster but he def liked it to fall asleep. He did whine and cry a little at bedtime for a few nights but it wasn’t full on meltdown and some extra snuggles got him through. He fell asleep without it each night no problem, it was just the whining before that made me feel bad. But they were GONE and there was nothing I could do anyway.<br /> The only disruption we had was he started waking earlier for a month or two. Not insanely earlier - but like 6am instead of 7am. I think he had always woken up around then but he’d put in his binky and zone out or fall back asleep. So without it he was like, IM AWAKE! But we also introduced the ok to wake clock at the same time so despite waking earlier he still stayed in his room till 7. After he really got used to it, his sleep went back to 7am wakeup. </p> <p>Bottom line, it wasn’t that bad, I’m mostly glad we waited because he was old enough to understand. I made sure his dentist knew he was using it for sleep only and she said that was fine even up till 4, though of course sooner was better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ditching-the-pacifier-3-year-version#post-2823628 Sun, 20 May 2018 13:28:27 +0000 bhbee 2823628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did it right before 3. He used it at night and naps. And wanted it all the time. And it really worked to calm him! </p> <p>It just kind of happened ... his sister had gotten a build a bear and put the paci in it so we did the same when we happened to be near one for him (let him pick the animal and pretended to put the paci in, since for some reason they no longer actually do it??). Then we hid every paci around. He cried about it some but overall we kept saying “it’s in Marshall!” (since he picked paw patrol) and he quickly only started asking when really upset, and then not at all. </p> <p>BUT the unexpected outcome for me was as he started sleeping less soundly without it - he stared getting up earlier and actively climbing out of his crib. So we had to do the bed transition at basically the same time and that was rough for a few weeks and he went from staying happy in his crib until official wakeup (mostly at least) to coming in our room early pretty much every day! But he’s always been an early waking kid. </p> <p>So overall - not bad but did mess up sleep for a while.</p> <p>ETA: he doesn’t really care about the lovey aspect. I think that depends on the kid. He likes all his animals but none exclusively. Where my daughter gave up the paci and almost immediately latched onto one that she still loves at 6. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ditching-the-pacifier-3-year-version#post-2823621 Sun, 20 May 2018 12:44:13 +0000 justjules 2823621@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>following. Mine is 2.5 and uses it only in crib but sleeps SOOO well so I'm scared of giving that up .....but I know we will have to at some point. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ditching-the-pacifier-3-year-version#post-2823616 Sun, 20 May 2018 12:22:32 +0000 SweetCaroline 2823616@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD is 3 and it's time to ditch the pacifier. She only has it at bedtime and during weekend naps (she does not use a pacifier at daycare and naps like a dream). My thought is to pick a weekend, run her around outside all day so she's exhausted and take the pacifier away cold turkey at bedtime.</p> <p>I really feel like we should replace the pacifier with something though, another soother. She has a variety of babies, stuffed animals and A&amp;A loveys that she sleeps with, but no exclusive lovey.</p> <p>If you weaned an older toddler/preschooler, how did you do it? How did it go? </p>