Kids and pacifiers

[Happy Momma]

I waited until my son was 2 to take his away and he never knew it was gone. My niece was about four when they took hers away but only because her mother was lazy and didn't really try to get her off it.

You just took it away and he never knew it??  Wow!  I can only hope it will be that easy with my daughter.

[nursepine]

  They may cry but you have to be tough. It only takes a little while and if they know you are there for them they stop. It is like kicking any bad habit it can make you crazy 

[emsplace]

Thankfully my son spit it out at like 4 weeks or something like that.
I don't like seeing it, but to each their own.

[michellesamom]

My daughter (23 months) still uses hers at bedtime. She also throws it away as soon as she gets up, but she really does find it helpful to soothe herself to sleep. I see no reason to take that away from her. I think that when we transition to her big girl bed, I will try to get rid of it as well as her night time bottle (which is the only time she doesn't use a cup) but right now it works for us.

[Audrey]

Just as every adult is different so are kids. Some adults can't sit still. Other adults have sensitive taste buds. Some adults have really thick hair, some have no hair. Some adults like hard candies, some don't. Some adults don't like mushy type foods, other adults really prefer mushy. Well, some babies really need to suck more than other babies. I don't believe it's as simple as "tough out the ". Those kids denied pacifiers often suck fingers or thumbs or search for other things to put in their mouths. I'm not sure "tough out the " over a pacifier is the answer.

[Cheese&Whine]

Totally agree....
My son stopped using his on his own at 6 months.  He found his thumb now instead (he is 10 months now)! 
But I guess I would rather that then him using a binkie LOL.

[Tater.Pot]

My daughter was about 2 when she got rid of hers...it was a long battle. We would go for a month barely using it and then she'd want it back 

I can't stand seeing older kids with one though. I have honestly seen 4 year olds walking around with them hanging out of their mouths at stores...what does a 4 year old need with a pacifier? Or do their parents really find it THAT hard to say no to their child? 

[StitchingMama]

My son never would take one and my daughter only wanted it for a couple of months.  My neice on the other hand is 4 and still uses one... which I think is too old.

[Candid Carrie]

Doesn't it bug you when you see parents in public and their kid has a pacifier and they are trying to understand the kid while he is talking WITH the pacifier in their mouth? 

Like do kids really need it when they are in a mall, or the grocery store, or when they can walk. 

P.S. We always called it a pacifier and my oldest son used to call it his SASSAH MEYER. 

[Happy Momma]

P.S. We always called it a pacifier and my oldest son used to call it his SASSAH MEYER. 

My daughter calls it a SASSAH... how funny!

[emsplace]

Doesn't it bug you when you see parents in public and their kid has a pacifier and they are trying to understand the kid while he is talking WITH the pacifier in their mouth? 

Like do kids really need it when they are in a mall, or the grocery store, or when they can walk. 

P.S. We always called it a pacifier and my oldest son used to call it his SASSAH MEYER. 

no not really...
the truth is, it's their child, they can do what they want... My son didn't have one and I wouldn't want it for him... but each child is different and I have other things to worry about.
Do I "like" it? NOPE. I guess if I think about it, I find it annoying and unattractive... but it's like a bottle - if you want to give your child a bottle at 3, do it.... my son still has milk before bed, but it's in a cup... if you don't put your child on a schedule, if you dress your child a certain way... etc...same principal... who cares!

Sorry... If you wouldn't want people to say the same about any given thing you do with your child... let moms mother their children the way they see fit.

Stepping off my soap box now.
em

[marcyella]

We chose not to use pacifiers with our kids.  When my daughter was born, her doctor said they weren't necessary.  I does bother me to see kids older than 2 with them in their mouths but I have to realize that they aren't my kids.  Who am I to judge? 

marcy

[Danielle]

Ok, Where do I start? LOL I breast fed both of my children. And that every child is different this is what happened to me. MY son weighed 9 pounds 9 1/2 ounces. I was dead set on breast-feeding, for he was my 1st child. I did for about 3 weeks, but He was still hungry, I'm thinking, what am I doing wrong? He did take a binkie at birth, thank God, because the little man could eat! He was taking a 8 ounce bottle at 8 weeks old. I had to supplement, breast milk and formula. I was not producing enough milk, which made me feel so bad, like I was not doing enough. I got him off of the bottle at 10 months. He did great, BUT he still had a binkie. Being that he was a BIG baby, and looked alot older than he was, I often got rude looks from others when they saw us in public, BUT he was still a 12 month old baby! AND that really upset me! We took it away at 2 years. Caiden was only 17 1/2 months old when his sister was born! And Yes, I was worried about his teeth, My sister sucked her thumb till she was 6, and her teeth got really messed up, So I was like I would rather him suck the binkie than thumb, BUT really the thumb sucking and binkie all to damage to your teeth and mouth. NOW, my second child, a girl, NEVER took a binkie, BUT she loved her bottle. SO, she was on a bottle way too long, I knew better, for milk and juice bottles leave residue on the teeth and can really mess them up. She was finally off the bottle at 14 months.She had to have extensive dental repair on most of her teeth. So , I believe each child is different, and sometimes we can get lazy, and let things be a little too prolonged, BUT we love our children and want them to always have somewhat of  a comfort zone! It makes them feel secure

[emsplace]

Meanwhile, my son had his bottle in the mornings and at night until he was almost two... and he has perfect teeth!
It seriously depends on the child. My rule of thumb is...  "I know he will outgrow it."

My son still likes me to lay down with him at bedtime most nights. It's five minutes out of my night - maybe 15... and who cares! He nad I are alone so much, it's not hurting anyone... in a year he'll be like - "GET OUT"... so I'm savoring it!

[Danielle]

Glad to hear that! Every child is different. But, I do and still believe that the bottle being prolonged did have a lot to do with her teeth. It was not the main reason her teeth were messed up, for she had  alot of ear infections when she was a baby. She took alot of antibotics and that made it worse. Our peds doctor said that a lot of it was her lying down with a bottle. But, every child is different