A sad pacifier story (kind of long -- sorry!)

About 6 months ago (or more!) I decided it was high time that we got rid of the pacifiers. DS actually started it since he began to chew holes in the pacifiers. So, I cut holes in the ones that hadn't been chewed on yet. DD has never been too attached to her pacifier and with her it was pretty easy. One night of asking for them and then no more when she discovered the pacifiers all had holes anyway. DS was another matter. He was and is a serious pacifier addict. DS liked to have 2 or 3 when he went to bed at night -- one for his mouth and preferably one in each hand. He'd then roll the ones in his hands on his face. Also, DS would have one in his mouth all day if I'd let him. After the "cutting", DS complained a lot about the hole-y pacifiers but I told him that's all we had and he slowly adjusted to not having a pacifier. DS was still putting the cut up ones in his mouth and so I slowly started cutting them down a little more at a time until they were just little nubbies.

So far so good but then one day DS discovered a bag of pacifiers in my bedroom. Both kids always LOVED the soothie style of pacifier and really disliked the "regular" kind. This bag was the "regular" kind. Since DS never liked that kind of pacifier I let him have them thinking it wouldn't matter. Well, he adjusted quickly to the used-to-be-hated style of pacifier now that the favorites were no more. And in no time DS was a serious pacifier addict again. Over the course of the last 6 months it just never seemed to be a good time to get rid of the pacifiers again. There was always something -- a trip coming up, DH was going to be out of town, etc. No good excuse but I just couldn't face it. Finally about a week ago I decided I had had it. I cut slits in all the pacifiers -- and this time I mean all! It has definitely been a tougher transition the second time around. DS has had a really tough time sleeping. It is partly that he is fighting a bad cold but also because he has trouble sleeping without the pacifier. I am really glad I finally did it again though. I hate seeing big kids with a pacifier and we are definitely getting to be big kids.

So the moral is cut them all up, cut up any new ones that appear, and if you think you might give in just throw them away!

 

Thank goodness I'm not the only one! I feel so guilty like I was going to harm them emotionally. I mean, you wouldn't cut off a thumb it they sucked a thumb right?? okay, then my dentist made me feel worse,...........so I'm right there with you . Let's hang in there. I keep praying this will pass quickly.

 

As long as you are consistent and stick to your guns ... it will be over before you know it!

Good luck!

 

YOU CAN DO IT!!! Hang in there!! Thanks for sharing this lesson for everyone struggling with this!! :hug99:

 

Oh no! I would have hated to do it twice! I'm glad it's almost over for you!

 

I combed the house for binkies when we did it, I was afraid something like that would happen. Sorry you had to go through it twice.

 

Our best friends have a little boy a year younger than my two that they still called a baby....so we had my two take their pacifiers to the baby because they were big boy/girl now and then we took them to Toys R Us to pick out a toy for being such big boy/girl...it worked like a charm...we did this just after two years old and barley even had one rough night...and my two were pacifier junkies!!!! That might work better for you...you could even have them give them to Santa for all the other babies...