Hello there IM's, im after some advice about coming off the dummy.
My toddler (2 yrs and 3 months) had a fall last weekend which resulted in the loss of a front tooth and a split upper lip requiring stitches. His mouth was very swollen and sore for a few days and he has been unable to be soothed with a dummy due to the swelling, risk of making it worse etc.
As of Wednesday the swelling has gone down almost completely and he seems pain free. Eating, drinking properly etc.
I decided that it might actually be a good time to get rid of the dummy altogether seeing as his managed ok without it over this time.
He is usually pretty good with getting off to sleep but without his dummy he has been crying (more whinging) for about half an hour before falling to sleep during the night and for day times naps.
Just wondering how old your little ones were when they came off their dummy and how long it took for them to adjust to life without it? If I change my mind and give it back, will that make it harder in the long run?
Although he isnt hysterical without it, im feeling bad as he has always had it as a comfort.
Thank you :)
5 Replies
My two where around the same age as ur little one, we had friends in the family that had kids around that time so they have their dummies to the new baby, ive also heard of giving it to the bin man, dummy fairy ect ect. Make sure u get rid of all traces of dummies ( my son had a hidden stash) if their all gone then it means u won't cave in. When they cry for it just say to them ur a big kid now u don't need a dummy with both mine it took about a week, I also found they started to rely more on some sort of stuffed toy instead of the dummy
Yes if you change your mind it will make it harder next time because he will think you will give in. 2 years is probably a good age to give up (the older he gets the harder it will be for some). Giving up the dummy is probably a transition for most children and he is probably needing to relearn how to go to sleep. It seems like a really natural time for the dummy to stay gone. My boy was 1 when we got rid of his.
My daughter was just around 2 when we got rid of the dummy, we told her that we were packing them in a bag and we were going to give them to the little babies at the hospital, which worked a treat, just make sure what ever you do stick to it or it will be even harder the next time you try
My daughter only just came off it at 2 n 5 months. Took a full week n me patting her to sleep for 3days both nap n nights.
Its alkittle hard but she was ready, we tried three times before this n she screamed for hours on end, this time she was ready n it wasnt as hard on any of us.
Mine was 2.5 when we got rid of his, I couldn't find it in his bed and just told him that he would have to go without it, it worked. No crying or looking for it. The next night, I found it by accident, but didn't tell him, and we haven't looked back. We used to have spares, but he bit holes on them so I didn't replace them.