Pacifier weaning - help!

amother

Thu, Sep 05 2019, 4:19 am

DD just turned 4, about a week ago I took away her pacifier (she lost the "last" one). She's actually taking it pretty well. She doesn't mention it and we even went grocery shopping and passed by them and she didn't ask for one!

Except:
*She now often bites her nails instead, but this is not a new habit, as she is sensory...

*She has a hard time falling asleep. I used to say "bedtime!" and she'd come right to bed, now she either just cries or finds a million things to fight about (the light, her socks, her ponytail...)
(But no issue sleeping through the night w/o, as for the past few weeks I took out her pacifier right after she fell asleep)

I'm also concerned that she isn't mentioning it because she feels there is no choice in the matter, and not because she forgot.

Any suggestions Imamoms?

shmosmom

Thu, Sep 05 2019, 7:53 am

I don't seem to see what the issue is. She's 4, and she sounds like she is weaning ok. Bedtime hassle can be for many reasons (because she's off schedule, wants a later bedtime, noise in the house) etc.
Give it another week or two

meme6

Thu, Sep 05 2019, 9:01 am

I weaned my first two kids and I never weaned since then why because both started taking there fingers and it cost me a fortune to repair that damage my next few kids had pacifiers till they wanted to wean I did keep them always in the smallest size pacifier and none had the issues the first two had. My recommendation is give her back her pacifier for your sanity and for her it’s her security and she will outgrow it in no time

amother

Lime

Thu, Sep 05 2019, 9:04 am

It seems like she's doing fine. You need to give it afew weeks. Sometimes these things are harder on the mom then the child.

FranticFrummie

Thu, Sep 05 2019, 11:31 am

Does she already have a special snuggle toy or blanket? If not, this would be a good time to get her one. Make it a prize for giving up the paci, and let her snuggle it whenever she is acting overtired or nervous.

Four is a REALLY hard age, IMHO. Hang in there, things get a lot better around 5 1/2.

flower2

Thu, Sep 05 2019, 11:42 am

Sounds normal. I agree getting her a special stuffed animal or similar to make bedtime easier- take her to choose as a prize for giving up the paci.
I usually take my kids to the store around 3-3.5yo when I think they are ready and ask them if they want to toss their paci and get a special big kid toy. Kid says yes, paci in trash and walk into store to choose toy. If have trouble at bedtime they get their new toy (even if it's something not bedtime appropriate like a hard truck). Has worked great for me

FranticFrummie

Thu, Sep 05 2019, 11:58 am

"Supernanny Jo" does the "Pacifier Fairy". She has a pretty gift bag, and they go around the house on a paci hunt, collecting all of the pacis "for poor babies who don't have any." The pacis go in the bag, on the front door handle.

In the morning, the pacis are gone, and there is a new toy in the bag, along with a sweet note from the fairy about how the kid is big now, and about how happy all the babies are. You could turn it into a mitzva story, if fairies make you uncomfortable.

The kids all fussed the first night, a tiny bit the third night, and were perfectly fine by the third night. (By fussed, I don't mean tantrum, I just mean a bit of whining.)

amother

Thu, Sep 05 2019, 3:01 pm

OP here-
I don't want to get her a toy instead, because she isn't mentioning it so I don't want to put it into her head.
Until now bedtime was a charm, now its a struggle, hopefully its just the transition. Should I get her used to a blanket or a teddy? Another thing to wean off of?? But for sure better than the paci. She had a blankie which she gave up, um, maybe a yr. ago already.

She's also resorted to biting when upset (also not something new, but it was very minor).

SHE NEEDS SELF SOOTHING TECHNIQUIES! How do I teach her them?
I don't want her to start c"v sucking her thumb etc. But I do want to wean her now and not just let her grow out of it, because soon I'm im"h expecting and I want her to be completly weaned before she has who to take the pacifier away from...

flower2

Thu, Sep 05 2019, 3:31 pm

Why can't she hug a new teddy or similar as a self soothing technique- it's just bedtime. She's not taking it w her everywhere she goes (and even if she does- she will stop when she gets older and other kids aren't doing it).