Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

I am at the end of my rope. DS is 3.5 months, and addicted to the binky. It's gotten so bad that last night he was up 10 times wanting me to put it back in when it fell out. I maybe got 2 hours of sleep, if that.

How do I deal with this? I can't go on with no sleep. Do I take it away cold turkey? I assume that will mean CIO, which I never wanted to do, but I don't know what other options I have. He isn't old enough to put it back in himself.

I know several of us are going through this same situation and I was hoping some BTDT moms might have some words of wisdom for us. Please.

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

let him cry it out. he will cry himself back to sleep. it's the only thing i would do. it's not cruel, it is the first part of discipline that you are teaching your child... "you can't have XX whenever you want it."

don't feel bad about it.

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

Posted by rkoenke

let him cry it out. he will cry himself back to sleep. it's the only thing i would do. it's not cruel, it is the first part of discipline that you are teaching your child... "you can't have XX whenever you want it."

don't feel bad about it.

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

DD was like this, and literally didn't start putting it back herself unti 6 mos, at that point I put like 10 pacifiers in her crib that she could just reach out and grab one and put it in her mouth now at almost 10 mos, she has not that much interest in the binky as to throw them out of her crib for fun

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

Posted by DRMom

Posted by rkoenke

let him cry it out. he will cry himself back to sleep. it's the only thing i would do. it's not cruel, it is the first part of discipline that you are teaching your child... "you can't have XX whenever you want it."

don't feel bad about it.

I totally disagree 3.5 months is tooo young to CIO. I had twins and was up pretty much all night for 8 months. he is probably close to being able to put his binky in-mine did around 5 months. I know it seems like forever, but it will get better! There are also these toys they sell that help to keep the binky in.

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

I have advice!!! Give your last big bottle at 8 pm then give a warm bath after have him in bed at 9:30 he will sleep really good.. you might get up 1x around 3 for binkey patrol then he should sleep till around 6:45 feed him again then let him sleep w/out his binkey and then wake up around 9:30!! I just started this.. I was up all night just like you !!! I cant believe this worked!! Please let me know if you try this!

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

I personally don't think you should let him cry it out either. He's still young. I *think* my DD started to put the paci back in her mouth around 5 months. It was terrific! Just keep a bunch in there with him so he can find them.

Also, I think someone posted last week about a stuffed animal thing?? that has the paci attached so they can hold on to it. ????

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

Posted by rkoenke

let him cry it out. he will cry himself back to sleep. it's the only thing i would do. it's not cruel, it is the first part of discipline that you are teaching your child... "you can't have XX whenever you want it."

don't feel bad about it.

Message edited 10/10/2009 2:28:37 PM.

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

its really soothing for them so IMO, I dont think you should stop giving it. BUT- when DD did this, I was using the pacifiers given from the hospital. I realized those dont stay in good. I went out and bought Avent pacifiers ( i think thats how you spell it) they stay in much better. They have a curved shape that keeps them on DDs lips. We then only had to get up once a night , sometimes twice.

By 6 months she was able to put it in herself if she felt it. She wasnt yet able to roll over and look for it. So I would put her to bed with pacifiers all around her so she could always find one

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

Posted by rkoenke

let him cry it out. he will cry himself back to sleep. it's the only thing i would do. it's not cruel, it is the first part of discipline that you are teaching your child... "you can't have XX whenever you want it."

don't feel bad about it.

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

Start practicing with helping him put it back in.....some babies do it young some like some girls said....DS not until close to 7 1/2 months BUT...when he DID learn I put like 15 of them in there! Helps tremendously!

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

BTDT. All I can say is it is a distant memory at this point. I did it for her. I think by 6 months it was a lot less. Also I was giving her the soothie one which popped out a lot easier. Then we switched to Nuks and they stayed in better. Try a different one. IMO it is too early to CIO.

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

what we started doing was limiting the paci during the day when he was sleeping.. if he cried for it then yes we gave it to him, but if he was willing to sleep without it then we didnt even take it out... by 4 months he was done all together with the paci

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

Will he suck his thumb? DD traded the binky for her thumb around this time.

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

Is he in a crib in his own room or still with you? My DD also wakes several times a night for the binky. But she is still in the bassinet in with me so I have it right next to the bed and barely even wake up to give it back to her. I agree that your DS is too young for CIO. I think they don't recommend it before 5 or 6 months. And I'm gonna try that big bottle and warm bath thing this week to see if it gets better.

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

You can try to train him to keep the paci in - when I had Alex, she was a big paci user, and I read somehwere that, during the day when they are awake, to tug on the paci. That way, baby will resist and suck it back in, which trains them to keep it in their mouth. It seemed to work with Alex after a few days of tugging on the paci while she was awake.

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

I def think he is too young for CIO. DD is 6 mos and has been able to find her pacifier on her own for the last month, so he will more than likely finding it on his own before you know it.

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

I tried CIO and then i put 5 pacifiers in his crib and he finally found one!!

That worked!

GL!

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

Posted by DRMom

Posted by rkoenke

let him cry it out. he will cry himself back to sleep. it's the only thing i would do. it's not cruel, it is the first part of discipline that you are teaching your child... "you can't have XX whenever you want it."

don't feel bad about it.

I totally disagree 3.5 months is tooo young to CIO. I had twins and was up pretty much all night for 8 months. he is probably close to being able to put his binky in-mine did around 5 months. I know it seems like forever, but it will get better! There are also these toys they sell that help to keep the binky in.

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

It was only bad like that for us for a few days. We stopped swaddling her and she was able to learn to put it in herself.

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

I was going through this too. I got Liam one of those dolls that has a head and the body is a blankie. It worked wonders. I tucked it into his arms and then he used that to soothe himself. Now, he doesn't get so upset if the binky falls out. He was able to keep it in much better at about 4 months also.

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

Posted by DeniseMarie

its really soothing for them so IMO, I dont think you should stop giving it. BUT- when DD did this, I was using the pacifiers given from the hospital. I realized those dont stay in good. I went out and bought Avent pacifiers ( i think thats how you spell it) they stay in much better. They have a curved shape that keeps them on DDs lips. We then only had to get up once a night , sometimes twice.

By 6 months she was able to put it in herself if she felt it. She wasnt yet able to roll over and look for it. So I would put her to bed with pacifiers all around her so she could always find one

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

get the wubbanub!!!

it does help keep it in, also makes the paci hard to lose!

Re: Advice on giving up pacifier/waking up 10 times a night to put it back in?

Beth- I am right there with you. I am going out today to get new pacifiers and we are stopping the swaddle tonight.