To Break the Nipple Habit, Poke a Hole in It.
A pacifier is a wonderful thing. It helps our little ones fall asleep when all else fails. After all, you want them to calm down. They grow from babies to toddlers, and you yearn for one photo without being in your mouth. And as tooth by tooth grows in, you may worry that prolonged use of the nipple may affect the alignment of your teeth.
You could go cold turkey. You could have “lost” them one by one. You can hop on the Binky Fairies bandwagon and leave them all in a bunch for one night to be picked up (with a special reward left as payment). You can even hold a farewell ceremony .
Or you can sabotage them a little in a safe way – by poking a tiny hole in the tip of the nipple. By lining a small hole in the nipple, air is released, making it less pleasant to suck on. This effectively helps children lose interest in their ex-friend, but there are a few caveats:
- Make the hole very small (using a needle is best) and make sure you don’t leave behind any lumps that could be swallowed.
- Don’t cut off the entire tip. It used to be a common weaning method, but over time, small pieces can break off and cause choking.
If they say that their baby suddenly stops feeling the same – or as good – as before, just tell them that it’s because they’re getting big and breaking the habit.