How and when to wean a child from a pacifier, at what age?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

A baby is not only a joy for parents, but also a lot of trouble that takes up all your free time. Feeding, entertaining, telling a story before going to bed - all these are the standard duties of every parent, but when to wean a child from a pacifier is not such an easy question. After all, for him this thing is the most interesting and soothing. Thanks to the pacifier, parents can rest for at least 5 minutes, so that they can satisfy the needs of their child with renewed vigor.

Why does a baby get used to a nipple

A newborn has several reflexes, the main one being suckling. In fact, it is because of him that the baby can develop normally in the future.

Some babies calm down when they are put on the breast, so they can do quite well without a pacifier. But there are also babies who do not know how to control the reflex and pull anything into their mouth if there is no pacifier. With such restless babies, parents have much more trouble, because the chances of infecting a small organism are quite high.

Often there are situations when it is necessary to wean a child from a dummy, but the child does not agree to this. Doctors presented three main problems that make it very difficult to part with your favorite pacifier:

1. Underfed babies. This category includes babies who, from birth, lacked breastfeeding, or it was completely absent. Because of this, the sucking reflex cannot be satisfied naturally, and the craving for the "object of sucking" becomes more and more.
2. "The Flukes". Recently, only 3-4% of such personalities have been found. In fact, such children are special, because they learn the world with the help of taste sensations. They like to take toys, paper and any other objects in their mouths - this is their natural need, which must be satisfied.
3. Trauma survivors. If the baby had a chance to survive a long-term illness, then he can become quite attached to the nipple, because she calmed him down in the most difficult times. Therefore, even after recovery, the pacifier remains the best and most faithful friend for the child.

In general, the baby gets used to the pacifier for various reasons, but how much to wean the child from the pacifier - each parent must understand for himself.

Is a pacifier harmful

As already mentioned, not all parents can easily wean their child from the pacifier. Therefore, the question arises: "Is it necessary to wean a child from a dummy in general and does it bring harm?" Overly caring mothers are afraid that in the future the child will have problems with speech and he will not be able to pronounce all the letters of the alphabet correctly. In addition, there is also another precaution, which consists in the growth of ugly and crooked teeth, which, according to parents, will contribute to the constant nipple in the mouth.

In fact, doctors do not confirm these theories, although there is another precaution - children who are used to a pacifier are not at all interested in the world around them, so they may grow up withdrawn and less sociable than other children.

The theory about crooked and ugly teeth, of course, is not true, but the bite can deteriorate quickly. Therefore, doctors recommend weaning the child not only from the pacifier, but also from the fingers that children often suck, replacing the selected nipple.

What is forbidden to do in the process of weaning

Not only young, but also experienced mothers can make a lot of mistakes during weaning. Therefore, before you understand at what age to wean a child from a pacifier, you should find out what not to do:

• spoil the pacifier (often parents try to cut the pacifier, bend it, hold it on fire, etc. All this is done in order to make it unpleasant for the child to suck it and he weaned himself from this. But not enoughwho thinks that a child can accidentally bite off a piece of a spoiled soothing object, which is quite easy to do, and swallow it);
• lubricate the pacifier with food additives (a worse method of weaning is to lubricate the pacifier with mustard, pepper or s alt). Here, love for your own baby is out of the question. After all, not every adult can tolerate such supplements. Moreover, a small body is not adapted to such tastes. As a result, the child is waiting for a violation of the function of taste buds, a spasm of the throat and swelling. And lubrication with sweet additions will ruin the teeth and only cause more cravings for the pacifier);
• shout at the baby (if the child cannot calm down and demands his pacifier, then you should not raise your voice at him. After all, the child feels the anger of the parents and begins to act up even more);
• to wean during the period of illness (when the baby suffers an illness or starts teething, a dummy is a universal way to help. During such periods, it is strictly forbidden to limit the child in a dummy, because this can lead to irreversible consequences).

If there is a "relapse"

Weaning from a dummy is a rather difficult process, so you need to know all the nuances so as not to harm the baby. Many parents have already decided for themselves when to wean their baby from a pacifier, but not all of them have considered the possible complications that often appear after successful weaning.

The most common case is that the child behaves calmly for the next couple of days, and then again begins to demand his friend. Whereinthe psychological state worsens, and the child's perseverance becomes stronger. If he does not stop being annoyed without a pacifier for 10 days, then you need to purchase a new one and after a while repeat the weaning.

When you need an emergency dummy waiver

Despite the fact that parents, with the help of doctors, have determined the exact time when weaning a child from a pacifier, emergencies can occur.

In these situations, you do not have to wait for the "right day", you will have to act quickly and as efficiently as possible. For example, an already grown-up baby does not want to let a pacifier out of his mouth and is very irritated when it is lost, then you should act immediately:

1. Explain the situation. Without swearing and laughing, it is necessary to tell the child in a calm tone that the nipple harms his teeth, does not allow him to speak normally, and so on.
2. Accidentally forget the "sedative" at home and the whole family go, for example, to visit relatives or friends. In this case, the child will have to come to terms with the loss, because he will not be able to go home and take her with him.
3. Cut off a small part of the pacifier (but so that the baby could not bite off a piece and swallow), and then jokingly explain who ruined it and how.

Best time to wean

The most appropriate time when weaning a child from a pacifier, parents often decide on their own or consult a doctor. If there are no emergency situations, thenyou can start the process at any time, but it should be done smoothly, without harming the still unformed nervous system.

Weaning before age 2

The period when it is better to wean a child from a pacifier starts from 2 months. From this moment and up to six months, the first signs of complete readiness for failure are formed in him. The best option is to get rid of the pacifier before 6 months, which will ensure that there are no many unnecessary problems. By adhering to a few simple rules, you will see that weaning will be quick and successful:

1. If a sedative is required only when it is in full view of the child, then the weaning process can begin immediately.
2. You can replace the pacifier with motion sickness, songs, fairy tales or any other action that will calm you just like the nipple did before.

During the period from 6 months to a year old, energy is overflowing, so when the pacifier is deprived, all actions will be aimed at returning it.

To avoid trouble and worsen the situation, you should adhere to the following rules:

1. During this period, drinking from a special baby cup will help to forget sucking skills, and you can also start feeding from a bottle, but to give food on plates.
2. Giving a pacifier is allowed only at the request of the child himself, it’s not worth showing it just like that.
3. Frequent games and walks will occupy the baby and he will forget about the need for a pacifier in his mouth. Interesting andeducational toys can even help ensure that the pacifier is passed from children's hands to adults without any resistance.

If the baby has already celebrated his first full birthday and he is one year old, then you should not be upset. This period is also favorable for weaning, but more effort will have to be applied.

Parents should understand that it was they who showed their child a dummy, and after all, the baby trusts these people the most and during the weaning period he can’t understand why his best friend suddenly began to spend less time with him and why became so harmful.

At one to two years old, children are kind enough, so weaning can begin by offering to share a pacifier with a passing dog or give it to another child.

After 2 years

Sometimes it happens that weaning from the pacifier did not work out at the right time. Weaning a child from a pacifier after the age of two is not always easy. The easiest way is a normal conversation, in which you need to mention the need to leave the pacifier in a playful way. If this option is not successful, then you can regularly reduce the time the pacifier is in your mouth. It will take more time, but the result will be successful.

Family Help

How and at what age to wean a child from a pacifier - has already been said above. But these methods may not be enough if the whole family is not involved in the process. Every member of the familyinvests something of his own in the development of the child, which will help him develop further. Therefore, weaning from a dummy should take place with the participation of the whole family, in compliance with all the rules.

Advice from a psychologist

Recommendations and advice from professional psychologists will help in those moments when it will be necessary to wean a child from a pacifier. For example, requiring a pacifier while in an active state, a child says that his cerebral cortex is tense and urgently needs relaxation. Therefore, the dummy will interfere with the memorization of information. In such situations, you need to distract him from the calming object as soon as possible and begin to explore the world together with the baby.

Recommendations from experienced moms

Not all parents know what time it is necessary to wean a child from a pacifier, so they are interested in other mothers who have already passed this difficult period. Some managed not even to accustom to the nipple, so such children themselves could control and refuse it. Others advise starting the weaning process from 5 months, because it is at this age that the sucking reflex itself begins to fade. The main thing here is not to miss the moment. Parents also note that it is necessary to distinguish between the crying and screams of the baby when he needs a sedative or if he just has something that hurts. Indeed, often a pacifier distracts a child from pain, but then he alth problems arise, which are very difficult to get rid of.

In order for the baby to grow up he althy and less capricious, it is necessary to spend more time with himtime. Then his development will strive upward, together with his parents he will make discoveries and grow up as a full-fledged and interesting personality.