When we talk about weaning on our site, we’re usually referring to weaning baby from an all-milk diet and on to one containing solid foods!
But today we have a very useful guest post for you from mom Paula Dennholt, the editor and founder of Easy Baby Life (friendly link).
She looks at another weaning issue that affects many of us and often presents an enormous challenge… how to wean baby from the pacifier!
Over to Paula…
Pacifier weaning is much more a common issue for parents of toddlers than babies. But sometime weaning a baby off the pacifier is a really good idea.
When?
Well, I suspect if you’re still reading this article, you already have a clue…
But if you don’t, I’d say the most important reason is that the little darling continues to wake up again and again and again for his or her binky.
So just when you thought the pacifier would be a great relief (compared to being a human pacifier for example), it instead becomes an obstacle to a good night’s sleep. Or a long, refreshing nap.
For many babies this never really becomes a problem. They might need or want the pacifier to fall asleep, but doesn’t really need it to stay asleep. Or they learn quickly to pop it in themselves.
But in some cases, the pacifier becomes an hindrance, rather than a help to improve the baby’s sleep. This is when the infant decides (subconsciously) that he or she needs to be sucking on it all the time to stay asleep and go back to sleep after those brief waking moments that occur once every hour or one and a half.
Then, as a parent, to have to go to the crib, find the pacifier and pop it in, isn’t all that much better than having to feed that baby at night.
If this only happens say once per night, it is not such a big deal, but some babies really do start to wake up several times per night for their pacifier.
That’s when the thought comes – I don’t want my child to have the dummy any more, but how do I get rid of it?
Well, pacifier weaning for a baby can sometimes be a lot easier than for a toddler. Their memory is shorter and their protests are likely to subside faster.
There are basically two ways to do it; fast or slowly.
Pacifier Weaning In Just A Couple Of Days
OK, so if you are desperate or just simply want to get it done, then just take the pacifier away. Just like that.
I would recommend you do it on a Thursday or any other day that will give you and your partner a few days off from work to take care of your baby.
Depending on how dependent your baby is on the pacifier for sleep, the nights and days may be quite tough for a little while. Cuddle your sad little darling, and help him or her to learn new ways of falling asleep.
But don’t overdo it! You don’t want to exchange the pacifier for a car ride…
Most likely within a few days or a week, your baby will master his new skills of going to sleep and staying asleep without the dummy.
Pacifier Weaning Gently
If you don’t want to rush it for one reason or another, there are some tricks to teach your baby to stop using the pacifier in a more gentle way. (This technique can also be used to help your baby learn how to fall asleep without breastfeeding).
Here’s how:
When you put your baby to bed (or in your arms or wherever she goes to sleep), let her suckle for a while until she is almost asleep. But right before he or she falls asleep, release the pacifier. You can do it by gently inserting your finger into the corner of her mouth to get rid of the vacuum. Then press lightly on her cheek to keep her mouth shut. This may sound very weird, but it actually helps the baby to not root for the pacifier (or the nipple).
She will probably wake up when you do this, and NOT accept it the first few times. Give her the pacifier (or nipple) back and repeat the above process. Do this over and over again until she falls asleep without the pacifier (or nipple).
Then continue to do this every time she needs the pacifier (or nipple) for falling asleep.
Eventually, she will learn to fall asleep without suckling, which is a great step towards sleeping through the night. Also with this method, you have not substituted the suckling with something else (like being rocked).
The disadvantage is that it might take time and that it can be very hard at night to really motivate yourself to continue doing this. To be able to share the burden for a week or two would probably be of great help for you.
So fast or slowly is really up to you!
Or of course, you can wait until you “must” get rid of the pacifier when your baby is approaching his or her fourth birthday. Then, to avoid dental problems, the binky has to go!
About the author
These pacifier weaning tips are provided by Paula Dennholt, the founder of Easy Baby Life (friendly link). She is a passionate parent advisor helping new moms and moms-to-be with information and tips on all from pregnancy to all aspects of baby care.