How To Wean Your Baby And Reduce The Habit Of Using A Pacifier
Pacifiers are perfect for soothing a baby. After you have tried everything to stop your baby from crying, a pacifier is usually the safest best at calming your baby down. You can try breastfeeding, walking her in the stroller, rocking her, and even singing, but when nothing works, a pacifier can be your lifesaver. A pacifier is your baby’s first love, and kicking the habit can be very difficult.
Once your baby turns 2, you should really start limiting the use of the pacifier. By age 4, your baby should altogether avoid the pacifier as it can cause dental issues. It takes as little as three days to get your baby off a pacifier.
How to wean your child off a pacifier?
On the first day, you should sensitize your baby that you are about to do away with the pacifier. You can encourage her by telling her that you want her to do other things that make her older. It is also good to encourage her that she can do it, and you believe that she can.
Don’t make it sound like you are asking for permission. Your child may respond and express her feelings, and when she does, reassure her that she doesn’t need to be anxious about anything. Lastly, tell her that in three days, you will be taking the pacifier away. This talk should last just about 30 seconds.
On the second day, repeat the 30-second conversation in the morning and at bedtime. Now it is no longer it is not just in three days but the following day. Remember that you are not selling an idea to her. You are just informing her of what will happen. Your tone should reflect that it is a done deal.
On the third day, remind your child that it is time to say goodbye to the pacifier. Gather all the pacifiers together and put them in a plastic bag. While you should be empathetic, don’t forget to be firm about your decision. In a matter of 48 hours, your baby will already have forgotten about the pacifiers.
There is another way of doing away with the pacifier. This is the gradual approach method. In this method, you start by removing the pacifier during less stressful situations like when she is playing or happy. In such situations, you don’t need to explain. The next step is to tell your child that the pacifier remains in the crib and convincing your child to make the final break. One way you can help your child adapt to a pacifier being gone is to tell her a story about where all the pacifiers go. You can say that Santa collects all the pacifiers to make toys for Christmas.
Weaning your baby off her pacifier is not going to be easy. Brace yourself for long nights of hysterical crying, which may frustrate you to give in. No matter how bad the crying gets, don’t give in. When you do so, you will only be solidifying that crying can get her the pacifier and whatever else she wants.
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