https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 16 Apr 2026 23:27:30 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2714151 Wed, 22 Mar 2017 08:46:41 +0000 kayla0416 2714151@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DD didn't really like the paci til about 4 months, but once she started, she was hooked on it! For almost a couple months she used it consistently for naps and night sleep, and she'd wake anytime it fell out and we'd have to go replace it for her to fall asleep again. It got worse and worse til we were replacing it almost hourly, which was so tough since she had been a really good sleeper from about 2-4 months. I decided that this was not sustainable for me to keep my sanity and we took it away cold-turkey at about 5.5 months, with extinction CIO (had to do extinction, checks just made her more mad). The first night she cried for 45 minutes, the second about 20, the third, 7, then not at all after. She went back to sleeping 8+ hours straight after that, and 11+ by 7 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2713996 Tue, 21 Mar 2017 19:50:20 +0000 Mrs. Marshmallow 2713996@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We use our paci in the same way, it's the only time he takes it and not every nap/bedtime (he still falls asleep from me nursing for bedtime a good chunk of the time :meh: ) and I'm not really worried about it because it's only when he's tired that he takes it. </p> <p>I think the concern can be when it's all day every day that they're sucking on it, or to soothe every cry. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2713311 Mon, 20 Mar 2017 18:57:58 +0000 MrsSRS 2713311@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did Ferber around 5-6 months with LO1 and he either figured out how to replace the binky himself or just fell asleep without it sometimes. At 2 we stopped letting him have it anywhere except bed. At 3.5 he decided to give it up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2713210 Mon, 20 Mar 2017 15:23:59 +0000 littlejoy 2713210@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our doc recommends taking it away before 12 months. My 3.25 year old still uses one to fall asleep. Parenting fail. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707967 Thu, 09 Mar 2017 14:56:04 +0000 Goldengirl 2707967@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catlady: Ah ok, thanks! I think we'll probably have to do something similar, and it will likely be around the same time, close to 6 months, because we're moving a bit before then and I figured we'd just wait. I'd feel so bad not giving him the paci though when I know it calms him... I think it would be more upsetting for me than for him most likely. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707904 Thu, 09 Mar 2017 13:45:33 +0000 catlady 2707904@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Re: sleep training, we actually used Ferber at 5.5 months and took the paci away at that point, then re-introduced at some point later on (I can't even remember why, probably illness or something). She became a total paci addict but we weaned her to only nighttime and car use before she turned 2, and then weaned completely by around 2.5 (I think...it's been awhile!). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707901 Thu, 09 Mar 2017 13:41:33 +0000 snowjewelz 2707901@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was delighted when DD1 finally took a paci around that age! We coslept so it wasn't hard for me to pop it back in occasionally MOTN. We weaned just before she turned 2. I'm currently hoping DD2 will take a paci too! The pro way outweighs the cons for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707865 Thu, 09 Mar 2017 12:55:35 +0000 littlejoy 2707865@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 3.25 year old still sleeps with a paci (ughhhhh!!!) ... in retrospect, I would have weaned here at 1, when it would have been much easier. She needed it to sooth when she was really little, so I was ok with it. But at 3? It's like I'm asking her to give up her arm. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707686 Thu, 09 Mar 2017 06:40:09 +0000 Adira 2707686@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Goldengirl: Around 4 months - yes. 4 months is also a sleep regression, so there was interrupted sleep and we'd have to go replace the pacifier. Eventually, they were both able to replace it themselves and that made it a lot easier! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707683 Thu, 09 Mar 2017 05:16:39 +0000 Pumuckl 2707683@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Goldengirl: we never formally sleep trained but by 6 months at the latest my LOs could insert the pacifiers themselves. I don't know how old your LO will be when you want to sleep train but maybe waiting for that milestone makes sense? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707652 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 21:59:46 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 2707652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Similar to Mrs. Oatmeal, I made myself sick with worry and embarrassment about my older daughters pacifier use. I kept saying I would take it away and never could. It was horrible getting her down to using it only for sleep, I was terrified of removing it completely. When she turned 3, I told her that whenever she lost or broke one, that was it, I wasn't buying anymore. And LO and behold they both got cracks in them on the same weekend. She threw them away herself (she was about 3 years 3 months at this point) and that was that. Seriously, nothing to worry about. If it helps you and your baby sleep better, go with it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707642 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 21:40:05 +0000 sapphire 2707642@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ferber involves checks at increasing intervals. So we'd give her the paci back when we went in to soothe her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707593 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 19:08:25 +0000 SweetiePie 2707593@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Goldengirl: when we night weaned (bottles) we used the paci to extend the time between feeds.<br /> We did extinction CIO so not much use of paci in those situations. But I think having it when he went to bed and eventually being able to replace it himself helped sttn. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707590 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 18:37:10 +0000 Goldengirl 2707590@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@alphagam84: aha, thanks for clarifying the age because I was just about to ask how that works! Our guy screams so hard that the paci is out in a second :(<br /> @SweetiePie: Can you explain how you used the paci while sleep training? LO only takes it when he's that perfect amount of exhausted... otherwise he's angry when I put it in.<br /> @sapphire: Same question! How did you do Ferber with pacifier when LO is crying? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707554 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 16:31:19 +0000 sapphire 2707554@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We used the Ferber method to sleep train around 5.5 months old. It went great - only took 3 nights. Definitely used the paci! Around 1 year we weaned to just paci for sleep/naps/car rides. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707544 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 16:04:56 +0000 SweetiePie 2707544@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That's Definitely still falling asleep on his own, don't worry about that! It's true that as they get older they develop a dependency on it. With my 2 1/2 year-old we limit it strictly to sleep time. So naps and bedtime. We've done that since about 9 months or so. His dentist and pediatrician both said that's perfectly fine up to four years old for limited use (like falling asleep). We don't plan on using it for that long but right now his sleep is so good and if that's the thing that soothes him then so be it. I will say however that his pediatrician told us that four months is the ideal age to get rid of it. She said beyond that they become more more aware of it and it's harder to take it away. Clearly I didn't listen to her but it's not like she scolded me when she found out we were still using it at all of the subsequent appointments. I think it was just her advice that it's easiest to get rid of it earlier rather than later. Not that it's bad to keep it past that point.</p> <p>ETA we sleep trained at 4/5 months and definitely used the paci to get through it. No regrets. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707539 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 15:55:42 +0000 alphagam84 2707539@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Goldengirl: We did sleep training with the pacifier, she could soothe herself with it. To me, it's like having a lovey at night when they sleep-there's no issue with them using one at night for sleep training. We didn't have to sleep train until she 7-9 months or something like that so she could already put the pacifier in herself. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707535 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 15:46:48 +0000 Smurfette 2707535@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Goldengirl: my LO is only 9 weeks but she loves the paci. She puts herself to sleep, sometimes, with it. I am so over waking across the house to put it back in numerous times a night. She isn't a good sleeper so I know we will end up sleep training when she is older and I am planning on taking it away then. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707533 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 15:43:54 +0000 SteelerGirl 2707533@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did cry it out with extinction... I like to think that's sleep training because it makes me feel better about it :-)<br /> And like I said, she doesn't cry before bedtime anymore and she still doesn't get a pacifier (unless she puts it in herself). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707525 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 15:29:42 +0000 Goldengirl 2707525@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsbubbletea: thanks for the encouragement!<br /> @Adira: were your kids dependent on it to sleep, i.e. did you have to keep replacing it throughout the night if they woke?<br /> @SteelerGirl: Did you do formalized sleep training, or you just took the paci away, she cried and that was it?<br /> @sapphire: @MamaG: @kiddosc: @Pumuckl: @alphagam84: Did you do sleep training with the pacifier, or the pacifier in effect replaced having to do sleep training? I think that's my confusion... if we should just ditch the paci, do Ferber/CIO, and then he won't need us to put in the paci in the middle of naps or at night... or if the paci will teach him to soothe on his own once he can control putting it in his mouth (which he def cannot yet, but he's good at pulling it out!).<br /> @Mrs. Carrot: thanks so much! Ah it's still so crazy for me to imagine LO one day TALKING... haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707502 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 14:51:32 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2707502@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'll give you the OMG perspective - my daughter is a few months away from her 4th birthday and she still uses a paci to fall asleep at night. I've wrecked myself with worry about this since she was a year old, vowing to take it away at every opportunity. We tried a few times and failed miserably, and last summer (she was just past 3), I just decided to stop worrying about it. Our dentist says that she doesn't have any issues with her teeth or mouth, etc. She uses it only at night, and it usually falls out once she's asleep. She's super verbal, has no articulation issues, etc. And perhaps the biggest issues for me is that for her, the paci seems to be a physical need. She doesn't ever ask for it if we take it away or don't give it to her, but her body just can't seem to slow down. She keeps talking nonstop, even when she's exhausted, she tosses and turns like crazy, and she ultimately does fall sleep but it might be hours after she's exhausted herself and she's very restless at night if she fell asleep without it (but sleeps fine without it if she fell asleep with it). I've talked with our pediatrician, dentist and a friend who's a speech specialist with a few decades of experience, and none of them are worried about it. She's grown out of a lot of other things on her own, and if it seems like she's not needing it or her system calms down more on its own, then so it goes, but as long as it's not causing her issues, I don't want to spend my time obsessing about it. </p> <p>That said - at 4 months you definitely have nothing to worry about. You might have a kid who's very dependent, like mine, and a kid who drops it on their own without a problem. They're learning to soothe and their systems are growing, do whatever helps get them there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707453 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 13:43:06 +0000 alphagam84 2707453@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's totally fine, don't over think it. My daughter loves her paci. Around 13 months we switched to only using the paci when sleeping or in the car. We don't plan to take it away for awhile as it's not hurting anything by her using it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707445 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 13:39:16 +0000 Pumuckl 2707445@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Another vote for definitely keeping it. We let ours keep their pacifiers for naps and bedtime until their third birthday. We talk it up that at their birthday they are now big and cannot have the pacifiers anymore. Still not at three with our DD1 but with DS1 it was absolutely no issue.<br /> We had actually talked to a speech therapist about pacifier-use and she said to avoid letting them talk with it and to cut it by three. We stuck to those two things. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707438 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 13:31:29 +0000 kiddosc 2707438@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was pretty adamant about getting my LOs to take a pacifier because I didn't want them to develop the habit of sucking on their fingers. I've heard way too many horror stories about not being able to break the finger sucking habit and you can take a pacifier away, but you can't cut off fingers. Both of them figured out how to put it in their own mouths between 6-7 months old. They were both only ever allowed the paci for sleeping and it was very easy to break my son of the habit at 2.5. My daughter is only one, so she'll still have hers for a bit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707436 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 13:31:17 +0000 MamaG 2707436@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our first went through this routine, and it was a nightly 90 minute exercise of replacing her pacifier for her. I was miserable but didn't know how to stop. We persevered. She eventually learned how to replace it on her own. We took her pacifier away at 17 months with no impact to sleep.</p> <p>Our second was as dependent upon her pacifier and learned how to find it earlier. We also made sure it was easy, we loaded her crib up with about 6 every night. I didn't want to relive the 90 minute replacement exercise nightly. She dropped her pacifier at daycare for nap around 10 months. We took it away completely at home at 18 months, again without issue.</p> <p>I say, do whatever feels best for you. Sleep is hard! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707429 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 13:08:45 +0000 sapphire 2707429@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't worry about it at this age! We took the pacifier away at 15 months with a slight disruption in naps for a while but nothing major. Your LO will sleep without a pacifier :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707409 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 12:45:50 +0000 muffinsmuffins 2707409@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our son was given a paci in the NICU shortly after being born and we just went with it, he loved it so much. Huge pain to keep putting it back in at night but after we purchased a Wubbanub and a few months went by, he could get it himself. We stuck with it at any time for the 8-9 months then cut back to only long car rides and sleep. Did that until he was 26 months! Then over a long weekend we took it away and it wasn't as bad as I thought. We explained it to him and just went cold turkey. A couple days of longer than usual to get to sleep for night and naps but he was back to normal in a week. </p> <p>I would just make sure it isn't his only 'lovey' as our son was attached to his wubbanubs as well as his blankie and stuffed puppy so just gravitated towards them when we took it away. I actually plan on doing the same when we eventually have a second as it was a lifesaver for quite a while for sleep...I might take it away sooner but other than that it was fine and didn't hinder him at all IMO </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707404 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 12:43:50 +0000 SteelerGirl 2707404@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You are exactly describing the situation with my daughter.<br /> When she was 3.5 months, she started waking every 1-2 hours and if we popped the paci back in she went right back to sleep. It was a massive sleep association. So we stopped giving it to her at bedtime and immediately (the very first night) after crying herself to sleep, she slept all night long without a peep. We kept it for naps because those were only 1-2 sleep cycles anyways. </p> <p>Now she's 6.5 months old. She still uses one for naps, and we don't give it to her at bedtime but she doesn't cry herself to sleep anymore. We leave a bunch in her crib and she has just started to wake up with one in her mouth sometimes so we know she's putting it in herself. It's awesome because without it she sometimes wakes early (like 5:30) but the paci will get her one more sleep cycle in so she sleeps until 7. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707385 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 12:18:38 +0000 mrsbubbletea 2707385@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Goldengirl: to me falling asleep with a pacifier definitely counts falling asleep on his own! He's only 4 months! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifier-worries#post-2707370 Wed, 08 Mar 2017 12:05:29 +0000 Adira 2707370@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We used a pacifier just like you're describing and took it away round 10-11 months (took it away from naptime first and then took it away at night). Doing it early (before 1 year) made it SUPER easy and both my kids are great sleepers now. I'd keep using it at 4 months if it's working for you. You can definitely still wean later without it being a huge deal. :D </p>