The Passifier...good or bad?

Julia - posted on 03/25/2009

My daughter is a thumb sucker. It's not going to be too easy to take away the thumb!! I was told by a friend whose pediatric dentist told her to get rid of the passy by 3 years. That way it won't affect the teeth growing. The dentist showed her xrays from with passy use and after passy use and you could really tell the difference the way the teeth had moved back into a correct position. So I wouldn't worry about it right away, but by 3 years have it gone!! I hope that I can do the same with my little thumb sucker! She never took a passy, and even today, she'll just play with it and chew on it.

Erica - posted on 03/25/2009

I heard a good trick on how to get rid of the pacifier especially if your child is 2 and older. Try taking a pin and poking holes in the pacifier so it deflates. That way the pacifier is "broken" I haven't tried it yet since my daughter is 9 months old, but I will when it comes time. Especially if she is old enough to understand "broken."

Holly - posted on 03/15/2009

eh, both my boys took it, both my girls absolutely would not. My 2.5 year old boy still has it, and i absolutely dont mind him having it. The way I think is there is going to be a day when he grows out of wanting it. My older boy dropped his in walmart one day when he was right at 3 and never cried about not having it after that day. And my older is 9 this month and so i think its safe to say he didnt have any long term bad effects from it, so my opinion is, let him suck to his hearts desire!

Cynthia - posted on 03/14/2009

There are conflicting opinions around pacifiers. One thing that many parents forget is this main important point, "babies cry." Many parents quickly turn to the paci as the cure-all to the cry, which doesn't teach the baby how to cope or self-soothe (like thumb-sucking or humming or even crying for a bit before going to sleep). In the beginning, I don't believe that the paci is a bad thing as a sleep prop, but I wouldn't recommend using it after the baby turns 1, as it will be that much more difficult to take away. May I recommend Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg. She introduces very effective approaches to baby's schedule, feeding, sleeping, etc. It has helped me tremendously with both my children.

Barbara - posted on 03/14/2009

I just decided one two weeks ago because she kept waking up in the night for it to take it away from her it was real hard though she cried and cried and I just sat beside her crib with her and let her know it was ok the second day she cried only a little bit now at bed time or nap time she just goes to sleep. There is a book that is called Sleep Sense it helped me and a couple of my other friends

Katie - posted on 03/13/2009

My daughter has not used a pacifier since she was about 3 months old. She sucks her thumb, ONLY to put herself to sleep :)

Angela - posted on 03/12/2009

another thought.  My friends told me that they told thier daugher (2.5)  that if she left all of her pacis for santa he would leave her an extra special present at christmas.  So she decided to share with santa and left  all of her paci's in a box for him and in return he left her a very special present.  She missed it but then had her present to use when she did.  Again she was old enought to  get that kind of thing.              

Elizabeth - posted on 03/12/2009

I don't think there is anything wrong with pacifiers, as long as they are orthodontic pacifiers and you are using the one appropriate for your baby's age.  My son LOVED his pacifier and we took it away when he was 1 1/2. It only took him three to four times without it to realize that it was GONE!  As for my daughter (also born in June), she only likes it when she goes to sleep.  I wouldn't fret about pacifiers, as they are a stimulant for their gums (and teeth growing) and it soothes them.  My cousin got addicted to sucking his thumb to the point where to 'roof' of his mouth resembled that of a fish, and he would suck it so often, that his thumb became 'raw'.  Consult with your doc...if they were bad, I'm sure the pediatric Association would have advised the public long time ago.

Melinda - posted on 03/12/2009

The only thing I will add is that it might be easier to take away the babies passy when they are younger. My nephew is 4 and refuses to get rid of it! It is kind of sad at that point.

Angela - posted on 03/11/2009

I do not think a paci is bad at all.  Actually my son was heading towards thumb sucking and wanted to nurse every hour until I introduced the paci.  Most people I know dont wean kids off it until 2 sometimes later.  As long as its ortho approved its better for babies teeth than the thumb, its helps them soothe themselves until they can learn to use thier words.  My dr, actually told us to start using one because some babies just have a stronger need to suck than others.  Unless you have real reason to discard it now why put you or your baby through weaning now?

Melinda - posted on 03/11/2009

My son is 9 months old and has been using his passy since he was born. I tried to ween him off of it a few months ago but he would just stick his thumb in his mouth instead so I pur the passy back in. I am trying again right now and it is going okay.

Here are some things I am doing: taking the passy out of his mouth once he falls asleep and removing it from his crib so he can't just stick it back in, not letting him see it while he is playing (he doesn't ask for it unless he can see it), and only giving it to him on walks if he is really upset. There are other things he can chew on while teething, like toys and cold teething rings, so I try to avoid the passy as a pain soother. Maybe at naptime and bedtime, give him a doll that he likes to help him fall asleep. It could be that he wants something he is familiar with to fall asleep.  

No - posted on 03/11/2009

my eldest didn't really care for the passifier. the way he soothed himself was by twisting his hair. he doesnt do it anymore (he's 5). my second (june, '08) uses the passifier. it was a life-saver as i was often breast feeding for 6 hours or more at a go. she obviously soothes herself with it and as my eldest gave his habit before he was two i'm hoping the same will be true for the baby.

BTW: i hear there is a lovely swedish folklore about children giving up there dummies to the birds which becomes a ritual that i'm told is very effective. try the internet - there must be more about this tradition on it somewhere - i know i will be checking it out.