Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

"Problem" : 2 month old DD sleeps A TON better with her paci. She really won't nap without it and at night sleeps much longer stretches with it.

My concerns:
1. That she''ll become addicted to it, it will ruin her teeth, and she'll need it her first day of kindergarten.
2. Sometimes, though mostly with naps, if it falls out she fusses. In the middle of the night this can become a pain.

Am I being irrational? She loves to suck and the paci makes her feel better...

(PS - Is motherhood ALWAYS about second guessing yourself??)

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

Do whatever it takes to get her to sleep. If the paci teaches her to self-soothe, embrace it.

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

IMO at this age I would not worry about it, you will be able to break the habbit when it's time.

Also, is it possible for you to remove it once she is in a deep sleep or will she wake up? Mason usually falls asleep with the paci in his mouth, but either ends up spitting it out himself or when I see he is in a deep sleep I will remove it myself and he usually does not even budge.

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

Posted by nov04libride

Do whatever it takes to get her to sleep. If the paci teaches her to self-soothe, embrace it.

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

My DS was very attached to the paci at that age. But I'm finding he starting to self ween and use it much less now at 8 months. I'm hoping to be rid of it by 12months.

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

She is still really young and may just need it to sooth her. You really can't spoil her, at this point. Honestly, she probably won't need it as much as she gets older and can self sooth.
Have you tried other soothing things...like a Swaddle Me or white noise?

Message edited 11/7/2010 3:49:35 PM.

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

Let her enjoy the paci, while you enjoy her sleep. She won't go off to Harvard with it...

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

Pacifier is great at that age! I think until they have teeth its fine.

Using a pacifier up to the age of one, reduces the risk of SIDS - which is why I try to force DD to take one but she prefers her thumb lol

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

That's what the pacifier is for!
And it does reduce the chance of SIDS, so it's actually a good thing at this age!

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

I wouldnt worry about it as such a young age. It is soooo soothing to them. give it to her and dont worry about her being addicted.

Around 18 months DD started to want her paci all the time. Even while she was awake. So we started to limit it to naptime/bedtime and she could also have it while in the car (bc sometimes she would fall asleep) I was always consistent with that when she asked for it, so she is used to that now. (She is 2 1/2) I plan on taking it away at 3. And everyone I know that took it away at that age had no major issues.

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

Posted by nov04libride

Do whatever it takes to get her to sleep. If the paci teaches her to self-soothe, embrace it.

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

At 2 months old don't even think about it. Whatever it takes.
DD had a paci until 3. Her teeth are fine now.

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

My kids all love the pacifier.....and so did I b/c they slept better with it!

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

we used a pacifier ALL THE TIME until around 6 months. when loey started to get his first teeth, he didn't want the pacifier for ONE NAP and we took it away and never looked back.

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

My mom works for an orthodontist and we brought DS and his binky for a visit (before DS decided around 4 months he hated his binky).

The orthodontist said it was fine, it wouldn't hurt his teeth and it's better to not have an orthodontic pacifier.

His son was a big pacifier kid too.

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

my 2 month old uses his paci to self soothe. usually it falls out while he's sleeping, but it's great to get him to stop screaming when he's being fussy. however, i only use it when necessary because my mother has the same fears you do.
Doctor actually recommended a paci to try to get him to calm down, so i'm not too worried.

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

DS is 12 months and loves his paci. I don't really plan on taking it away anytime soon.

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

Let her use it.

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

Let her use it for now. I took Ds's away at 9 months because he was crazy for it and would wake up 1 trillion times a night crying and looking for it. No amount of paci's in the crib helped. So I did CIO and Paci removal all at once. It was a rough two days but, I am sooooo happy that I did it.

So let her have it now. It's important to self soothe and then take it away before she is old enough to argue with you about it.

Re: Worried that my 2month old will only nap with a paci, am I being irrational?

It reduces the risk of SIDS which is a major plus. Our dental office recommends orthodontic pacifiers. We are not fans of Soothies past the newborn stage because the mouth will form around it. Creating an open and often times crowded bite. My DS would only sleep with a paci and at 18 mos I took it away cold turkey and he did fine. No worries Mommy! :)