Is your little one a pacifier?
If you’ve read my blog articles or you follow me, you know that I’m a big fan of pacifiers. I think they’re great in the right circumstances. They help reduce SIDS in newborns and they can be a positive sleep tool, IF your baby can replace them independently.
I think the decision to have a pacifier is dependent on the family. Pacifiers are not a problem, unless they become a problem. In these cases then we wean them, no worries!
Now if you’re having to get up and replace the pacifier every few hours, then yes I suggest we get rid of it.
If your baby is over 7 months and can replace it, they can keep it until the age of 2 years old.
When is the best time time to do it?
Doctors/Dentists usually recommend starting to wean the pacifier at the age of 2, so it doesn’t start to interfere with their speech development (having something in your mouth at all times can make it hard to practice your speech) or their tooth development (teeth can start to slant forward), before 2 years old, this really isn’t a concern.
So what’s the best way to get rid of the pacifier?
Well, it depends on age, when babies are younger it’s easier just to go cold turkey and stop offering the pacifier (this may mean a few nights of adjustment). After 12 months there may be a deeper attachment and parents might have to get creative.
Getting Creative
Offer an alternative - You want to continue to cue your baby that it is time for sleep, even if the pacifier is no longer present. This means offering lots of signs that bedtime and therefore “sleep time” is coming.
Do you have a nice relaxing bedtime routine? Have you set up a great environment for sleep? Making sure that they have some reliable sleep tools to help them.
If your baby is over a year old you can replace the pacifier with a small lovey instead. We have our pacifiers attached to small stuffed animals (make sure they are smaller than a handkerchief and not a choking or strangulation hazard- Safety first!).
Attach the pacifiers and then when ready to wean cut them so baby cannot suck anymore, then remove them and just offer the stuffed toy with no pacifier attached (again, please make sure it’s safe).
Only offer the pacifier for sleep at first - If you are going with a gradual approach then I would start with not offering the pacifier for times other than sleep at first. Pacifier should stay in the crib and only be used for sleep. Have your baby first get used to not having a pacifier in their mouth during wakeful times, then move to the next step.
Start with nights - I always start to wean anything when a baby’s drive for sleep is high. It is at these times that the likely hood that your baby will fall asleep easier without lots of help is greater. Usually this is better achieved at bedtime, since sleep drive is the highest then. So I always start with nights. Believe it or not nights are easier than naps.
Start with not offering the soother/pacifier at night but continue to offer it for naps (don’t worry babies use a different part of their brain for day and night sleep so there won’t be confusion). Then once your nights are looking good, move to removing it for naps.
Prepare them and communicate - If your toddler is older than 2 years old and can understand, then communicate with them what is going to happen. You can do this in a number of different ways, making it fun and magical.
For example: A magic fairy might come and collect all the Paci’s in the house but will leave a magical lovey that they can snuggle with instead. There are many fun ways to make leaving the Paci much easier and get kids involved.
Be prepared for an adjustment period - As with everything, there is always an adjustment period. It’s hard getting used to being without a comfort that you’ve had for a long time. Your little one WILL get used to it but it might take a few nights for them to become fully comfortable. If sleep regresses then it’s important that you have a plan on how you will settle them (without the pacifier or resorting to unsustainable sleep associations).
Have a plan - When we are tired, we will do almost anything to get our baby (and us) back to sleep. Anything including creating another association that we cannot manage. This is why having a well thought out plan when you are more awake and conscious, is so important. This plan will help you feel confident and guide you on exactly what to do when you have a screaming child in the middle of the night. Make that plan something that you are comfortable implementing and stick to it. Post your “why” where you can see it at night to remind you. Why do you want your baby to sleep independently?
I help families make these plans customized to their particular comfort level, baby and family preferences and this exponentially helps your success.
You know what else helps your success? SUPPORT.
Both of these together are the key to success. They will make your experience sooooo much easier, believe me.
So if you need guidance and support or just want to talk to me about your specific situation, I invite you to book a free 30 minute consultation so we can talk about YOU and getting you there fast.
