So How to Ditch the Paci?
This is Part 2 in a series ~ if you missed it, be sure to read my daughter's pacifier addiction in Part 1!
The picture above is evidence as to why I started thinking it was time to drop the pacifier from naptime, which would then basically eliminate it, except in emergencies. Lately it seems that if I give it to her when I want her to go to sleep, she gets real happy, and plays with it more than being lulled to sleep by her own sucking like before.
I noticed this about a month ago, when I drove to a friend's house a little over an hour away. I figured if I'd give Chiquita the paci in the car, she'd sleep the whole way there. Nope, just talked and played with it. I realized through observation that if she fell asleep in the car on her own without it, she tended to fall into a deeper sleep.
Since her nap has not been as long lately as it has been before, I started thinking maybe that observation would hold true during her nap, too. Maybe if she fell asleep without it at naptime, like she does at bedtime, she'd sleep better. Maybe she's accidently outgrowing her paci.
So I asked my friends on Twitter if they had any suggestions. Unfortunately for me, most of them applied to slightly older toddlers, but they were such great ideas, I wanted to reprint them here.
@SarahInMI
We used "The Pacifier Fairy" {click to read her story- I absolutely love this idea for an older kid!}. The first few days were rough, but it got better - we did it cold turkey. Rip it off like a bandaid!
@Fussypants Cut the tip so it collapses. {this is one I've considered doing if necessary!}
@motherofalltrip We used bribery. DS got to choose when to give it up, threw it in trash himself, and then got to pick out a new toy @ store.
@theinspiredroom We exchanged our kids pacifiers for something else fun. We made it a big deal..a big kid thing to do.
@OhanaMamaBlog
Paci weaning tips - we sent Cam's away to the babies of the world in the mail - when he was ready - he was a day shy of 3. {how sweet is this idea!?}
@crmk77
A friend of mine went to Build a Bear and stuffed the pacis in the bear. Now she has her binky bear to love instead!
@deew27
Zach's babysitter helped him throw it away in the trash. When he asked for it later we reminded him where he put it.
Another cute idea my sister-in-law did was to tell her son (around 3, I believe) that he needed to give all his pacifiers to a her friend who had just had a baby, that the baby needed them. He understood this and went for it! I love all these ideas that apply to toddlers old enough to understand. For those of us wanting to wean before they're that old though, it's a little tougher. Fussypants' idea about cutting the tip of the paci is one I had heard before and would work for a younger one.
I'd love to hear more suggestions, experiences, etc. in the comments!
And then stay tuned for Part 3 where I will finish by telling you how I decided to attempt the naptime weaning!
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