How to stop the pacifier?

Question

What is the quickest most painless way to wean a child off the pacifier. He is 19 months and has a new sister on the way. Help!!

Answer 1

i have asked that same question of my 13 mo. old son. some say just take it away, but i don't want to do that yet. my mom says that he will eventually just stop using it because my brother had one and was extremely attached until he was about 2. but i agree with one of the other answers that it should be a gradual thing. if my son sees his he will keep it all day, but if i hide it during the day he doesn't even think about it.

Answer 2

first eliminate it totally during the day, and only give it at nap and bedtime.

if he asks for it during the day pretend u didnt hear him and change the subject like, "lets go find your elmo ball!"  or "do u want a sticker?"

after he associates it only with sleep for a month, cut the tip off and leave it on the floor.  he'll find it and try to use it only to realize its broken....

he might complain, but say it cant be fixed.  he might want to carry it around and hold it while he sleeps, but after a few nights he should be ok and then u can just throw it out.

if he is the type to wake up and cry if it falls out and calms down when he finds it, just let him cry it out.

the first time or two go in and rub his back for a minute.

start giving him a (new) stuffed animal that u only give to him for sleep so that can be his new comfort item so when he wakes up give him that instead.

good luck!!!

i have heard the cutting the tip off is a methood doctors tell people to do.

EDIT:  i prefer this to just throwing them all out because i think its less traumatic.  he sees its broken and he sees he cant use it instead of it all of a sudden being gone

Answer 3

Have him give it to the baby. My sister got my niece to stop by cutting it so it wouldnt work anymore and it was broken so they had to throw it away

Answer 4

you could tell him he's a big boy now and the baby needs it, not him.

you could get him to wrap it as a present for the baby.

and get a small present from baby to him as a "swap"

Answer 5

We did the fairy thing. The fairy came and took ALL the pacifiers and left her a big girl toy...ie, i threw them all in the trash and gave her a scooter! She was so excited and so happy to be a big girl and to have a scooter. She cried a few times for a pacifier but it wasnt much and didnt last long. She was almost 3 when we took them away. You really just have to do it and stick to it! Build them up for a few weeks and tell them that the fairy is coming soon so they can be prepared. Make sure you find any and ALL pacifiers. It just takes one found under the bed or at the bottom of the toy box to ruin it all!

Answer 6

Well i babysit a two year old and he's just allowed when he's going to sleep. So just try to make the binky less and less available. Since it is a little young to do the binky fairy since he wouldnt understand. I didnt think 19 months was that bad for the binky? But try to get him into other things? LIke being a big boy? Give him things like Big boys cups of something. LIke a mother i babysit for has a one year old and she found this sippy thing. Its the top of a sippy cup, but you can s***w it onto things like bottles of water! Sorry i dont know if i was much help.

Answer 7

honey, my little 2 year old (27 months) little girl still has her binky- ad she has a little brother on the way- its terrible! i cant break her of it. she cries and cries if i dont give it to her. ive tired everything and i dont know what to do. i guess the best thing to do is just take it away, and after a few nights of h**l- he might not want it anymore

everyone tells me to do the binky fairy thing, but she just doesnt get it at all! i tell her its gone, and stuff but then i dont get any sleep for nights and nights..... i will star this question and maybe i can get a few tips as well!!!

congrats on the new one and good luck!

Answer 8

There are two methods that I suggest that I have seen work first hand. 19 months old might be a little young for him to understand the overall concepts, but the rewards are things every child can understand, no matter what age.

First, is the "Binky Fairy" method. You use blue paper to type up (in fancy lettering) a letter from the "Binky Fairy". The letter should explain that there are so many babies who desperately need binkies, and there just are not enough to go around. Explain in the letter that if he gives his binkies to the babies who need them, then there will be a special surprise for him the next morning.

Next, buy a nice basket, and put some new favorite toys in them for him (almost like easter without the eggs). Put some of his favorite treats in there as well.

That night, have him gather all of his binkies, and put them in a big envelope, and seal it up. Write "To the Binky Fairy" on them and have the child lay it on the back porch or front porch.

Of course your child will want his binkies that night, but just remind him that he is helping the Binky fairy and that you are so proud of him.

The next morning when he wakes, he can go onto the porch to find a basket full of his favorite things, along with a letter from the Binky fairy thanking him and telling him that he is now a big boy.  You too will need to make a big deal out of getting this wonderful gift from the Binky Fairy, with a lot of "wow, you got this because you were such a big boy" type comments, and making sure to mention it to everyone you see during the day, to ensure your child sees the pride, and gets compliments all day long.

Every time he wants his binky after that, just remind him that the Binky Fairy has them.

The second is making him get rid of all but one binky. Tell him that he is a big boy now and only needs one. That narrows it down a bit. Then, in a month start talking about getting a phone call from the "Binky Fairy".  Tell someone else about it within ear shot of your child, so that he hears but with you acting as though you don't want him to hear. This will plant the seed. Mention it a few times over a couple of weeks, and then  do the letter idea.  This will allow him to prepare for losing his binkies, and it wont come as such a shock.

There is the "Binky Tree" concept also (same idea, but instead of a basket of toys, there is a new tree there in the morning, with small toys tied to it).

Ultimately, there is nothing wrong with a 19 month old with a binky (because they are orthopedically safe now) but ultimately, you are the parent and he is the child-- whatever method you use he will have to give them up when you want him to-- the methods I suggested above are just to make it more of an accomplishment for the child, and more of a fun thing for the child and less traumatic.