Is There Really Anything Wrong with Letting My Daughter Keep Her Pacifier to Fall Asleep?
She's 22 months old and I always said that by the time she's 2 we will be rid of the choopy. As 2 is creeping up on us, I'm starting to wonder why we really HAVE to take it away from her. After all, it's orthodontic so it's not hurting her teeth in any way. In addition, she only gets it to help her fall asleep then once she's asleep she drops it out of her mouth and she's good for the rest of the night. I just feel like I would be taking away a favorite stuffed animal or blankie, and for what? She's able to self-soothe with everything else (i.e. if she falls down or even if she's tired) so it's not a matter of soothing herself necessarily, I just think she's grown attached to it. So this is why I'm apprehensive! My idea initially was to cut the nipple off the paci she just holds (she likes to have one in her mouth and one to hold) so eventually I would cut off the nipple to the other one and she would be forced to just hold both of them. So I've gotten as far as cutting the nipple off the one in her hand but I'm not sure about taking it any further until she is old enough for me to explain to her why she doesn't need the pacifier to fall asleep; how she's a big girl and that choopies are for babies. Plus, two months ago we began potty training (per the 20 month old's request LOL!) and that's been going really well so I'm worried if I disrupt her routine and take the paci away it might throw us off the potty training wagon. What do you think?
Suggestion:
I swore up and down I would NEVER give a paci to ANY of my kids. HA! That was until my middle one didn't sleep EVER!!! I swear I hooked her on the binky as a matter of force. I say don't worry about the paci.
She loved it so much. I never allowed it out of her bedroom so if she wanted to use it, she had to go up to her bed. And when she needed a break, that is exactly what she would do. It gave her peace and relaxation. She was (and still is) a sensitive and emotional child. I tried to coax her into giving it to the 'baby animals' at the zoo but she didn't fall for that. Then I got pregnant and had baby #3 and didn't want to go through the drama.
She was 3 1/2 years old when she started asking if she could chew gum. I seized the opportunity and said, sure, if you give up your binky. She went for it and other than a little whining at bedtime, she was fine.
So I say, don't worry about it. Keep an open mind to when you might be able to take it and certainly limit its use but you will find a way for them to peacefully part ways.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
My opinion is to let her give it up when she is ready. My two boys had pacifiers and gave them up by themselves. One of them kept it longer than the other, but we started making him take it out to talk, saying that we could not understand him with the pacifier in his mouth. It became inconvenient for him to say everything twice; so he discarded it. Two years isn't really that old either. She is still a baby.
You know your going to get a million answers and opinions on this and all of them are going to be different. Over all there is nothing wrong with weaning her off of the paci until its just for her to go to sleep. When my daughter saw a speech therapist she said that as long as she is not talking with the paci in her mouth or is sucking instead of learning how to talk then she is fine. Over all using the paci doesn't destroy teeth, it takes more than just a paci. She'll be fine, and it is easier to tackle one thing at a time. I wouldn't suggest doing to much at once in case of how sensitive she may be. But you know over all it is your choice, I always tell people I'm mom and I know more than any damn doctor. She'll get through it no matter what you decide.
Just let this go. 2 year olds do not grasp deadlines and there is no need to give her one. Just let her use it at bedtime and continue the orthodontic one. This is just her little comfort. And right now she DOES need it. This is not a biggie,she is still so little. Stop talking about it at all, that will make her anxious for no reason. Everything else is going smoothly, so don't let this get in your way.
If she is only using it to fall asleep, then I see no real problem. My daughter used hers until she was 2.5 years old, but she was ADDICTED to it. It started becoming a fight throughout the day. My friend's daughter (almost 3) has hers in her mouth 24/7… and you can see that it has affected her jaw and speech.
The real issue is if they are still using it when their adult teeth come in (around age 5). Just be sure you are using the size appropriate for her age… the bigger and flatter the nipple… the better.
I personally think she should keep the pacifier until she is ready to give it up. I know three year old still using pacifiers to fall asleep. I see nothing wrong with a little soothing. Pacifiers, bottles, and blankets are okay for falling asleep methods until they give them up granted they are not 8
Let her finish potty training first. Then try to move away from the pacifier. I dont think it is doing any harm, it is a comfort item.
My 23 month old twins, Miranda and Armani, still have pacifiers. Armani sucks her thumb but Miranda has a pacifier. We let them decide when they're done. My 6 year old son still uses them when he's sleeping. I had a friend when I was younger and she was 11 and still used a pacifier. Lol.
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