How to Get Rid of Pacifier
A lot of times, suckling becomes a habit that can only be taken care of with the help of a binky, which is great for babies when used in moderation. It helps to satisfy their suck reflex and encourages them to self-soothe.
However, parents are advised to stop their babies from using binkies when they turn two to four years old. This can be a challenge, which is why we have put up this well-researched piece on how to take away pacifier.
How to Take Away Pacifier
There is not one way to do this. You can adapt our suggestions below or come up with other creative ways.
- Cut off the tip
The idea of suckling on a binky can be discouraged when it does not bring the expected comfort anymore. A great way to do this is by cutting off the tip. This would change how it feels in the mouth and your little one would perceive it as strange and uninteresting. More often than not, they will not want to continue using it because it is “broken.”
- Just take it away
Sometimes, you just have to do the right thing and take it away from him. This would probably be a tough one for your baby (and even yourself), but tough love is never easy. He may cry and throw tantrums but he will eventually get over it and move on with his life.
- Encourage his imagination
Children are quite curious and can imagine a lot of things in the process. You can get creative by encouraging his imaginations to get rid of the binky. According to one parent, she keyed into her child’s curiosity about baby elves at the North Pole, and this helped her to get rid of the toy.
Her baby simply asked, “Are there baby elves in the north pole?” She answered, “Yes,” but it did not end there. The next morning, she crafted a nice and unique note claiming it was from the elves in the far away north. In the north, the elves asked him to donate all of his binkies to the North Pole because there was a shortage there and the baby elves would not stop crying because of that. She did that, and that was it!
When to Get Rid of Pacifier
If you want to wean your baby of his binky at an early stage, then 6 to 9 months would be a good time to do that. This is because they have not yet developed an attachment to it. The next feasible time to do that would be within the ages of 2 to 4 years when their mind is more developed and capable of following through with discipline and losses.
Conclusion
The best tip on how to get rid of pacifier is not to give up. If you try a few times and it is not working, you just have to keep trying until something works, even if you have to be tough.