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How to wean a child from a dummy?
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
As soon as your baby arranges his first hysteria in the supermarket, because his favorite dummy has stayed at home, you probably want to wean the baby from the dummy forever. But how to do that? How to wean a child from a dummy?
When is it necessary to wean a child from a dummy?
Although doctors do not mention a certain age, when a child should be excommunicated from a pacifier, according to many recommendations, a good age to begin the implementation of this goal - about 18 months, is one and a half years. When we say "beginning," we mean the gradual process of weaning from a dummy. Although some parents act by cardinal methods, we still recommend a more gradual approach. It will bring much less stress to the child.
Why do we need to wean the child from a dummy?
Possible side effects of prolonged use of a dummy include the following.
Displacement of teeth
Depending on how long your baby sucks a pacifier, he may have deformities in the upper jaw that can lead to a shift of the upper teeth.
Deceleration of speech development
With a pacifier in the mouth, the child has much less ability to "talk" and experiment with sound. The lack of practice of speaking can lead to a slowdown in the development of speech.
Development of ear infections
Pediatricians say that using the nipple increases the occurrence of ear infections by 50%.
[How to wean your child from a dummy?
Begin gradually
Start giving your baby a pacifier each time to calm the baby before going to bed. Tell the child, the dummy will now only be for a quiet sleep. Gradually, the child will get used to the fact that a dummy is needed only at night. Ultimately, he will refuse this. Your baby can get used to falling asleep with a pacifier for a few days to not use it in the daytime.
Replace the dummy with something else
If your child does not want to give up a pacifier, replace it with another item-for example, an interesting toy or a rubber ring that the child can gnaw. At night, give the baby a toy instead of a pacifier for more comfort.
Encourage the child for refusing a dummy
Give the child some other thing as a reward for throwing a pacifier. This can be what the child likes. For example, a delicious candy or juice or a funky doll. It will be a reward for the firmness of character. Encourage the child emotionally: hug him, kiss and say: "What a good boy you have for me, I love you."
Be consistent
Do not succumb to your baby's tantrums before going to bed or crying. If you finally give in and give him a pacifier, the child gets confused and does not understand: can you suck a pacifier or not? Therefore, be firm in your actions: by banning a pacifier once, do not change your requirements.
Apply these tips here
If you decide that your child still needs his favorite dummy for a few more months, use the following precautions
First of all, always try to comfort the child in other ways
- Do not dunk a pacifier in honey or any sweet substance that can damage your teeth.
- Allow the child to use the pacifier for short periods of time, and only when you feel that he especially needs it.
- Gradually shorten the frequency and duration of the dummy sucking time.
- Be sure, whether now or later, that your child will outgrow the need for a dummy.
How to wean the child from a dummy - parents already, probably, understood. It is not necessary to apply all recommendations at once. There is always an option that is right for you.