My 2 year old won't give up her pacifier. help?

Question

My daughter is 2 1/2 years old and still uses a pacifier and it doesn't look like she will give it up anytime soon. We have narrowed her down to only using at nap time and bed time, but if she doesn't have it at those times she goes nuts and cries. She will even wake up in the middle of the night in a panic if she cannot find it. We've tried the pacifier fairy thing and she seemed to be having fun with it until bed time came. Her doctor said she would outgrow it by now. What do I do? Any suggestions

Answer 1

i had the same blem with my daughter at that age. i got this tip from my pediatrician and it worked in the first week. if you cut the nipple on the paci so its shorter she wont want it in her mouth because she will have to use her teeth to hold on to it. another dr. told me she told her baby the cat took it so when my daughter questioned the cut paci we said the cat did it and let her throw it away herself. we only did 1 paci at a tme so she wasnt traumatized and by the time she found the last paci she was over it

Answer 2

I just went through that with my 2 1/2 year old 2 weeks ago. We only let her have it at nap time and bed time too. What worked for me was to cut a tiny hole in it to break the suction. She will notice that something isn't right but won't know how it got that way. Then each week, make the hole bigger until you are left with nothing. You have to do this gradually and don't let her see you do this. If she complains, tell her that you don't know how it got that way and keep your routine as if nothing happened. Now my little one just holds it while she sleeps and over time, forgot the sucking need but is still happy to have them with her. The first few days are rough but you have to stick with it. My dentist recommended to take it away especially at 2 because it can cause dental issues down the road. Good luck.

Answer 3

I saw this thing on T.V where the parents told their 3yr old son that the "Binkie fairy" needed all the binkies she could find for the babies that were in heaven. After a little coaxing he finally agreed to let them go. They made a day of it and tied all of his binkies to a group of balloons and he let them go. They said he's never wanted a binkie since.
You might also want to consider telling her that big girls dont suck on binkies only babies do. I know alot of kids think that if they are doing something thats just for babies, they won't want to be a baby anymore cuz they are a big kid now. ;-)
I know it sounds goofy but it seemed to work great for them. Hope this helps and good luck.

Answer 4

I've read that people tell their kids the pacifier fairy needs them for little babies and you put them in an envelope and mail them (to a friend or relative) to be tossed.

Then give her a special prize for being a big girl and helping the little babies!

Answer 5

My daughters dentist said that as long as they give up the pacifer by 3.5 they are good.

We only use one at naps and bedtime too. Our daughter is 2.5 now. I am going ot try the pacifer fairy thing when I find out more about it..lol

Answer 6

Just take the pacifier away from your daughter. It seems mean but it should just be like taking the her off the bottle

Answer 7

Your the mom..... lay down the law... She doesn't know whats best for her ... you do.. make it happen.

Believe me she won't hate you for it and if anything else crying herself to sleep a few times won't hurt her either.

Letting her keep her pacifier while her teeth are coming in can hurt her teeth--long term.

My parents had me through away my own pacifier. I wanted something a toy or something and they said that "big girls" who have that toy don't use pacifiers.... so i through it away.. maybe you can get her to exchange it...

Good luck

Answer 8

This is a small thing. If she uses it for bed & naps only, who is this hurting? My cousin is a speech therapist who says thumb suckers make up most of her clients-pacifier far better!She is still such a baby. Please just let this go. She will eventually, herself.As her Mother, part of your job is to guard her "little secrets". Just enjoy her-this is not a big shortcoming!

Answer 9

You take it away...You listen to her go nuts and cry for about three nights and it is over and your life goes on....It will be thr toughest three days of your life but well worth it in the long run...Been there done that...Twice!

Answer 10

I was told by my son's pediatrician to cut a little tiny piece of the nipple off and give it to him. He won't like it because it feels foreign to him. if he sucks on it anyway, cut another super tiny chunk off until he refuses to suck on it. It worked.