Trying to break my 10 month old of Pacifier HELPP?

Question

Before we had him we was dead set on no Pacifier. However when coming home and being a breast fed baby was easy to give him to comfort himself between feedings. And so when we gave it to him about a month after he was born we decided by the time he was a year no more nuk. So we've been working for last 2 weeks. We've got him down to only getting it at naps and bed. Tried to go without it at his nap but he didn't sleep screamed for an hour and a half so been giving in and give it to him. Then right asleep he goes. SO WHERE TO GO FROM HERE???????? HELP

Answer 1

I had this problem with my daughter. We did get her down to just naps and bed time but it got to the point that she kept waking up in the middle of the night looking for it and she screamed until she got it. Right after she turned a year old, I helped her throw some of them out by telling her that big girls don't use them and she had a good time with that. I did leave a couple of spares in the cupboard just in case. She did end up having a fit for the first few nights, but I kept reminding her that she was a big girl and she didn't need that. She did cry herself to sleep the first night, but every day it got easier and easier until finally she didn't ask for one at all. I've also heard of people cutting the ends off so that they don't get the enjoyment from them, but I never tried that.

Answer 2

At 10 months old, your child is likely using the pacifier as a security measure. Why would you want your child to feel less than secure? That makes no sense to me that you would put your "plan" for how long you think he should have a pacifier ahead of his need for it.

I had three children. The oldest and youngest used pacifiers at bed time and nap time until the age of 2. NEVER just walking around, playing... always just a "going-to-sleep" comfort that helped soothe them into a nice deep sleep. My son gave his up when he was ready... at just over 2 years old. My daughter had to be tricked... I bought her new pacifiers and they were a "new kind" because they didn't sell "our kind" at the store anymore.. (big fat whopping lie)... but before I gave them to her I snipped the tip off the nipples... which made sucking on them no fun. She fussed for a couple days, but what could she do? They didn't make the good kind anymore... I avoided the pacifier aisle at the store a few months, and that was that.

By the way... when I chose to take my daughter's pacifier away it was because it was obviously becoming a habit for her, rather than a security measure. And... my middle child... my oldest daughter.. never wanted or needed a pacifier.

I dunno... he'd probably be just fine... but he seems awfully young.. and there are lots of changes coming up within the next year... to take it away now seems sort of cruel to me.

Answer 3

I'm wondering why you're trying to break him of the habit. I had one son that loved the nuk and used it constantly until he was about 3. Then only at naptime and at night. We had a "nuk" drawer in the kitchen where he put it away when he woke up from his nap and in the morning.

Sometime between 3 and 4 years old, he lost interest.

Our other child never took to it.

If you absolutely feel you must make him give it up, you may give him a transition object like a blanket or stuffed animal or something he can be attached to.

Right now, the nuk provides a feeling of safety and comfort for him. So, again - I would wonder why you feel he must be off of it now. He will quit in his own time.

Answer 4

Oh man, that's hard. My niece didn't get off of her pacifier until she was about 2 and man it was hard for her to give it up. My brother and sister-in-law hid it form her and everything even though she would cry and look for it. As for your baby, your just going to have to not give in and maybe give him those other soft gel looking toys that look like rings to chew and play on. Maybe you can even put something spicy on his pacifier and when he crys, let him taste it and he might not like it. Of course it will sting for him but if you only give him a little bit, the spice shouldn't last as long and give him just a little bit of water. It would probably make him think that those pacifiers will always be spicy. Keep trying it for a while and maybe he won't want it. Make sure he sees that it's the pacifier so he knows that it's what made his mouth burn up. Lol

Answer 5

We had a hard time too. We actually had him broke at 9 months, but because we did not throw them away, when he got sick a couple weeks later and was miserable, we gave it back.. He was 14 months old before we took it away again.

Pacifiers are fine for infants. No worries that you gave him one. Infants need something to help regulate themselves and sooth themselves. By 6 months, it should not be as necessary although some kids still need it. If he is only getting it at naps and bedtime at 10 months I think you are doing pretty good.

Personally we took it away and he cried for a few minutes the first couple times (up to 20 minutes) before falling asleep. I'd try that but make sure he is REALLY tired before laying him down the first few times so he does not have the stamina to cry for 90 minutes!!!

Other suggestion - Cut the tip off. It won't be as fun to suck on and he will probably give it up on his own. Plus it makes it hard to give in when there is nothing readily available to give him.

Best of luck... Suggestions are only because you are looking for help, but I would let him be for now. As long as it is only at nap and bedtime then what is he hurting? Hope it helps!

Answer 6

We didn't ween my son off his pon (pacifier). We decided that we would take it away when he turned 1 and a few days before he turned 1 he threw this huge fit to get out of the crib. He kept acting like he was going to throw it at me so I told him that if he did, he would never get it back. Well he threw it and that was that. He cried for a few hours and went to bed. He looked for it a little the next day but when he realized it was gone he didn't cry for it anymore. We were done.

My advice for you is to bear with it and listen to the baby cry for a while but dont give in.

Answer 7

I have two kids...they had pacifiers, they gave them up when they were older than 10 months...they had them too long probably, but I choose not to worry about it...they are extremely well adjusted and happy...my brother took his child's pacifier away early and now she sucks on everything even her tongue! Relax...give him the pacifier and enjoy your non screaming child.

Answer 8

We've given each of our children a pacifier. As far as I'm concerned, it's a sanity break!

As much as I hate to admit it, I sucked my thumb until I was in 5th grade! (I know, I know... I was a very stubborn child...) And thus I remember the feeling of complete safety and comfort it gave me.

That being said, a pacifier can be taken away. Much as a parent tries--and my parents DID--a thumb can not be taken away.

When we decided to cut down on the pacifiers, as you have done, we told our children they could only have them in bed, or as they were going to sleep. That way they weren't walking around with them in their mouths--but would go to sleep easily--and actually looked forward to their nap!

At about 1 1/2 we quit buying pacifiers. All except one of our children started to chew on the pacifier at about this age. We told them not to. When they chewed a hole in one we showed them, told them we had to throw it away because it wasn't safe for them anymore. (Usually they had quite a few pacifiers so one being thrown away wasn't so bad.)

Either they took care of the rest of the pacifiers (one of our children quit even putting them in her mouth after we threw one away so she could keep the rest of the pacifiers!) or the pacifiers were thrown away, one at a time. I have to admit though, I always snuck back and rescued one pacifier for each child as a remembrance! LOL!

Another thing I did, was after my babies had gone to sleep, take the pacifier out of their mouth. That way they got used to sleeping without it.

This is tough--so God Bless! :-)

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Answer 9

First, I'm kinda anti-Paci myself - BUT, having said that... babies NEED that sucking comfort. If you're not going to give him the breast for comfort, they do kinda need the paci.

I wouldn't be in a rush to break him any more than I'd tell you to wean him at one year.

Best way is to just throw them AWAY and tough it out for a couple of days. The biggest thing is breaking the ADULTS of the habit b/c it's easier to give in than to listen to the crying!

Answer 10

It could be very hard or it can be easier than you think. The best way to get rid of a pacifier expecially since he's still young is to do it cold turkey. Just get rid of it. He might cry a bit but eventually he'll get over it.