It was time for pacifier weaning.
The Paci had to go.
We were all dreading it. Me most of all. But I set the cut off to 3 years old and I was determined to stick with it.
If you’ve read previous posts, you know I am a researcher. I researched every method of pacifier weaning I could find. Since I couldn’t decide on one, I used three!
The important thing to remember is the pacifier weaning did not happen all of a sudden. I spent at least three months preparing my daughter for the separation from her paci. At 2 we cut the pacifier down to only nap and bedtimes.
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1.) Book
Then we bought books to read to her. Our favorites were “Pacifiers Are Not Forever” by Elizabeth Verdick and “Florie the Paci Fairy” by Anthony J. Crosbie.
2.) Trading for a Toy/Paci Fairy
I often asked Roo what she wanted the Paci fairy to bring her when it was time to give up the pacifier. Closer to her birthday her answer remained the same. She had lost a favorite toy over the Summer and wanted a replacement.
3.) Stuffing inside a Build-A-Bear
We also visited the Build-A-Bear store everytime we were at the mall. She would get excited about all the options and I told her she could have one to hold her pacis for her when she was 3.
The day after her third birthday, we went to the mall and built her very first bear. Two of the four remaining pacifiers were stuffed into each of the bear’s hands before stuffing.
I was concerned she would refuse to place the pacifiers in (especially since she insisted on having one in her mouth the whole drive there and in the store) but she popped it right in!
She was so excited!
Earlier that day we placed the other two pacifiers in the fairy house we built for Florrie to rest in. After her nap, she awoke to find her toy in the house instead of the pacifiers.
To Make The Fairy House
One of the best ways to get kids excited about something is to involve them as much as possible. Crafting is my favorite, of course. So to get Roo excited about Florrie’s arrival, (a.k.a. pacifier weaning) we built The Paci Fairy a house to rest in. Here’s what I used.
(Click the words to find them on Amazon)
Cardboard Milk Carton
Fake flowers and butterflies
Hot glue gun (For mommy only)
Not pictured: scissors, foam sheets, and playdough
I cut the pointed top off the milk carton then flipped it upside down and cut an oval door hole. Make sure the hole is big enough for pacifiers and whatever toy they will be replaced with.
While I did this, Roo planned her house ideas using playdough, popsicle sticks, and pipe cleaners.
I hot glued foam sheets around the carton to make it pretty and colorful. Once the glue was cooled, I handed it over to Roo. She used Elmer’s glue to stick the sequins, pompoms, butterflies, and flowers around the foam walls.
I continued to work on building a roof out of popsicle sticks
We finished it off by hot gluing the marbles to the bottom to give it some weight and attaching the roof.
I’m not going to lie. The first two nights and naps after pacifier weaning were awful. I’m glad I waited until she was old enough to be reasoned with, but she still cried and got mad. She even threw her bear across the room the 15th time I suggested she squeeze the pacifiers in his hands. (I think she was a little mad at the bear for not giving the paci back.) By the third night, she had stopped asking for it but still wanted to read the pacifier books before bed.
Ultimately, I’m glad we did it this way. With all the preparation leading up to the pacifier weaning, it wasn’t a complete shock to Roo. Then she had some new loveys to replace the comfort of the pacifier. I’ve heard other methods parents and pediatricians like. Cold turkey wasn’t for us. Cutting off the tip is one I considered. (Although I suggest using this instead to avoid any accidents with the plastic bits.) But this was what worked for me.
How did you give up the pacifier? Was weaning from the paci something you struggled with or are dreading?
