How to wean a baby off a pacifier

1. Wait until your child is conscious enough to start cutting back on pacifier use. For example, agree with your baby that he will only suck on a pacifier before bed or after dinner. The main thing is that the child begins to gradually wean from addiction.
2. This method is more radical. Not suitable for all children. Arrange a special celebration on the occasion of the baby’s farewell to the pacifier. For example, persuade him to deliberately give it to another baby or throw it away, explaining to the child that he has become too old for her. The main thing, in this case, let the child understand that if the pacifier is thrown away, then there will be no return to it. In the event that the baby endures weaning from the pacifier very hard, it means that he is simply not yet mentally mature and it is worth returning the pacifier to him.
3. If you begin to notice that the child can sleep peacefully without a pacifier and does not remember about it until he sees it, then he is already ready to leave it. Don’t throw it away right away, but start slowly moving it out of your child’s sight. Divert his attention to some games or walks, and with a good set of circumstances, in a few weeks he will not even remember her.
4. If your child has learned to drink from a cup, then try to give him all drinks only in a cup. To completely wean him from drinking from a bottle.
5. Never offer your baby to suck on a pacifier. Psychologists categorically do not advise doing this.
6. Develop children’s fine motor skills with all sorts of educational games. Being engaged in toys, the child will quickly forget about the pacifier.

In no case do not shout at the baby, this will negatively affect his psyche, and it will not help to solve the problem. It is also not necessary to smear the pacifier with mustard, pepper and other similar substances, such “recipes” can lead to moral trauma in the child. Some old people advise «soaking» the pacifier, supposedly this will help wean the baby from an unnecessary habit. In no case should this be done, since the child may unconsciously choke on its particles. And lastly, never scare a child. Sooner or later, he will wean himself from a dummy, but childhood fears and nervousness can remain for life.