How To Get Rid Of the Pacifier: 4 Steps To Success

SOME babies will use a pacifier for months regularly and then not ever miss it.

MOST babies are NOT like that and it takes some time and going in with a strategy to make the pacifier disappear and stay gone. ❤

Pediatricians vary on the best time to phase out the pacifier and every baby and family is different with how long they choose to use it. Talk to your doctor about their recommendations of when to stop using a pacifier.

I’m here to offer an easy step by step guide how to kiss the pacifier goodbye when ready.

1. Start cutting use out during the day while baby is awake.
2. Start cutting use out at nap time.
3. Start cutting use out at night. 
4. Be consistent (if possible) with bedtime routine – bath/pajamas, book, sip of water or snack, brushing teeth etc. Once a good routine is established, it makes it easy to have a new “last thing” before sleeping 🙂 

Also, determine how flexible/strict you are going to be and how attached the babe is. As you can see from the picture above, our baby LOVED his pacifiers. We phased out the pacifier before our son was 13 month old over about a 2 week course going step by step every few days with the 4 steps listed above and it went smooth. He had pretty much just been using it for naps and at bedtime most days by the time he was 1 year old. For you, it could be a slow process over a few days, weeks, or months or possibly there is a desired deadline(before age 18 months or 2 yrs or 3 yrs or a designated cut off that you’ve been aiming for). It may instead be a simple and quick change to use the four steps above and within a few days or weeks the pacifier has left the building.

Pacifier use has research that supports use to decrease risk of SIDS, help baby self soothe, ease discomfort, and satisfy the innate suck reflex. (article here)  There is also research that recommends to start to wean baby from pacifier use after 6 months to reduce the evidence of otitis media (ear infections) and dental issues. (article here) Some pediatricians recommend weaning use by the child’s first or second birthday. Again talk to your doctor for their recommendation.

What worked for you when you phased the pacifier out or is this a current struggle for any of you guys?

Would love to hear from you!

<3, Hope

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Been searching for a good sippy cup for the baby? –> Best Sippy Cups: Organized Review