As your infant approaches toddlerhood, you may start contemplating weaning her off the pacifier. According to Parents Magazine, pediatric dentists recommend limiting pacifier use by the age of two and completely stop at the latest by the age of four to reduce the risk of dental problems. As the child becomes more accustomed to using a pacifier to soothe herself, you may find it more difficult to wean. There are several different approaches you can use to halt pacifier reliance.
Step 1
Give him some notice. Let the child know that in three days he will need to say good-bye to his pacifiers. Remind him a couple of times each day leading up to the set date.
Step 2
Keep the talks short and your tone matter of fact. Don't ask your child if she is OK with giving away the pacifiers. Tell her that you know she can stop using the pacifiers because she is now a big girl.
Step 3
Let the child know when the day comes to get rid of the pacifiers. Walk through the house and gather them up into a bag. According to Parents Magazine, you should leave the bag on the step and let the child know that the recycling truck will be picking it up to make them into new toys.
Step 4
Expect a tantrum. Stay firm even if the child protests the loss of the pacifier. Within a couple of days, he should be over it.
Tips and Warnings
- If the child is younger and does not understand the concept of giving up pacifier use, you may try to gradually get him used to no longer rely on it. Limit use to only bedtime for several days and then stop altogether. According to Dr. Shari Nethersole, writing for the Family Education website, you may have a few bad nights, but after that he should be fine without it.
