My daughter is 3 months old, How do I take away her Pacifier?

Question

My husband and I don't want her to have a pacifier anymore. She depends on it SOOO much, that if she doesn't have it, she screams. Even in the car if she drops it, we either have to reach back and get it, or pull over. And we think we all would be happier if she didn't have it. I've tried taking it away, but then she won't stop crying, So I gave it back. How can I take it away from her? I also heard that at such a young age, they have a short term memory, so she would forget about it after awhile, is that true?

Please don't tell me that we should just let her have it. I just want to know the best way to take it away from her.

Answer 1

Take it away while shes sleeping and keep her busy when she wakes up.If she wants to cry, let her cry-its not hurting her. Give her a brightly colored loud toy or a plastic covered baby spoon, a pacifier to a baby is like a cigarette to an adult, so think of it like that! She'll cry when she realized it but she'll survive and so will you. Although shes really young, she has to learn eventually that she cant get whatever she wants by crying and tantrums. And you both have to be united in this-neither one can give in at all. Try giving her a small bottle of cool water sometime, or formula or juice (like 2 oz) if she gets too much.

Answer 2

The age of the child makes it hard to deprive a dependency from them.   It will also force the child to find other things to suck on like their thumb and that may deform the teeth up front. Give the 3 months old baby other things that are soft until it wants to release the pacifier aside. You as parent should be patient for it is only a phase they go through, like a comfort blanket.

Spartawo...

Answer 3

let her have it

Answer 4

you do know that pacifiers can reduce the chance of SIDs? i let both of my children have them till they were about 8 or 9 months old then i took it away. they were so mobile and interested in onther things they didnt even miss it. i just decided to day is the day its going in the garbage. the only drawback of a child having a pacifier is like you said they want it and occasianaly you have to expend effort to get it for them. its comforting to them. she been sucking on things ever since she developed a thumb and a mouth. and the short term memory thing isnt completly true either.

Answer 5

Well the thing about the short term memory is true but you have to take it when she dont see you then she will just forget about it

Answer 6

pull it out off her mouth and never give it back.

Answer 7

just take it away! thats the only way to get them to stop sucking on it. you have to just be tough and put up with the crying for like a day and then she will be ok. She will find her thumb if she really needs to suck on something. She will learn to self-soothe.

Answer 8

if you don't want her to have it anymore then take it away.  it is hard but eventually she will stop screaming for it.  get her attached to something else.  

Answer 9

There really is no good way to take away a baby's comfort item.  As you already know, when she doesn't have it she is upset.  You could just take it away cold turkey, but you will probably have several days of a very unhappy baby until she develops another method of comfort.  Some babies have a more intense need to suck and if your baby is one, you will probably find she substitutes her thumb, fingers, or clothing for a pacifier.  Babies are pretty ingenious little things and can often find a way to get what they need.  You could try easing back a little at a time.  Don't be quick to put it in her mouth.  If she isn't fussing than don't give it to her.  If she does fuss, try to distract her by playing with her or taking her for a walk or singing a song or making a silly face.  Many babies naturally outgrow the need for their pacifiers, but there are certainly older toddlers who develop quite the affection for it.  At 3 months, she is still quite young and is likely still needing the extra sucking she is receiving from it.  Regardless if you decide to take it from her cold turkey or ease her out of it, you are going to find it difficult and she will cry.  Babies are creatures of habit and enjoy it when things are familiar.  If she is upset or lonely or tired and the pacifier has soothed her before, she is going to want it until she finds something else that will soothe her.  You could try adding a little stuffed toy or small blanket to her pacifier usage and gradually make a substitution by letting her have both pacifier and comfort item for a few weeks than gradually just give her the comfort item for a minute or two before giving her the pacifier.  After a few days, increase the time with the comfort item before adding the pacifier and she will probably make a transition from one to the other over a period of time.  Some babies do rely heavily on their pacifiers and this is very normal.  If you let her keep it, you will find in a short time, she can begin to take the pacifier out on her own as well as find it again and put it back in so losing it in the car seat or crib becomes a little less traumatizing and a bit more of an independent skill.  Personally, I don't see any real good reason to take it from her if she finds it a source of comfort and you may want to re-think that plan.

Answer 10

it is tooo early.  At one year or 2 it is more reasonable

Reconsider

she'll only suck on something else

Answer 11

You can start by taking it out of her mouth once she falls asleep

(as you would a nipple when breastfeeding) Take clean finger and gently

in and put along side of her mouth to detach suction. If you just try to pull

it out she'll scream.

Try doing this once she has fallen asleep and just

slowly try to work the pacifier out of her daily routine

It may be a long shot but, my niece started teething really young around

3-4 mts ...If she is drooling alot..you could have an early teether

(try a teething ring as substitute)

Sucking is very soothing for babies and the next best thing to being

with mommy, give it time!! :)

Hope this helps- Good Luck :)!!

Answer 12

"And we think we all would be happier if she didn't have it"

No, you actually mean you and hubby will be happier. It is obvious that your daughter won't be.

She is only 3 months old for crying out loud. Let her keep it, it comforts and soothes her, why in the world would you want to take something that soothes her away from her?

Also, soothers reduces the risks of SIDS, so again, why?

If she wants the soother, let her keep it, DO NOT take it away cause your tired of picking it up for her.

Answer 13

aw mommm dont take away the pacii! if is in the car and she drops it bring extras so u dont have to reach and get it just give her another

Answer 14

get several pacifiers and dip it in sour stuff and give to her. try putting some castor oil on another and see if the baby spits it out. soon it will associate the bad taste to the pacifier. give them a toy or a bite ring to take the place of pacifier. do this at home on the floor. try stuff that she does not like to eat like vinegar . etc.... try showing the baby to try to give it to a stuffed animal    and let her have comfort in the bite ring and stuffed animal. i put a drop of hot sauce on it and my baby spit it out then i gave her a bottle of cold milk and fussed the pacifier and said bad pacifier and she left it alone and played with teething toy and got over it.

Answer 15

y would u be happy if she didnt have it.....she is still 3........months.....ur crazy if ur going ot take it away and she is only 3 months....usually u wait till there 2 yrs old..i have 5 children.......it helps with ther teething....so if u want to be up more..............lat at night....enjoy.

Answer 16

parenting isn't about what is convinient for YOU. your baby wants her pacifier for comfort. she is far too young to be self soothing.  

Answer 17

give her teething rings or stuff to play with in the car. my daughter was like that, but we ONLY allow her to have it at bed time in her crib, shes 1 so she understands that once she leaves the crib she takes it outa her mouth and leaves it.. but thats a little different for a 3 month old! i would just quit cold turkey.. but give her other stuff to chew on........BUT it wont hurt to let her keep it..shes very depended on it, esp. because shes bout to start teething. id let her keep it, it wont hurt anything..but if u want to take it away at 2 then she will understand, let her throw them away herself and if she wants it later tell her, remember u threw it away ?