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Ways to wean a baby off a pacifier
Method 1. Patience
To begin with, let’s decide at what age it is better to wean a child from a pacifier so as not to cause him strong feelings. By the way, most pediatricians and child psychologists also cannot give a clear answer to this question. So, for example, doctors believe that pacifiers, even the most modern orthodontic models, negatively affect the child’s developing bite and the development of speech, therefore, after 10 months, a pacifier is absolutely not needed, and it needs to be disposed of. Psychologists emphasize that sometimes a child can get so used to a dummy that if it is taken away from him by force, you can cause real psychological trauma, so it is important to let the child wean himself off the pacifier. What if this process drags on until 3-4 years old, and in the kindergarten, peers will laugh at a child with a pacifier in his mouth and make fun of educators?
So, it is better to gradually get rid of the pacifier in the following cases:
- if the child is already 1,5 years old,
- if the baby sucks it all day, practically without taking it out of the mouth,
- if the pacifier interferes with the child’s communication with other children,
- if the child has problems with hearing and speech.
Of course, it is better if parents are patient, and the pacifier will be gradually abandoned. To smooth out the negative moments, parents need to devote as much time as possible to the baby – walking with him, playing, drawing, reading books together, etc. As soon as the child remembers his nipple, you will need to quickly switch his attention, divert him to something interesting. If the child falls asleep with a pacifier, you need to immediately pull it out of the mouth and give it back if the child begins to demand it and act up. If your child is 6 months old or older, it is better to teach him to drink from a cup than from a bottle. It is also better to leave the pacifier at home for a walk (especially since most often it immediately falls to the ground and goes into the bag).
Method 2. The mysterious disappearance of the pacifier
This method is suitable for those parents who are used to solving all problems at once. In this case, the pacifier abruptly and forever disappears from the life of the child – it is “taken away by birds / kittens / butterflies for their children”, or the nipple is simply “lost once and for all”, or it is “given to very young children”. In some cases, parents simply cut off a small piece of the pacifier every day until it disappears for good. The most important thing is not to succumb later to the whims and tantrums of the baby and not to run to the store for a new pacifier, but to calmly explain that he himself said goodbye to the pacifier / gave it to him.
Method 3. Falling asleep without a pacifier
In general, psychologists and pediatricians note that if the baby needs the nipple most of all during falling asleep, and when he learns to fall asleep on his own, he will calmly do without a pacifier throughout the rest of the day. To teach your child to fall asleep without a pacifier, try to come up with new pleasant rituals for him before going to bed: stroke his head, read a fairy tale, sing a lullaby. Buy a new cuddly toy or new colorful pajamas. It is necessary to do everything so that the baby relaxes and feels calm. You can come up with a fairy tale that some kitten is crying now and can’t sleep without a pacifier, and invite the child to give him his own.
Method 4. For children who, even at 2-3 years old, do not want to part with the pacifier
It also happens that it’s time for the child to go to kindergarten, but he just can’t part with his pacifier. In this case, you can try to negotiate with the child – explain to him (most importantly, calmly and confidently) that he is already becoming an adult, that his friends already know how to fall asleep without a pacifier, and he should try the same. Tell him that a pacifier can ruin his beautiful milk teeth, and sometimes a trip to the dentist is required (most importantly, do not escalate and do not intimidate the child with painful procedures!). Remember that a child should not be ridiculed, and citing someone as an example, you should not praise him.
What not to do when weaning a child from a pacifier
The first and most important rule: do not shout or scold the child for the pacifier. The kid is unlikely to understand why the mother swears, and may be scared. Be gentle, affectionate and patient with your child to help you get through this stress-free period.
Do not try to smear the pacifier with bitter or unpleasant things – mustard, aloe juice, lemon juice, etc. Firstly, why torment the baby with unpleasant sensations, and secondly, imagine: one of the familiar and favorite things suddenly became alien and unfamiliar. This can cause stress and fear in the child. In addition, garlic or mustard can cause allergic swelling of the larynx.
There is no need to scare the baby with horror stories like: “But all the children who suck on the pacifier are dragged away by the “terrible babayka” (yes, such “educational methods” are found). Your goal is to wean the child from the pacifier, and not to develop in him obsessive fears and stressful conditions.
You can not shame the child and compare him with other children who have already been able to part with the pacifier. A dismissive tone and an attitude that the neighbor’s child is better, on the contrary, will greatly upset the child, and he will seek solace in a pacifier.
Do not give in to screams and tantrums. If you still took the pacifier, then in no case, under any circumstances, do not return it back. And warn the rest of the family about this so that the compassionate grandmother does not run to the pharmacy for a new pacifier for her beloved grandson. Do not give in, otherwise the child will feel your weakness and will manipulate you when weaning from the pacifier.
Useful tips from the pediatrician
Pediatrician Yulia Berezhanskaya:
The sucking reflex is vital for a baby. It was invented by nature so that the newborn had the opportunity to survive. In addition to the function – to feed, the sucking process calms the child, helps the nervous system to switch from excitation to inhibition. For this reason, a dummy appeared in the assistants of the newly-made mother.
In the form it is now, the dummy has existed for over 100 years. But the need for a child to suck was noticed a very long time ago. Ancient pacifiers were made of animal skin and bones, linen, sea sponge, ivory. With the deliberate use of a pacifier, it can become a good friend to the baby and a helper to the mother.
The need for additional sucking is most pronounced in the first months of life. You can use a pacifier without the risk of various problems for up to 6 months. Further, with regular use of the pacifier, the risk of addiction and reverent attitude to the nipple on the part of the child increases. In fact, the child no longer needs it, and after 6 months it is better to use less and less. In addition to the sucking reflex, the child can already calm down in another way – the mother’s voice, light motion sickness, stroking.
The older the child, the brighter the “addiction” becomes. A way to soothe and comfort. The sucking reflex in a child is the strongest. Normally, it fades after 1,5 years. But after a year, children are already consciously using a pacifier. Therefore, a pacifier after 12 months is the risk of a very “warm” relationship with a pacifier – when, under the child’s op, the whole family is frantically looking for the culprit, dad, like a sprinter, runs to the pharmacy for a new one.
If complementary foods are introduced correctly and on time, a child chews pieces well by the year and eats from a common table, then he has less need for sucking than a baby on “mashed potatoes”. All these moments can and should be monitored and regulated so as not to become a hostage of a pacifier.
If there is already a problem, the main thing is to understand that for a child this is a significant thing that helps his nervous system to calm down in only one way. He doesn’t know any other way. Removing a pacifier is a major stress for a child. Sometimes no one is ready for this. The mood of the mother and the support of loved ones are important so that at the last moment no one’s heart falters.
Sharp or smooth? Throw away? Cut? Give? Parents decide depending on age and situation. At such a moment, the child needs a calm, confident parent who will support, understand and reassure. The critical period is often the first night without a pacifier. A pacifier for a night’s sleep is often the strongest association. It is necessary to hold out precisely the first night, then it will be easier for everyone.