anyone else's 3yo still use pacifier? even just when sleeping?

I am a bad mommy, DD still uses a pacifier and she just turned 3 this week. She only uses it when she is sleeping (and sometimes if she is really upset-she is a little drama queen- it calms her down )The worst part is that she has to have not one but TWO one in her mouth and one in her hand.
I tried 3 times weaning her off when she was younger , but it was a nightmare, so I kept postponing it and now that she is older it's going to be really hard...
I'm guessing the best way to wean her off at this age is cold turkey? I cut tips off both last week and it doesn't seem to bother her at all , will cut more next week...
I just can't believe that I let this go so long

Re: anyone else's 3yo still use pacifier? even just when sleeping?

Does his thumb count?

Re: anyone else's 3yo still use pacifier? even just when sleeping?

DS turned 3 earlier this month and we just took it away a few days before his birthday. We have been trying to wean him for months with no success. DH just woke up one morning and told him no more pacifier. He told him he would take him to work with him if he threw it out and he took 3 that he was hiding and put them right in the garbage. Of course when he came home, he went straight to the garbage to try and find them, but I had made sure to take them out so he wouldnt find them. I thought no way would it work, but surprisingly he stopped. He cried for it for the first day and that was it...I couldnt believe how easily he adjusted. Honestly, I was not strong enough to follow through with it - he was SO attached to it, but thankfully DH was firm about it...

Re: anyone else's 3yo still use pacifier? even just when sleeping?

We got rid of it -- well SHE did -- just a few months before her 3rd birthday. I really think the Dentist's little chat with her made all the difference.

Re: anyone else's 3yo still use pacifier? even just when sleeping?

We JUST got rid of DD's last week (she turned 3 at the end of June). She sounds exactly like your DD - she had one in her mouth, one in her hand. We just went cold turkey. The "paci fairy" came and took them and left her a little present.

I'll be honest - it hasn't been an easy transition. DD is sleeping a LOT less overall, and nap time is a real issue. But, I'm glad we did it, because it HAD to happen eventually and while this transition is difficult, I know things will eventually fall back into place.

Good luck!

Re: anyone else's 3yo still use pacifier? even just when sleeping?

Posted by InShock

We JUST got rid of DD's last week (she turned 3 at the end of June). She sounds exactly like your DD - she had one in her mouth, one in her hand. We just went cold turkey. The "paci fairy" came and took them and left her a little present.

I'll be honest - it hasn't been an easy transition. DD is sleeping a LOT less overall, and nap time is a real issue. But, I'm glad we did it, because it HAD to happen eventually and while this transition is difficult, I know things will eventually fall back into place.

Good luck!

Message edited 8/25/2010 8:35:10 AM.

Re: anyone else's 3yo still use pacifier? even just when sleeping?

DS still has his (be 3 in Sept) only at night. Once he falls asleep I take it away, and he doesn't ask for it again. I think now it's just a security for him to go to sleep. I am a bad mommy too b/c it's just not worth the fight to get rid of it!

He doesn't ask for it throughout the day unless he is really tired and I tell him I can't find it. He falls asleep, but it takes a little while. He had the tips cut off and it doesn't phase him either.

You're NOT alone!!!

Re: anyone else's 3yo still use pacifier? even just when sleeping?

My oldest son was the same way. One in his mouth and one in his hand and he would rub his nose with it. He recently got rid of it and he's 4 I took it away from my youngest at the same time also (2yrs old). There's no way my oldest could've done it if he saw his brother with it and my youngest was not really attached to it. We just did it cold turkey and honestly it wasn't so bad. We did hyped it up for a few weeks and explained that the week of his brother's birthday, that was it, we were taking it away from both. Also, we promised him (our oldest) a DS if he let it go and he did. We were dreading it b/c he was obsessed with them. But it wasn't so bad and we are sooo proud of him. He did ask about it for a few days but I would just tell him that I knew it was hard for him to let go of it but that he was a big boy now and that he didn't need it. Within a week he stopped asking for it. My youngest never skipped a beat. He slept normally and was fine. He did ask for it on occasion but I would distract him with something else and he would forget about it.

if you have any other questions or need to vent, feel free to fm me.

Good Luck!

Re: anyone else's 3yo still use pacifier? even just when sleeping?

Since she is older, maybe you can have her give them to a young baby who needs them and give her a special toy for big girls?

Re: anyone else's 3yo still use pacifier? even just when sleeping?

Posted by pnm1654

My oldest son was the same way. One in his mouth and one in his hand and he would rub his nose with it.

Re: anyone else's 3yo still use pacifier? even just when sleeping?

Re: anyone else's 3yo still use pacifier? even just when sleeping?

Posted by tatuka

Posted by pnm1654

My oldest son was the same way. One in his mouth and one in his hand and he would rub his nose with it.

OMG DD DOES THE SAME THING! we call it a nose paci

Re: anyone else's 3yo still use pacifier? even just when sleeping?

I can see this happening with Ryan too. He only gets them for sleeping but insists on his "squeezy binky" (that's the one for his hand) and one for the mouth, and he'll get particular about which colors he wants He's not even 2.5 yet, but I can't imagine the day when he will be OK with giving them up

Re: anyone else's 3yo still use pacifier? even just when sleeping?

We got rid of it not longer after she turned 3. We started off with going cold turkey during the day. If she asked for it we just said we couldnt find it. We let her have it for a while at night and then went cold turkey with that. It was rough for about a week because she would constantly ask for it....but after that she forgot all about it. Good luck!

Re: anyone else's 3yo still use pacifier? even just when sleeping?

My sister had my neice "mail" them to babies who needed them and it worked without a problem! She talked about it for a few days before the big day so she knew what to expect. She got an envelope and together they walked it to the mailbox. Maybe , if you were considering this, you could have a "pacifier mail carrier" leave a present for her when he picks up the pacis.

Re: anyone else's 3yo still use pacifier? even just when sleeping?

Thank you so much everyone!
I will keep you posted once we finally take it away from her (Can't bring myself to do it, what is wrong with me?!)