Getting Rid of the Paci - A Guest Post by Rusti
How could I not get along fabulously with our next guest blogger Rusti. She is the mom to a beautiful little girl and a fellow cop wife! You can pretty much always find us on Twitter keeping each other company while our husbands are out 'serving and protecting'. She has a great post for us today on how to break your child's pacifier habit. I should be reading this closely since Little M still gets hers at nap and bedtime {hangs head in shame} Make sure to leave her some love and check out her blog over at My Life as an Officer's Wife!
first, I'd like to say thanks to Mandy for letting me take over her blog for the day - I think she's a sweetie and an amazing mom, and I hope that someday she'll guest post for me someday :)
now, on to the post. :)
if there is one thing that people will give advice to new parents about it's the pacifier. guaranteed. they'll advise about whether or not to use one. what brand, style, size, shape, color even. when to use it. how long to use it. how to get rid of it.
as a first-time nursing mom I was concerned about using a paci because I'd been warned about "nipple confusion" yet our newborn did just fine with a Soothie in the hospital, and later Nuk pacis - and we successfully nursed for 13.5 months...
when we were nearing the 18 month stage I was getting a lot of pressure from outside sources to cut off the paci habit, but I figured that as she was only using it for naptime, bedtime, and in the car when she was tired, it wasn't a big deal, and assumed we'd have wiped the habit out by the time we hit birthday number 2...
I assumed wrong. Instead the paci attachment grew stronger... she started asking for it as soon as we got home from daycare, and while watching Dora on Saturday mornings, then as soon as we got in the car, everytime we got in the car. By the time we hit the 2.5 year mark, she wanted it all.the.time. and I was tired of hearing her whine for it all.the.time.
I was ready for it to be gone. I sought out the advice of others, asking for ideas, tips, suggestions, any and all words of wisdom on finally breaking the paci habit. I received several great ideas* and on one sunny Sunday afternoon my sister & I picked up some helium balloons, tied our toddlers' pacifiers to the curling ribbon attached to each, and waved goodbye as they floated up... up... and away...
I'm going to be completely honest here, and tell y'all that the very first night? sucked. hardcore. but the second night wasn't quite as bad, she still asked for it a few times, and took longer to fall asleep, but no meltdowns over it being gone. by the second morning she wasn't even asking for it anymore, except when she half-awoke in the middle of the night.
that sunny Sunday was three weeks ago, and while getting her to sleep at night still takes a little more rocking, a little more singing, and sometimes Momma laying down in her bed with her, she's only asked for her paci half a dozen times, and none of those times were accompanied by meltdowns. it might not work for everyone, but it worked for us.**
*you can find all the methods that were recommended to me here if you're interested in other tried-and-true experiences
** my sister claims the same results, rough first couple of nights, longer time getting her 2-year-old asleep, but all-in-all, successful pacifier weaning
first, I'd like to say thanks to Mandy for letting me take over her blog for the day - I think she's a sweetie and an amazing mom, and I hope that someday she'll guest post for me someday :)
now, on to the post. :)
if there is one thing that people will give advice to new parents about it's the pacifier. guaranteed. they'll advise about whether or not to use one. what brand, style, size, shape, color even. when to use it. how long to use it. how to get rid of it.
as a first-time nursing mom I was concerned about using a paci because I'd been warned about "nipple confusion" yet our newborn did just fine with a Soothie in the hospital, and later Nuk pacis - and we successfully nursed for 13.5 months...
when we were nearing the 18 month stage I was getting a lot of pressure from outside sources to cut off the paci habit, but I figured that as she was only using it for naptime, bedtime, and in the car when she was tired, it wasn't a big deal, and assumed we'd have wiped the habit out by the time we hit birthday number 2...
I assumed wrong. Instead the paci attachment grew stronger... she started asking for it as soon as we got home from daycare, and while watching Dora on Saturday mornings, then as soon as we got in the car, everytime we got in the car. By the time we hit the 2.5 year mark, she wanted it all.the.time. and I was tired of hearing her whine for it all.the.time.
I was ready for it to be gone. I sought out the advice of others, asking for ideas, tips, suggestions, any and all words of wisdom on finally breaking the paci habit. I received several great ideas* and on one sunny Sunday afternoon my sister & I picked up some helium balloons, tied our toddlers' pacifiers to the curling ribbon attached to each, and waved goodbye as they floated up... up... and away...
I'm going to be completely honest here, and tell y'all that the very first night? sucked. hardcore. but the second night wasn't quite as bad, she still asked for it a few times, and took longer to fall asleep, but no meltdowns over it being gone. by the second morning she wasn't even asking for it anymore, except when she half-awoke in the middle of the night.
that sunny Sunday was three weeks ago, and while getting her to sleep at night still takes a little more rocking, a little more singing, and sometimes Momma laying down in her bed with her, she's only asked for her paci half a dozen times, and none of those times were accompanied by meltdowns. it might not work for everyone, but it worked for us.**
*you can find all the methods that were recommended to me here if you're interested in other tried-and-true experiences
** my sister claims the same results, rough first couple of nights, longer time getting her 2-year-old asleep, but all-in-all, successful pacifier weaning
found your blog on 20SB moms and found this post very useful. my 11 month old daughter uses a paci too. at naptime, bedtime and even while playing sometimes. she does not like using a teether so she bites on her paci. I was also under the same impression as the writer. thanks for clearing it up. i will try and get rid of the habit sooner.
ReplyDeletebtw.. do stop by my blog too
http://diaperdreamz.blogspot.com/