How to wean a child off a pacifier if. Weaning a child off a pacifier (pacifier): tips and recommendations. Smooth pacifier cessation

Wean off the pacifier- a responsible period for parents. In order to properly cope with the problem and not cause severe stress to the child, let's look at its essence - what a pacifier means for a newborn, how and why dependence on it occurs.

Pacifier for newborn- the main calming item. After all, sucking is a natural reflex for a baby, which manifests itself even before birth. The baby sucks its thumb while in the womb, thus preparing and training the entire digestive system for eating after birth. Sucking is a process that calms the baby, takes his time and even allows him to learn about a new world for him. This is a familiar and sometimes the only way a child knows to cope with the stress of the world around him. Thanks to its calming properties, a pacifier allows the baby to quickly distract from some irritant, feel a certain security, calm down and fall asleep faster. This is why babies more often require a pacifier in the evenings and when they are tired. A baby's pacifier is associated with pleasant reassurance, so dependence on it develops very quickly and firmly.

How to wean a child off a pacifier

How to wean a child off a pacifier, no one will give you specific 100% instructions. Each mother finds her own way out of this situation, knowing the habits and character of her baby, she herself decides how when to wean off the pacifier. Most children are ready to wean off a pacifier at about 1.5-2 years of age. But some can be easily weaned as early as 1 year, while others stubbornly refuse to give up the pacifier even at 3 years. As a rule, parents themselves feel whether the child is ready to give up this habit. After listening to the advice of experienced mothers, you can make a list of recommendations, but it’s up to you to decide. The main thing is not to harm the child’s psyche.

We have identified two methods of weaning a child from sucking a pacifier that our parents use - abrupt and gradual.

Gradual method of weaning off the pacifier:
It is less traumatic for the baby and can be used at any age. It is advisable to start at 6-9 months. Still, don't expect it to be easy. But we all know that raising children in general is not easy.

Don't give your baby a pacifier every time he cries. Offer other ways to calm him down: feed him, rock him, cuddle him, distract him with play. Don't allow your baby to suck on a pacifier unnecessarily, and try to only give a pacifier when your baby really feels uncomfortable and needs reassurance. As soon as you see that the child has calmed down, is distracted or has fallen asleep, quietly take out the pacifier - he won’t even notice it. Do this as often as possible, remove the pacifier at the first opportunity, and the time spent without “her dear one” will increase. The baby will gradually get used to it and will begin to lose interest in the pacifier during active pastimes.

Abrupt weaning from the pacifier:
This method is suitable only for older children who are already beginning to consciously control their actions and actions.

Although doctors advise completely weaning a child off the pacifier at the age of 6-9 months, this does not work with most children. And many children feel the strength to give up the pacifier on their own only at the age of approximately 1.5 to 3 years.

Here are some tips on how to wean a child aged 1.5-3 years from a pacifier:

Gradually begin to limit the use of the pacifier: do not take it with you outside, do not allow sucking while bathing and playing, while watching cartoons, give the pacifier only before bed, etc.

Plan a goodbye. You can imagine this in a playful manner. For example, tell your child that in a few days or a week the night fairy will come, take the pacifier, and in return leave the baby a gift. This way, the baby will get used to the idea that he will soon have to say goodbye to the pacifier, but he will have time to get used to this idea, and the consolation of a gift.

You should not scold your baby for sucking a pacifier, but be sure to praise him when he does not suck for a long time; in general, during weaning, try not to scold or punish the child.

Try to start weaning off the pacifier at a time when there are no plans to introduce other changes in his life, for example, potty training, entering kindergarten, moving to the country, etc.

Be consistent and persistent in your actions. If you have already decided to wean your child off the pacifier, then wean him and do not cut yourself or him any slack. Of course, there will be whims, and perhaps hysterics, and sleepless nights. As much as you may feel like giving up at times, be patient and persistent. The more consistently you follow the rules, the faster your child will get used to doing without a pacifier.

Since an older child usually asks for a pacifier when he is upset, tired or bored, try to prevent these conditions as much as possible. Give your baby the comfort he needs when he wants a pacifier. For example, do not immediately leave his crib after putting him to bed, but read a book to him, give him his favorite toy, or just hold his hand.

Don't let your child get bored. Try to occupy all your baby’s free time with games, reading, drawing, so that the child forgets about the pacifier. Go for walks, invite friends to visit your baby. When a child asks for a pacifier, try to distract his attention with some kind of substitute for his mouth: give him an apple or something else “long-lasting” to chew, drink juice or milk from a straw, play musical instruments (pipe, whistle), blow soap bubbles or sing sing a song together, tell a rhyme in chorus.

Puncture a small hole in the pacifier or cut off the tip, the baby will no longer be so comfortable sucking on it, and you will have a reason to convince him that the pacifier is “broken.”

But this does not mean that one method excludes the other. If you gradually wean your child off the pacifier for six months and there is no result, then abrupt weaning will be easier.

Harm from pacifiers

It is believed that prolonged pacifier sucking can lead to malocclusion and crooked teeth. In fact, only a very small number of babies develop bite problems, and permanent teeth, which begin to grow after six years, are not affected by the pacifier at all. Sucking both a pacifier and a finger is equally harmful to the bite, but it is easier to wean a child off a pacifier than from thumb sucking.

One of the factors that determines the possible occurrence of problems in the oral cavity is the intensity of sucking on a pacifier or finger. Children who simply hold a finger or pacifier in their mouth are less likely to have a malocclusion than children who literally suck hard and for a long time on a pacifier or finger. When you remove a pacifier from a heavily sucking baby's mouth, you will often hear a distinct sound similar to a cork being pulled from a bottle. Such children may develop curvature. In this case, you should consult your dentist and try to stop using the pacifier as quickly as possible.

If you use a pacifier, never dip it in honey or syrup. Not only is this harmful to the teeth, this custom also strengthens the child’s attachment to the pacifier.

Emergency cases when you need to wean your child from sucking a pacifier as quickly as possible:

* If your baby sucks on a pacifier all day or most of the time.
*If pacifier sucking interferes with his development of social and communication skills.
* If the child has any speech or hearing problems.
*If the child is over 3 years old.

Since ancient times, many parents have used pacifiers to soothe their babies. They have become so firmly established in the everyday life of babies that many people often associate babies with the presence of pacifiers in their mouths.

Whether or not to use a pacifier for your baby is a decision made by parents; there are arguments both in favor of pacifiers and against them.

But if you are a pacifier addict, sooner or later you will be faced with the question of how to wean your child off the pacifier.

Many children easily part with this item, and for many, losing a pacifier even for an hour can result in prolonged hysteria, and then it will not be easy to wean the child off the pacifier.

Is it necessary to wean a child off a pacifier?

Naturally, a child will not suck a pacifier his entire life; not a single adult walks the streets with pacifiers. This means that sooner or later the child himself will refuse to use the pacifier.

But until this time, it can lead to bite problems and psychological difficulties, and it will be no easier to wean a three-year-old child from a pacifier than a one-year-old, and they will also point the finger.

Often parents want to quickly and radically wean their baby off pacifiers. Dangerous physical and psychologically prohibited techniques are used, which can lead to health problems.

dip the pacifier in mustard or pepper, hot sauces. This can cause burns to the mucous membranes of the mouth, esophagus and stomach, leading to poisoning
tear or cut the pacifier. When sucking on such a damaged pacifier, a child may swallow or inhale pieces of it, he may choke and even die
yell at the child for using a pacifier, spank and scold him
tease the child, call him ugly names, shame the child (“oh, look how big the boy is and keeps sucking on the pacifier, wow, what a shame”).
You shouldn't deceive your child. This will undermine the child’s trust in you and make parenting more difficult.
scare the child with old women, Baba Yaga and other scary characters. Weaning from a pacifier is stressful for a child, and coupled with fear can lead to severe and deep neuroses.

Why wean off the pacifier?

The process of sucking for a child is one of the key reflexes inherent in nature, which is formed in the womb.

Through sucking, the child not only receives food, but also calms down, falls asleep, relieves stress, and copes with pain in the tummy and mouth.

Sucking is also a kind of psychological protection from experiences, a way of relaxation and receiving protection from the outside world.

Therefore, up to a certain point, sucking a pacifier for a child is a kind of habitual and constant way of calming and relaxing, from which a strong dependence can form if there is a lack of attention from parents.

If, during the period of weaning from the pacifier, you give the child maximum attention and switch in his mind the way of falling asleep and calming down to another, you can quickly refuse the pacifier.

Usually, artificial babies depend more on pacifiers; in infants, their replacement can be the mother's breast and communication and sleep with it.

When should you wean your child off a pacifier?

Children in the vast majority of cases wean off pacifiers at the age of one or two years, which is considered quite late for weaning.

According to psychologists, a child needs a pacifier during the period of the most pronounced sucking reflex, approximately the first six months of life.

Therefore, it is recommended to gradually wean the child from the pacifier in the period from 6 months to 12 months, during the period of gradual fading of the sucking reflex.

It’s just important not to miss the moment when the baby is psychologically and physiologically ready to give up the pacifier, when he can get along just fine for some relatively long time without it.

Do not delay this process for too long and carefully monitor your baby.

It is impossible to indicate the exact age for giving up a pacifier; for all children this is strictly individual.

Try to go without using a pacifier for one day with your baby, starting from the age of six months - you will understand that a pacifier is mostly needed by parents, and not by children at this age.

Gradually teach your child to drink from a cup, give food from plates with spoons, this will gradually wean the child off the bottle nipple.

The sooner a child weans the habit of a bottle, the sooner he will wean himself of a pacifier.

It is worth distracting the child from the pacifier, developing his gross and fine motor skills, giving him various toys and rodents to play with. Do not remind about the pacifier yourself and do not give it to the child until he persistently asks for it.

Try to wean off it smoothly, taking longer and longer intervals between its use.

What to do during the period of weaning from the pacifier? Children at this age often cry, but this is not at all a signal for you to immediately give your child the treasured pacifier to calm him down.

Instead, try to distract the child with a game, sing a song or read a book, tell a fairy tale, feed the baby or rock him in your arms.

It is necessary to create a new ritual of calming the child, without the presence of a pacifier, which over time will crowd it out of the child’s life.

The pacifier should be left only for a very last resort, when the child is completely uncomfortable and difficult without it. At the same time, as soon as the baby calms down or falls asleep, you should remove the pacifier from him.

It should not be in the child’s field of vision; try to spend as much time as possible without it.

Stop taking it with you on walks, don’t give it while watching cartoons or doing activities with your baby, try to leave it only before bed, or even go to bed without it if possible.

For older children, explain that the pacifier is broken and you don’t have another one, cut the pacifier and give it to the child in this form. He may quickly lose interest in a damaged and uncomfortable pacifier.

You can also talk about little animals in the forest who really need a baby's pacifier. Often children willingly agree to give their pacifier to poor animals.

Try replacing falling asleep with a pacifier with a toy (doll, teddy bear, or any other favorite). Initially, you can fall asleep with a pacifier and a toy, gradually removing the pacifier.

Praise your child more often for being so mature and independent and doing without a pacifier.

A small child is not only the all-encompassing joy and boundless happiness of parents, but also a lot of worries and troubles that take up almost all their free time. Feed, put to bed, take a walk, entertain, console - your head is spinning! Therefore, often, in order for the baby to give parents the opportunity to rest a little, they choose an ordinary pacifier, popularly called a pacifier, as an “ally”.

Days and months go by, the child happily puts the pacifier in his mouth day and night, throwing tantrums about its absence, and the mother finally understands: the time has come to wean the child off the pacifier. But how can this be done if the baby actively protests against such a “bad” proposal? Of course, he spent days and nights with her, and now they want to deprive him of such a sweet and pleasant-tasting friend.

And here the real war begins! The mother scolds the child, trying to wean the child off the pacifier, and tells him scary tales: they say, if he doesn’t stop doing this, his teeth will grow as sparse as a fence, and the terrible Barmaley will bite him on the nose. But the child “listens and eats,” or rather, sucks, and is not going to end his friendship with the pacifier.

Moreover, he not only hides it under the pillow and in the stroller, but also “steals” the pacifier in the yard from other kids. Seeing this, mothers clutch their heads, but still can’t do anything!

So when should you wean your child off the pacifier so that such problems do not arise? How to do this correctly? What mistakes should not be made during the weaning process, and what tricks, on the contrary, can help mothers on this difficult path? About this and much more in our article today.

Why does pacifier addiction occur?

First, let's figure out why a child becomes so attached to a simple pacifier. The fact is that the sucking reflex is one of the main reflexes of a newborn, which is checked by pediatricians immediately after the baby is born. After all, it is in the sucking reflex that the baby’s further ability to develop correctly and even eat well and with appetite lies!

Most babies satisfy it when they are attached to the breast, and therefore calmly do without a pacifier. But other children cannot control the reflex and begin to behave restlessly, putting into their mouths everything that comes to hand: the edge of a blanket, a toy, and even their own finger, thereby increasing the risk of contracting some nasty infection.

Which babies are the most difficult to wean off the pacifier?

It’s impossible not to mention that category of children whose weaning from pacifiers is not only difficult, but simply impossible! Let's look at them in detail.

"Underfed"

"Flukes"

Let's say right away that there are few such children - somewhere around 2-3%. Their peculiarity is that they taste the world: they put a rattle in their mouth, or a bear’s paw, or a piece of paper. This is not a whim, but a natural need that they satisfy.

"Survivors of Trauma"

After a long illness, the baby may become very attached to the nipple. In difficult times, she calmed him down, so after solving the “problems” she remains a loyal friend to him.

Is a pacifier harmful to a baby?

Some mothers are afraid that a baby who does not part with a pacifier will face speech problems in the future, as he will pronounce letters incorrectly. Also, many of them assume that the child’s teeth will grow crooked and ugly because of this.

What do doctors say about this?

They do not confirm the original theory, but they warn parents about something else: a child accustomed to a pacifier is not very interested in what is happening around him, and therefore can grow up to be a rather reserved person.

Doctors also say that a simple and harmless-looking pacifier can seriously ruin a baby’s bite. Therefore, the mother should wean the child not only from the pacifier, but also from the desire to push his fingers into his mouth and suck them (and this is sometimes much more difficult than fighting the pacifier).

When should weaning start?

As a rule, many children stop sucking a pacifier on their own when they are one or two years old. However, you shouldn’t be happy about this, because it is necessary to wean your baby off the pacifier much earlier: from 3 months to a year.

Moreover, most children are completely ready to part with the pacifier from 3 to 6 months of life, only mothers do not notice this. And, most importantly: during this period, weaning from the pacifier is less traumatic for the child.

Therefore, if you notice that the child has ceased to be actively interested in the pacifier, switching his attention to something more entertaining, but not harmful to his health, support his “decision” and hide the pacifier away.

Four methods of giving up pacifiers

Today, there are several effective ways to wean a child off a pacifier.

Smooth withdrawal: for children up to 1-1.5 years old

Smooth withdrawal involves getting rid of the pacifier over a few weeks.

According to this method, it is necessary:

do not take the pacifier with you outside;
hide the pacifier away during the day;
teach your child to drink from his favorite cup;
keep your child busy with exciting games;
put a favorite toy in the child’s bed so that he feels protected;
You should not leave the room until the baby falls asleep.

After some time, after taking the above measures, the baby will forget about his not so long ago beloved “friend.”

Abrupt refusal: for children aged 1.5 years and older

Abrupt refusal is a way to get rid of the pacifier for babies who already understand their parents well.

For it to work, you must select one of the following options:

solemnly present the pacifier to the newborn baby. Since your child already realizes that he has become an “adult,” it will not be difficult for him to give a girlfriend to a baby who needs her more;
send the pacifier on a long voyage: a small fish or a little gray bunny needs it so much! After all, only a pacifier can protect them from Barmaley in the dark forest;
Throw the pacifier out the window or trash. True, this option is not suitable for all children, but only for the calmest and most flexible ones.

After saying goodbye to the pacifier, you need to give your child something very good, and be sure to note that only independent children play with such valuable toys.

Cancellation within a week - is it possible?

Some mothers share their stories on forums about how to wean their child off a pacifier in just a week.

We cannot help but tell you about this method. However, only practice will show how effective and applicable it is for you.

Action plan:

Give your child a pacifier for 5 days, 2 times less than usual (not for 30 minutes, but for 15, not for an hour, but for half an hour).
For the next 2-3 days, offer the pacifier only at night. In this case, it is better to give it for a few minutes, and then replace it with breasts.

At the same time, do not “push” a pacifier into the child’s mouth just like that, but only when he really needs it.

STOPPI for children from two years old

Modern medicine has come up with another effective way of weaning off the pacifier, which is simply called “STOPPI”. This is a special orthodontic plate that must be given to the child instead of a pacifier.

Manufacturers claim that just a few weeks of using this plate can wean your baby off the pacifier forever (the use of “traditional” pacifiers during this period is not allowed).

A small disadvantage of “Stoppie” is that it can only be purchased in pharmacies, and it is only suitable for older children (2 years of age or older).

All children are different, and therefore there is no single recipe for weaning a child from a pacifier. However, thanks to the observation of mothers and the experience of doctors, this is much easier to do today than 50 years ago.

So, general advice on this matter would be:

Don't force a pacifier if you don't need it

If your child feels wonderful without a pacifier from the first days of life, does not put his finger in his mouth and falls asleep well, you should not impose it on your baby at all.

Communication is the mother of unlearning

If you communicate with your baby throughout the day, demonstrating the beauty of the world around you and its features, he simply will not have time left for friendship with the pacifier.

Drinking is not harmful to health

If you teach your baby to drink from a mug around six months, he will quickly master the swallowing reflex and lose the need for bottles and pacifiers.

Bedtime story - problem solving

If you tell your child fairy tales before bed, then by the age of one year the pacifier can be replaced with a whole series of exciting stories.

Daytime games are so much fun!

If a child plays with blocks and pyramids throughout the day, he will not be distracted by simple sucking.

Out of sight, out of mind

If you yourself do not persistently offer the pacifier to your child and begin to remind him of its existence, he may well forget about it in a couple of days.

What should you not do during the weaning process?

Some mothers make a lot of unforgivable mistakes on the way to getting rid of the pacifier. So, what should you not do during the weaning process?

Damage the pacifier

Under no circumstances should the pacifier be cut. Imagine what will happen if the baby takes a bite from this “chamomile”? It will either get into his stomach or cause a spasm in his throat.

Lubricate it with food preparations

Do not put mustard on the pacifier. Not every adult can withstand this “muck” in their mouth, let alone a small child! Plus, it’s not entirely safe, since mustard causes swelling and spasms in the throat in children.

Also, under no circumstances should you put syrup on your pacifier, since sweets not only damage your teeth, but are also highly addictive.

Yell at a child

Under no circumstances should you yell at your baby if he insists on asking for a pacifier. The child does not understand why his mother is so angry with him and begins to be even more mischievous.

Start weaning while sick

Finally, do not deprive your baby or begin the weaning process of a pacifier when he is sick or teething.

What to do in case of a “relapse”?

When you get rid of the pacifier, be prepared for the fact that the child may be naughty for several days and miss his “girlfriend” again. Perhaps he will even wake up at night and demand that she be returned “to her homeland.”

If the whims continue for a very long time (more than 10 days), and you notice that the baby’s psychological state is becoming restless, just buy the child a new pacifier and after a while repeat the “weaning” procedure.

Don’t be afraid that your child will live with a pacifier until retirement: almost all children by the age of 3 completely forget about the pacifier.

In what cases is emergency pacifier withdrawal necessary?

Excessive attachment to the pacifier

Sometimes it happens that a fairly adult baby does not let go of the pacifier from his mouth: day and night he chews on it and screams loudly if he suddenly loses the pacifier somewhere. In this case, an emergency response is necessary: you should not wait for the “suitable” period, it is better to start weaning right now.

So, how to act if time is lost, but something still needs to be done?

Explain the situation

Tell your child what harm the pacifier does to him: it spoils his teeth, interferes with talking, makes him drool... Anything, just so that the baby understands you! Just don’t scold him or laugh at him by pointing your finger at the child.

"Lose" the pacifier

Hide the pacifier. Yes, it’s as simple as that – put it out of sight and that’s it. Go visit your grandmother and leave her at home. Won't the baby run after her through forests and fields?

“Spoil” the pacifier

Cut off most of the nipple (just don't cut it all!). The baby, having taken the “Lala” in his mouth, will spit out the pacifier in bewilderment: why did it become so full of holes? If the child asks about what happened, explain: a big bear came from the forest, wanted to try the pacifier, but accidentally bit it off.

Hearing or speech defects

Also, you should not wait for the moment when the baby solemnly puts the pacifier in your hand and refuses it if he has problems with hearing or speech.

It is better to solve the problem once and for all, enduring a river of tears and a week of sleepless nights, than to later reap the fruits of your “compassionate” maternal labor.

Summing up

Weaning your baby off the pacifier is that easy. Some 1-year-old children easily find new interests and forget about the pacifier after a week or two, while others are still looking for a pacifier months later, throwing regular tantrums at their parents.

Therefore, the age at which you will wean your child off the pacifier is individual not only for each baby, but also for each family. Even cultural values and traditions play a big role in this: if in Italy a four-year-old child with a pacifier in his mouth will not surprise anyone, here in Russia they will look askance at his mother.

However, when thinking about how to wean your child off a pacifier, you must remember: you should not rely on the advice of neighbors and relatives in this matter. It’s better to do everything so carefully and correctly that the baby will give up the pacifier on his own and feel just amazing!

A pacifier is one of the essential attributes associated with a baby. Of course, not all babies suck on a pacifier, but many do. It helps satisfy the natural sucking needs of a child of this age and soothes him.

But the baby has grown up. It's time to get rid of the pacifier. When and how to wean a child from sucking a pacifier, parents will have to decide on their own. Because there is no consensus on this matter.

Opinions about the dangers and benefits of such an attribute as a pacifier vary greatly. Parents must decide for themselves whether they will teach their child to use this item. To make the right decision, you need to study all the arguments for and against a pacifier. Using a pacifier provides the following benefits:

In principle, it has not been proven that a pacifier can cause any harm to the baby’s health. However, its use also has disadvantages:

When to wean

When and how to wean a child from sucking a pacifier should be decided by the parents themselves. In many Western countries and the United States this question does not arise at all. People are more accepting of this habit. In any case, the child will sooner or later give up this habit. The harm from it still has not been proven.

However, domestic experts pay more attention to this habit. Many people believe that it is best to stop sucking pacifiers after 6 months to a year. They substantiate their opinion by the fact that using a pacifier is inappropriate after the sucking reflex has faded.

The child constantly sucks on a pacifier;
The baby prefers the pacifier to playing and communicating with other children;
The child has a speech delay;
The baby has already sufficiently mastered the use of utensils: a plate, spoon, cup, sucking fades into the background, new interests appear;
After three years, a child continues to suck a pacifier.

These moments should prompt parents to think about weaning their baby off the pacifier.

In what cases is an emergency refusal necessary?

It happens that a fairly mature child of 3-4 years old constantly walks with a pacifier in his mouth. He cannot live without her, day or night. If he loses his pacifier, he screams and demands it again. This situation is very unpleasant for adults and can have a negative impact on the development of the child. It is urgent to wean your child from a bad habit.

Effective ways

There are quite a few ways to wean a child from sucking a pacifier. It is important to choose a method that is right for your child, without causing him psychological trauma.

Explain to the baby that he is already big, he doesn't need a pacifier.
You can “lose” a pacifier.

There have been cases where parents actually lost their child's favorite pacifier. The baby, being capricious, gradually forgot about her;

Offer to give a pacifier to someone else, for example, to a familiar baby.

You can exchange it for a toy or candy;

Write a fairy tale that the pacifier was taken by a cat, dog, etc.

Say that she chewed or ate it;

Gradually every day cut off a small piece from the pacifier until it runs out;
Any advice? smear something tasteless on the pacifier, but it is not advisable to use them;
Some parents simply stop giving the pacifier, despite all the whims of the child.

This method can psychologically traumatize the baby. It’s better to try to explain your behavior to him, to somehow distract him from his worries.

Why do kids get so used to it?

Experts explain the issue of children getting used to a pacifier by the fact that it not only reminds them of their mother’s breast, but also gives them a feeling of peace and security.

When babies suck, pain is reduced as endogenous painkillers are produced. In premature babies, using a pacifier helps develop sucking, swallowing, and breathing reflexes.
Getting used to feeling peace and satiety when sucking from infancy, it is difficult for a child to give up the pacifier at an older age. This is especially pronounced if the baby lacks the attention and care of his parents.

Very often, the pacifier serves as a distraction for parents so that they themselves do not have to strain to calm and entertain the child.

Coming to bed. Problems falling asleep

Very often, when weaning a child off a pacifier, difficulties arise precisely when putting him to bed. The baby is used to falling asleep with a pacifier and cannot fall asleep without it. Whims and hysterics begin. In such a situation, the physical fatigue of the baby will help a lot. Walk with him longer, play outdoor games, before going to bed at night, you can take a long bath in cool water so that the child spends as much energy as possible. Before going to bed, you need to feed him well, then the baby will fall asleep faster and sleep longer. It is worth being patient and overcoming this small difficulty.

Cancellation up to 1 year

For a baby under one year old, it is better to wean off the pacifier smoothly. You should give the pacifier less and less throughout the day. It is good to feed before bed so that you can sleep longer, especially at night. Distract the baby with games, stories, new impressions. Gradually the need for pacifiers will disappear.

At night after long water procedures, you can give your child a relaxing massage. When going to bed, read a fairy tale, sing a song, develop your own special ritual. Then the one-year-old baby will learn to fall asleep without a pacifier.

We wean at the age of 2 years

Weaning a child off a pacifier at 1.5 or 2 years is in some ways even easier. He already understands a lot. Explain that he is already big, knows and can do a lot, and doesn’t need a pacifier. Convince to give a pacifier to another baby. You can buy a toy instead. According to parents, during this period, refusal is the most painless for the baby.

Children at this age are very caring, so it is quite possible to tell a story about how another baby, brother, sister, or, in extreme cases, a kitten or other animal needs a pacifier. But if a two-year-old baby doesn’t want to give him the pacifier, don’t call him “greedy” or scold him.

Try another method a little later. Some children are very jealous of their things, and their right to property must be respected from childhood.

How to wean a 3 year old child off a pacifier

Many parents are not very worried about their child sucking a pacifier even after 3 years. However, in our society this is often frowned upon. They look askance at the child and parents. Many follow the lead of public opinion and urgently wean a three-year-old child from a “bad” habit. Of course, children after 3 years of age do not really need a pacifier and the weaning process will be easier.

You can simply tell the baby that he is already an adult, and adults do not suck on a pacifier. At this age, children become aware of themselves. They want to appear more mature, and they are quite capable of giving up a pacifier for this.

You can “lose” a dummy, and in return buy a new interesting game. The main thing is not to scold or shame the baby. It is necessary to behave calmly and firmly.

What to do if you return to her

Sometimes there are cases when the child is completely not ready to part with the pacifier, or the parents could not provide him with an atmosphere in which he can calm down even without a pacifier. Then the child is very worried, this can affect his health. In this case, the pacifier may return. You need to wait until the child grows up. At the same time, analyze the previous failure and correct the errors.

Myths about nipples

There is a lot of discussion around nipples about their harms and benefits. Many assumptions are obviously incorrect. There are such mythical statements:

You can't do without a pacifier when teething. This is wrong.

The pacifier, of course, helps, but it is better to use special teethers that are designed specifically for this purpose.

Every baby needs a pacifier. This is not true.

Many children, especially those who are breastfed, can do without it. And some do not accept this subject at all.

It is better for a child to grow up without a pacifier.

Of course, you can do without a pacifier, especially if you have breasts. But sometimes a pacifier is an indispensable sedative.

Pacifiers are harmful to the baby's health.

Scientific studies have shown that pacifiers do not affect the baby's health.

They won’t even ruin a child’s bite. You can use an orthodontic pacifier.

If the pacifier falls, you can lick it and give it to the baby.

Do not do this under any circumstances!

In the saliva and oral cavity of any adult there are a lot of pathological microorganisms, even in the absence of a source of inflammation in the mouth. This can be harmful to the baby's health.

All nipples are safe for baby. Basically like that. All nipples are certified. But it is better to buy pacifiers in trusted places.

It is necessary to monitor its condition and change it in time when it wears out, so that the child does not accidentally bite off a piece and choke.

Rules for parents. Don't make mistakes

Expert advice: Dr. Komarovsky about the pacifier

Try it switch attention baby with pacifier on rubber toy. He can suck it, chew it and play with it;
When going to bed, hum lullabies and stroke the baby, you can do a head massage;
Cut off a little bit from the nipple until it starts to fall out of your mouth.

These tips are suitable for children under 1.5 years old.

Older children are better off telling stories.

Using the above recommendations, parents themselves will determine how to wean their child from sucking a pacifier. , which method is right for them. The main thing to remember is that this is not such a bad habit. All children are capable of getting rid of it sooner or later.

The pacifier has always been the cause of controversy: whether it is necessary, useful or harmful. Some say that this is a real salvation when you need to calm the baby, others lament that it only causes germs, addiction and malocclusion. However, the popularity of baby pacifiers today is undeniable. And more and more parents, having accustomed their little ones to them, are then faced with the problem: how to wean their child off the pacifier?

Dummy: good or bad?

So, is a dummy good or evil? Both. Therefore, parents, before accustoming their child to this “substitute,” should weigh the pros and cons.

So, what's good about a pacifier?

It helps satisfy the baby's sucking reflex - the first and main one in his life. This is especially true when the baby is bottle-fed and the mixture gets from the bottle into his stomach very quickly, when he has not yet had time to pump properly. Or when he is fed on a schedule rather than on demand. Sucking gives the baby a feeling of peace and security, so he quickly calms down and falls asleep more easily.
Sucking on a pacifier helps strengthen your baby's mouth muscles. This is especially true for premature babies whose reflexes are weakened. Strong oral muscles help the baby suck more actively, and he gains weight faster.
A pacifier is better in the sense that the baby will not begin to satisfy his sucking reflex with his finger. After all, unlike a pacifier, it cannot be “lost,” “given,” or “forgotten” by someone. It is much more difficult to wean a baby from thumb sucking.

But the pacifier has many more disadvantages.

If a child is introduced to a pacifier early, problems will inevitably arise with proper attachment to the breast. Therefore, it is better to first teach him to latch on to the breast, and then introduce him to the pacifier. In addition, if the breast is not sucked properly, the baby does not receive enough important nutrients and enzymes contained in hind milk.
The baby quickly gets used to the pacifier and then constantly needs it. He will start waking up at night and crying if he drops it in his sleep. Will begin to replace communication with family with sucking a pacifier.
It is quite difficult to constantly monitor the cleanliness of the pacifier, so infectious diseases are possible (dysbacteriosis, thrush, even inflammation of the middle ear).
Long-term use of a pacifier, even an orthopedic one, can provoke the development of malocclusion, resulting in speech defects.
The child may forget the difference between the pacifier and the breast and will begin to “suck in” the feeling of hunger with the pacifier.
If a child sucks a pacifier after two years, this can also affect the development of speech (why talk when the mouth is busy?).
Children associate feelings of love, peace, gratitude, and tender affection with sucking on their mother’s breast. If it is replaced with a pacifier and a bottle, then some of these emotions are transferred to the “sucking substitutes”.

Remember that a child needs a pacifier until he is six months old. After this, his sucking reflex fades away. And it is replaced by stable habits (and quite quickly). If you don’t wean your baby off the pacifier during this period, it will be quite difficult to do so in the future.

When should you wean your child off a pacifier?

Pediatricians will not say unequivocally when it is optimal to wean a child off a pacifier. However, there is a first guideline: the extinction of the sucking reflex after six months. But if for some reason the child does not part with the pacifier for longer, there are certain “bells” by which adults must clearly determine: the time has come.

The baby does not part with the pacifier all day, constantly pushes it into his mouth, and gets nervous if it disappears from sight.
Replaces sucking with communication and establishing contacts with others.
The child's speech is delayed.
He is already more than three years old.
The baby learned to use adult dishes and cutlery.

In all these cases, we wean the child off the pacifier, as they say, “according to indications.”

Of course, at an earlier age (at least up to a year), parting with the “sucker” will be less painful - the baby’s memory is not yet sufficiently developed, and he will soon forget about his habit. Although even in six months there will be some period without tears and whims - parents need to remember this and be patient. If you give in now, then later there will definitely not be fewer tears, quite the opposite.

At the same time, you should remember one more thing: if the baby continues to suck a pacifier after a year, then it would be more advisable to wean him around the age of two: at this age he will already be able to understand the explanations of adults, and you can establish contact with him.

Many parents of children born in the cold season specially accustom their child to a pacifier, fearing that without it, cold air will certainly get into his mouth during a walk and the child will catch a cold. Don't worry: if the baby doesn't have breathing problems (his nose isn't stuffy), he won't breathe through his mouth. And if he suddenly starts crying, take him in your arms and calm him down.

How should I wean it?

It all depends on the age of the child. The younger he is, the smoother this process will go. As already mentioned, the easiest way to wean a child off a pacifier is around six months (or up to a year). In this case, the following methods are suitable.

Try to show your baby the pacifier as little as possible. If whims begin at this point, switch the baby’s attention to something more interesting: favorite toys (especially rubber ones that can be sucked and chewed), rocking on the arms. You can spin the baby around, have some fun, and sing a funny nursery rhyme.
During this period, add more tactile contact to the styling ritual: stroke more, do a relaxing stroking massage. Sing a lullaby while swinging on your arms.
Try to replace the need for a pacifier with something else. For example, a plush toy with which the baby will now fall asleep.
. Once he learns, the need to suck on a bottle (to eat or drink), and therefore a pacifier, will quickly decrease.
You can gradually shorten the pacifier until it becomes completely uncomfortable to put it in your mouth. Then the child will be able to refuse it himself.

After two years, the habit is already ingrained enough that it is not easy to get rid of it. Parents will need creativity, participation, tact and patience to completely wean off the pacifier. The best option for this is to come up with a story that is plausible from the baby’s point of view and tell it with honesty.

During a walk, cats (dogs, squirrels) stole a pacifier for their children. The pacifier got lost while walking or in a public place. You can even go back and look for it, explaining that someone must have already picked it up.
Show your baby a “letter” from the “magic forest”, in which a squirrel (fox, hare) asks the baby to give a pacifier to her baby, who constantly cries without it. Explain that the animal is much younger than the child and the pacifier is more important to her. Collect the “parcel” and “send” it to the animals. Then you can “receive a letter” from the forest with great gratitude from the animals.
It’s good if the pacifier is torn or broken on its own. Then you can sympathize with the baby, explaining that pacifiers are no longer sold for such adult children.
Take advantage of the experience of Western countries, where they invented the Dummy Fairy (along with the Tooth Fairy). She takes the baby’s pacifier at the right time, leaving in return a nice gift (a desired toy).
If a cat or dog comes up to you on a walk, explain to the little one that she is asking for a pacifier for her baby. Let him voluntarily give it to the animal, having received a good portion of praise from his mother - what an adult, independent, conscientious and kind child he is.

Breaking habits is always difficult. Parents should be wise, understanding how difficult it is for a child. Do not give in to his desire to return to the dummy, reassure him, sympathize, and praise him for his patience.

What can't you do?

In such a delicate and even intimate process, many mistakes can be made that will lead to new problems. Therefore, having decided to get rid of the rubber “sedative”, mothers should under no circumstances:

cut the pacifier (the baby may swallow a piece or choke);
scold or hit the baby's hands when he takes the pacifier;
tell horror stories about evil women who take away children who are sucking a pacifier at that age;
smearing the pacifier with something tasteless (pepper, garlic, mustard) - this can lead not only to fear, but also to allergic reactions;
combine weaning from the pacifier with other stressful situations, such as adaptation to kindergarten, moving, illness, mother going to work, teething;
transfer the “execution” of weaning from the pacifier to other family members. Mom is the main person whose help and support the baby needs most now.

Breaking established habits is a painful process. The stronger the habit, the more difficult it is to eradicate it. But patience, sensitivity, consistency, perseverance, wisdom and love of parents will help the baby overcome this crisis stage. This applies not only to pacifiers, but also, for example, to habits. But that, as they say, is a completely different story.