Ditching the Pacifier: Phase 1

The Animal will be eleven months next week. At this point, he still uses a pacifier when he’s sleeping. That is, of course, if he hasn’t thrown it out of his in a temper tantrum before falling asleep. Miss Sassy Pants quit using a pacifier at three months when she cut her first teeth, so this pacifier dependency is new to me.

Many people tell me it’s perfectly normal for babies to use a pacifier. I know this. But something about it is grating on my nerves.

Last week, we took a twelve-hour car trip up north to visit my husband’s family and then to see Niagara Falls. Before we left, Aaron and I decided it would be fine if the Animal used one of his pacifiers at any time so that he would feel comfortable. Normally, the only way he had it outside of his crib was if he reached in and took one out himself (there are three).

He became attached to this thing while we were gone. Looking back, I think that’s the reason we had such a “happy baby” on this trip where we robbed him of naps and pushed him beyond what I think are “fair” limits.

For the three days after we arrived back home, I didn’t argue too much if the Animal wanted a pacifier. But, because he’d illustrated to us that he could endure no sleep and still function pretty well, I realized that it was really time to start weaning him off this sleep aid.

Yesterday, I did a test when I put him down for his nap. Normally, I would lay him down and put a pacifier in his mouth. This time, instead, I simply laid him down. The pacifiers were right there, so all he had to do was grab one and put it in his mouth. And he did. I walked out, and the nap was a success.

For his afternoon nap and bedtime, I did the same thing. Only this time, he gave a fuss. It was short-lived, but he did fuss a bit. I steeled myself against any feelings of guilt – in the long run, I think I’m doing him a favor.

Today, it was the same. Morning nap went without a hitch – in fact, I’m not sure he even put a pacifier in his mouth before I walked out.

His afternoon nap, on the other hand, was horribly short and took him almost thirty minutes to settle down.

So, this is Phase 1. I am going to continue this for a couple of weeks – let him get used to going to sleep without my assistance with the pacifier.

Then, I will remove all but one so that he doesn’t have so many opportunities to find one.

By the time he’s one (and that’s coming very quickly), I plan to have them out of his crib for good.

I’m curious what others think about this issue. I’m sure some will say that I’m being unfair – that a baby is only a baby one time. Others will agree with me. And still some will say that I shouldn’t have let him have any pacifiers at all.

Regardless, this is the situation we’re in, so we’re going with it. Wish me luck!