How to Wean a Baby From a Nipple
A pacifier can be a wonderful thing: it can calm a fussy baby, help him fall asleep, or temporarily distract him. In addition, once breastfeeding is established, the American Academy of Pediatrics states that offering to breastfeed during naps and at bedtime may help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). But at some point between the ages of two and four, they may need help breaking the habit.
If you’re looking for the easiest way to wean your baby off the pacifier, it’s probably sooner than you think – the doctor. Harvey Karp of the “Happiest baby in the house,” says six or seven months – is a happy medium for many babies (emotional attachment to it begins to nine months). Even if you allow them to hold onto pacifiers in infancy, many toddlers will stop using them on their own. But if they’re still sucking by age three, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry thinks it’s time to wean them off before continued use leads to orthodontic problems.
You can try several different methods: some are fast, some are slow, and some involve magical creatures. Let’s discuss.
Three-day method
This is probably the fastest way and all it really takes is a few conversations with your little one and a firm decision. If you are going to take this path, you must be committed. As Margarita Lamb writes for Parents.com :
In the morning and before bed, tell your child that you see that he wants to do many things that make him older. Tell her that this is a good idea and that in three days it will be time for her to say goodbye to her dummies. Tell her that you know she can do it and that you will work on it together. Continue the conversation for up to 30 seconds and do not speak like you are asking permission. If your child responds, reflect their feelings, “I know you don’t want,” and then move on. Don’t worry about your child becoming anxious if warned in advance. “It’s a myth,” says [Mark] Brenner [author of Pacifiers, Blankets, Bottles and Thumbs: What Every Parent Should Know To Stop And Start] . “Like adults, children love to prepare themselves physically, psychologically and emotionally for change.”
On the second day, you will have the same two prosaic conversations about what day will be tomorrow. And then, on the third day, you enlist their help by collecting all of their nipples, place them in a plastic bag, and take them outside to be “recycled” into other children’s toys. (Don’t just throw them in the trash can; they’ll have to bite a little if they think their pet idiots will do more good in this world.)
Then brace yourself for the very real possibility of collapse. You can, of course, be sensitive to their feelings, but you also need to remain firm. Brenner says most toddlers will overcome nipple loss in about two days.
A more gradual approach
To gradually wean your baby off of the pacifier, start setting some limits on the amount of time he is allowed to use the pacifier, and under what conditions. You can start by giving up on times when they need it less, such as right after sleep, when they are in the car, or when they are playing with toys in the living room. Eventually, get to the point where they are only allowed to eat during sleep and before bed, and eventually eliminate that too.
You may also decide that if the pacifiers are lost or damaged, you simply won’t replace them. You will eventually go from one in each room to a couple and explain that when the latter is missing or broken, that is the end of using the nipple.
Some experts also suggest piercing the pacifier or cutting off the tip so that it stops sucking (and therefore is attractive). However, if you cut off the tip, proceed with caution as this may make it easier for the small piece to come off and cause choking; only let them use it under supervision.
The magical approach
We have fairies who come to collect teeth for our children; why can’t we have fairies who also accept their pacifiers? The magical little fairy is popular with dummy-loving toddler parents, and for good reason. The little fairy comes on a special day, which could be their birthday or another momentous day. The fairy takes their old trinkets to deliver to the young children who need them (only use this part if you think it won’t make you jealous) and leaves a new “big kid toy” in their place.
You can change the details of the magical creature that comes for the toys, and even let your toddler choose when he’s ready to visit.
Here’s how a parent named Emily of our Offspring Facebook group dealt with it: “We spent months talking about ‘little birds’ who would leave a gift if we gave them trinkets when we were about to give them up (almost three-year). He was ready one Friday and gave up green, and the next day blue, and we enjoy Duplo ever since! “
Whichever approach you choose, consider timing as well. You may not want to wean them off the nipple if they are going through some other stressful transition, such as starting a new daycare center, greeting a brother or sister, or moving into a new home. Take a time when they don’t have to rely on the nipple for soothing.