What age do I apply pacifier intervention?

Lori - posted on 09/12/2009

I too think that you are the only one who knows what is best for your child. I believe it is smart to get advice and hear what others have done but in the end it is YOUR child. I also believe every child is different and even with your own children what is right for one may not be right for the next one. I have 4 kids and they all had pacifiers and were all weaned at different ages depending on each ones personalities and needs.

Cindy - posted on 08/29/2009

It might be easier to ween him at an early age, but my son gave his up when he was 3. Not that I didn't try it was hard and I don't think he undrstood why I wanted him to give it up. But what worked for me was on his 3rd birthday we told him that family and friends were coming over to give him gift in return fot the pacifier since he was 3 now it was time to be a big boy and let it go and I was so thankful that it worked. I tried when my son was 2 but it was really bad people would say just let him cry he would make him self fall asleep.......well after about 3 hrs of screaming and crying I gave in. I think it depends on the child each one is diff. and everyone in my family said that he would have messed up teeth because I let him have it till he was 3, but he has perfect teeth. A friend told me when her daughter was 2 she tried to take her daughter off of a paci and she got a little box and let her daughter color on it and draw a pic ot put in side the box she told her that if she sent this in the mail that it would go to a fairy that would give them to other children that needed it more, but she told her that the fairy would send her something in return. So that night she went to the mail box and put a package in it for her daughter and the next morning (before the mail ran) they took a walk to the box and the little girl was happy to see that she got something in the mail when she opened it there were little toys and stuff for her age. So this might be something that you could try later.

Samantha - posted on 08/26/2009

I think its too early, My son is 22 months old and I still give him the paci... I did my research on this and Dentists say that the limit is 2 years old, so with my first son who is now 4 years old, I let him have it until his 2 birthday and I am doing the same with my 22 month old. Doctors are great, and they are right in giving most advice, but your pediatrician is not the one who is going to come over in the middle of the night and soothe your baby when you refuse to give him his paci. When I weened my first born off the paci, it was easier than I thought. I simply cut the tip of the binky and when you do that you release the air inside the nipple that creates the suction and the binky no longer has any use. I took every single paci in the house and cut the tip, and when my son put it in his mouth he looked at it in disbelief and would say its "no good" and give it to me and I would take him to the kitchen and have him throw it in the garbage bin... He did that with every single binky that he found and has never touched one since, I plan on doing the same for my 22 months old as soon as he has his 2nd birthday.

Cheyenne - posted on 08/25/2009

You know what your baby is ready for and when. The only thing I think is unacceptable and quite funny to see is 4 and 5 year olds walking around with binkies.

Misty - posted on 08/19/2009

I do not think that he is waking for his paci. He may be hungry and need something else. my son did this. He slept great for a little while then would wake up in the middle of the night for a little while to nurse. We didnt stop the paci until he was two.

Cynthia - posted on 08/16/2009

I agree with the other ladies. My son's doctor said that he recommends keeping kids on the paci for 12 mths. My oldest had a paci until just before his 2nd birthday but it was only for naps and night time. He usually spit it out anyway during his sleep. As far as the paci doing damage to his teeth, that only occurs if he is walking around with it in his mouth all the time and talking around it.

Maria - posted on 08/14/2009

Could it be that your son is teething and because it's irritating for him, the only thing that gives him comfort is his pacifier? One of my boys sucked on ice cubes and the other, a pacifier. But I took the pacifier off at 7-9 months when both had their teeth come out and replace it with either a juice cup with a spout or bottle with water at night. Pacifier will have consequences with his teeth later on and so with sleeping with bottle with milk. I found out the hard way with my first born.

Renae - posted on 08/06/2009

I don't agree with the sooner than later idea, he may just resort to his thumb which you can't take away! I let them have it for at least a year, and I had one who would take his brothers away and didn't give it up until he was 3. My rationalization is that you don't see any 2nd graders with a paci, but you do see some still sucking thumbs at that age...

Christine - posted on 07/24/2009

My 7-month-old started teething at 3 months and woke up during the night because of it. The pacifier soothed him because he could gnaw on it. Try tylenol. :)

Lyndsay - posted on 07/23/2009

My general rule is 12 months for the suckie, 18 months for the bottle. I think that sometimes babies need the pacifer as a comfort thing, but if you let him get TOO dependent on it then it's going to be a lot harder to break him later on.

Kylie - posted on 07/21/2009

Do you think he is really waking just for his paci?? or is it teething possibly or is he hungry or maybe something else again. He may be going through a growth spurt or is he becoming more active, once babies start to roll over, crawl and walk they experience times even during the night where their bodies just won't shut down and stop moving.

I wouldn't worry too much as yet about taking the paci off him completely. Is he only using it for sleeping or does he have it during the day too. My son is nearly 16mths and only has his paci for rest time and his night sleep now but when he was younger we called it his life support as he had it 24/7. Good Luck. Kylie

Rena - posted on 07/21/2009

My pediatrician recommended between 7 and 9 months. She said this is the easiest time to wean. My own rule of thumb is off the bottle by 1 and off binky before 2 and potty trained by 2 1/2. I have done this with 2 boys very successfully. You will do what you feel is right for your baby. I don;t see any harm with a 4 month old with a pacifier, if it;s comforting to him...

Dena - posted on 07/03/2009

I think so. He probably isn't waking just for the pacifier. Doctors are always trying to get rid of the damn things! Some babies need them. My older one did. I let it go a year longer then I would have liked, but it was such a comfort. A lot of babies give them up on their own. It's a personal decision, but it's a crazy strange world for them....why not let him have some comfort?

Maya - posted on 07/02/2009

My son is 18 months and still gets his paci for naps (if we are home and he's in his crib) and bedtime. Mind you this is the only time he gets it. I don't feel anything's wrong with it. We will start here very soon weaning him off of it (starting at nap times). I think 4 months is early if your child likes the paci. I look at it like this....a 'paci fariy' can come take away a paci...if your son wants to suck then he'll find his thumb...and you can't take that away.