Pacifier Sucking?

Question

I have a three year old little girl. She will not give up the pacifier. she wakes up about 3 times a night because it has fell out. I have two older children, 9 and 6, and one due in November. I will have to get up with that baby and I don't think I will also want to get up an extra 3 times a night because my child wants her pacifier. I have tries to tell her I threw it away and it doesn't work. She does not have it at daycare at all and she even takes a nap with out it there. They say she never complains or whines. Please help with suggestions.

Answer 1

just be firm, take it away and dont give it back, she will stop screaming in time.  Its her saftey in bed, help her find something else to make her feel ok. My 2 year old uses an stuffed animal and has to have a soft blanket.  He cant sleep with out his blanket unless he passes out in the car.

Do it now, that way she will be sleeping when the new baby is born.  

Try to get the older siblings to help keep her mind off the fact that its gone. Play games, talk to her, read what ever it takes, even if you have to rock her and help her relax before sleep time.

I have had to learn the hard way, I am the mom, and I didnt realize that my son was in more control than I was, I had an fight with him about sleeping in his own bed.  after about a week off and on in the second week he did a lot better.  

You can do it.  

Good Luck.

Answer 2

My daughter was the same age and it drove me crazy that she was still sucking on the pacifier.  The same thing...only at night.

I finally started cutting them.  She would find them broken and throw them away.  When we got down to her last two I told her these are your last ones, when the last one breaks you won't have anymore.  About a week later, the last one "broke".  It was horrible for about a week.  It was so-so the second week and by the third week, she didn't even bother to ask for it anymore.

It's tough...I almost gave in several times, but my husband kept me in line...lol.

You need to do this now, so when the new baby comes, your daughter won't feel bad that the baby may have a pacifier and she doesn't.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

She's got you trained to come and get her pacifier everytime she wants it.  

I have a child in my care (I'm a home daycare provider) and we had the same situation.  His mom would bring him to me in the morning with the pacifier, I would put it in his cubby, and his mom would get it back out when she picked him up 10 hours later.  Do you know he NEVER whined for it or cried at all (he is a very good boy anyway).  He took a two and a half hour nap everyday and went to sleep within five minutes of laying on his mat.  I didn't even had to rub his back or anything ~ just laid him down. When his mom would walk in the door, he would start whining and reaching for his cubby.  He never did that to me...ever.  She would get the pacifier out and promptly stick it in his mouth and he would stop whining.

At this same time his mom told me he was waking up severl times a night and crying fo his passie.  I told her he never has it here and she was suprised to know that he sleeps so well without it.  

She asked me for advice so I told her to thorw it away.  Cold turkey...no more pacifier.  When he wakes up for it at night, go to him  say firmly, "Your pacifier is gone.  You need to sleep.  Now lay down and DO NOT cry."  Leave the room and do not return.  Ignore his crying (shut the door or whatever) and do not give in.  

Well she took my advice and within one night he did not ask for it again.  The next night, mom slept all night, which means if he did wake up, he didn't cry for her to come to him.  He has been without it ever since.  That was about a month ago and he is 17 months old now.

Your daughter knows you will give it to her.  You have to make he know you won't.  It might take a few nights, but she will learn.  Be serious about it.  Don't give in or you will only have taught her how long you can hold out.

Good l**k!

Answer 4

You are lucky my son is addicted to his thumb & I cant throw it away. However he only sucks on it like 2 times a day.

Throw it away and let by gones be by gones yes she willllll cry & make you want to pull your hair out but just do it/

Answer 5

Throw them all away, Seriously, then you can't be tempted to give it to her.  You know she is capable of going to sleep with out it.  She will have a few rough nights, but it should only take a few days.

Try the binky fairy routine or have her give them to another little baby that needs them.  She is a big girl now, only babies use binkies.  If she lets them go, it might be easier for her

Answer 6

I read a while ago about a woman who took her daughter to a park and basically tied the dummy (pacifier) to a balloon. The whole thing was they were sending the dummy up to the babies in heaven. Obviously this may not work if you little girl doesnt understand about heaven. But its a sweet idea.

Answer 7

Snip a small portion from the tip. When she tries to suck it, it will deflate instead of being puffing and allowing her to suck on it.

She'll soon stop using it.  When she does then do make a big deal with it...give lots of praise, so that when the new baby comes, she doesn't want to start using the baby's.  If she tries to take up the habit again, then tell her no, she's a big girl and it's only for baby.

Sorry, I just couldn't stand the big fairy ideas....we tell our children enough fibs through their life time.  I think it's better when you just tell them the truth: she's too big and it's only for babies.

Answer 8

Tell her the pacifier faries coming. If that doesn't work wait a couple weeks. Tell her that she has to give it to a baby that doesn't have one because there's only one for each kid and her still having hers is keeping it away from a baby who really needs it.

Answer 9

OMG as a mother I cant belive you cant stand up to your 3 yo... Throw them out! It makes me mad to see children with them past 9 months. Tell her she is way to old for them. Go get her a new stuffed animal, blanket, toy to replace it.