Little babies sucking on their pacifiers are such a delightful sight. However, if you do not take away these soothers in time, your baby could become addicted to them and right from affecting her teeth to even causing gum problems these soothers can cause it all.
Taking the pacifier from the baby is definitely not a pleasant task, but it is one that needs to be done.
Below are some tips that will help you to take away the pacifier from your baby, without causing her too much discomfort.
- Throw it away – The one and most effective way of getting the baby to give up the pacifier is simply throwing it away. Once you and the baby both will not have the option of the pacifier, in a day or two, both of you will settle down to living without it. If the baby keeps seeing her pacifier every now and then, she is bound to want it. Also if she cries and you give it to her, she simply learns that she has to cry to get her pacifier and this will make it all the more difficult to take it away from her.
- Pickle it – Yes it is true that if you make the pacifier taste ‘yucky’ the baby is going to give it up after a try or two. There are safe options that can be bought from the medical store which will help you to make the pacifier taste bad. Some lemon and chilies will also do the trick. Most babies will try their hand at the pacifier once or twice and then throw it away.
- Trade it – In case your kid is old enough to understand trading, simply offer her a reward if she throws away her pacifier. A desired toy, a trip to a particular destination. Almost anything can you are willing to offer will do well. Throwing in the emotional angle of another child needing the pacifier will help here so that your kid is willing to give the pacifier away to a more needy child and get a nice toy in return.
- Slow and steady – Another approach that works especially for parents who do not have the heart to take the crying is gradually lower the use of the pacifier. Here you will find other means of entertainment when the child asks for the pacifier. Limiting the use of the soother during nap times is the first step. Slowly take away the soother as soon as the baby begins to drift into sleep. Over time the soother can be faded away. Remember this takes a long time and will require a lot of patience and vigilance on your part.
All in all, taking away the pacifier may not take you more than a week or so. Most parents believe that the pacifier works better for them since they can take it away as opposed to the thumb for which the control lies in the child’s hands.
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