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Pacifier Weaning

I have an 18-month-old toddler and am wondering if now is the time to take her pacifier away, and is "cold turkey" best? My child is sort of clingy already so I don't want to handicap her by coddling her too long, nor do I want to take away the security that she may still need.

At 18 months, you can start weaning your toddler off the pacifier by restricting the pacifier to bedtime. Make sure your toddler knows that the pacifier is only for the crib, and if she really wants it, she can go lie in her bed. Eventually, she will start to ask for the paci less and less, and she will lose interest. Then start talking to her about how she is getting to be a big girl and soon she will not need it anymore.

Then sometime before your daughter's second birthday, you can have a special pacifier party to celebrate. Tell her that her pacifier needs to go to babies who need it. And as a token of their appreciation, the babies sent her a present! Of course, get your daughter something she really wants!

Happy weaning!

Answered by Nanny Deb

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BellaS11 Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 2/5/2010 - 7:15PM Report Abuse	I was having major problems with my son's binky use; well actually it was more along the lines of a binky addiction!! My friend absolutely raved about the cut method, and all of the psychology behind it. She found it on www.bye-bye-binky.com , which is great that it was also free. We went with it and OMGosh... worked so beautifully for my son with NO tantrums, not even one! Thank you God. Five days later he did not want anything to do with his binky. What a relief it was to all of us to finally be done with those darn binkies. Highly recommended! I am also interested in others experiences.... Bella
lizziebird Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 1/10/2010 - 1:05PM Report Abuse	help......my daughter is 2 and still loves her "bips" ...... I need to find a good method of getting rid of it once and for all. She only takes it for naps and bedtime but it needs to go completely! I am due with my second child in June and don't want her on it when the baby comes. I have tried just about everything except cold turkey, I feel it is mean and selfishly don't want to lose my sleep especially being pregnant. Any advice will help, thank you.
kaidensmommy1 Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 9/27/2009 - 10:45AM Report Abuse	Ive been struggling with knowing when and how to go about getting rid of the "noo noo". Th e out of sight out of mind thing is true. The only thing is everytime we are doing good .. another tooth comes in and thats his only comfort through that miserable few days. I dont want him to continue relying on it but understand that he feels he needs it... well see how it goes from here
adri1kanobe Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 9/19/2009 - 11:23AM Report Abuse	I did the restricted to bedtime, and it's working great. Remember though, out of sight out of mind, if she catches a glimpse of her pacifier she wants it.
DiAmUs Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 9/19/2009 - 6:10AM Report Abuse	It's even harder trying to take it away when there is a new born in the house. We take my oldest's "pap-pap" from him and he steals his little brother's... :/ We've even been tryin the whole "only when you sleep" thing.
kimrubysmom Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 9/19/2009 - 1:37AM Report Abuse	taking the paci is harder than potty training in my house! the more i restrict it, the more desperate she acts, sometimes it is just too much! my aunt suggested cutting the end off a little at a time and when i run out of nipple its done. we shall see, i will try anything, all i can see are orthodontist bills in my future.
slimazz Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 9/18/2009 - 11:48PM Report Abuse	my nephew could'nt sleep without his pacci till one night my mom (his grandmom) took it away he cry all that night. The following night he ask for it and his mummy said "remember grandma took it away" there was no fuss he just go to sleep. I hope its thats easy for my baby
KiraRenee Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 9/17/2009 - 2:36PM Report Abuse	My god-daughter LOVED her Sassa and would cry for it all the time. When she turned two my best friend took her to Disneyland and told her to give it to Mickey Mouse for all the other babies and she hasn't asked for it since.
SNKing925 Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 9/9/2009 - 1:43PM Report Abuse	My daughter is 2 1/2 and loves her "binky"... She does not need it 24/7 but asks for it alot... Especially when she is tired and going to sleep! I'm thinking of cutting it cold turkey!! We'll see how it goes!!
LaGordita Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 9/8/2009 - 1:46PM Report Abuse	My daughter will be 2 this month...her binky was her first love, lol. But, I got tired of looking for under the couch, in the car, and having to buy a new one when she lost it in the store. I did a lot of reading and asking around about what to do. The best thing I came up with was just to take it away cold turkey! The first couple nights she got it when she went to bed...then I just threw them all away she asked for them for a couple days and then completely forgot about the word "binky". We've been binky-less for 3 weeks now! :)
AngelaPost Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 9/2/2009 - 2:53PM Report Abuse	When my daughter (now almost 16 and ready for a car!) was 2, I restricted it to bedtime...then a few weeks later at bedtime she asked for it & I'd say "I think its lost, let's lay down for a little bit and I'll get up and look for it..." after a few minutes she'd be asleep... The "I have to look for it game" went on for about a week and she stopped asking... I now have a 12 month old that I hope the same trick will work on in a few months!
LilMissR3d Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 8/26/2009 - 11:03AM Report Abuse	to be honest.. I have a 15 mnth old & Im already dreading the day that I'll need to take her 'bobo' away. I'm trying to mentally prepare myself as we did cold turkey w/the bottle, BUT the 'bobo' is different =o(
lrblack Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 8/26/2009 - 10:56AM Report Abuse	I am currently trying to get rid of the paci for my 19mth old. I tried the Bye-bye binky method and well. . . several holes the width of thumbtack pins didn't matter. He still sucks on it. If I cut the tip, no one sleeps till one in the morning and that is when we give up and he gets the one with the holes. He has been restricted since 1yo to car, nap and bedtime. He already has a lovey so I'll need something out this world to get him to give it up at 2yo. I guess one weekend we'll just have to tough it out!
ashley82802 Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 8/9/2009 - 8:36PM Report Abuse	All I have to say is that my baby is almost 21 months and I am so afraid to take away his "pappy". He just walks around ALL DAY yelln' "Where my pappy?" Im going to try to send it up with some balloons and tie a note to it! He likes balloons now but may not after this! :)
StayathomeDad83 Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 8/6/2009 - 6:27PM Report Abuse	The best time to take the paci away is 1 year. You must restrict it to bed times and nap times after they are about 6 moths.. Cold turkey is the best.. My daughter is 2 now. When she turned one we took the paci away, and threw it in the garbage. She cried for about 20 minutes went to sleep and never fussed over it again. Now when she sees other kids with a paci she doesnt pay it any attention.
Jesika5146 Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 8/6/2009 - 6:16PM Report Abuse	We have just started to fully take away our 2 1/2 year old son's "Nuu". He has been getting it only at bed time for quite some time now. We were in the process of moving to another state and I didnt want to take his security away until I knew he was settled and comfortable...now the time has come! We let him fall asleep with it in and before we go to bed we sneak in his room and take it from him and hide it. He has yet to wake up crying for it or asking for it, but he always wants it to fall asleep. We are hoping eventually he will ease off of it, but taking it away in the middle of the night has helped.
Dupsi Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 6/9/2009 - 10:39AM Report Abuse	My 20 month has her paci restricted to bed...and the car. I will give her her best buddy, "bunny" in the car to hold. She'll probably cry. But how do you eventually take it away at bedtime? Just let her cry herself to sleep?
na501to Send a Note Send a Gift Write on Board Add as friend 6/5/2009 - 3:01PM Report Abuse	I did this with my older child and my little guy only uses his paci in bed, but be prepared for some trouble the first few bedtimes with no paci. That present from the babies sort of worked, but when it was bedtime she was ready to give the present back so she could get her paci's back. After 3 days she was over it. Good luck!