We weaned Lil’Miss from the pacifier 9 months ago. Lil’Bean was about to arrive and I really didn’t want two kids using pacifiers. I thought earlier in life, the better. We had one really challenging week of crying and tantruming. She didn’t have a word for the pacifier so it didn’t seem as terrible.
A couple weeks ago, Lil’Miss found one of her brothers pacifiers (which I usually call a binky). Her brother hasn’t really taken to the binky since he was a couple months old but we got a couple out so he could chew on them while teething. When Lil’Miss found them she smiled and teasingly put it in and out of her mouth. At first it was a game. We took them away and life went on.
A week and a half ago the hubster had a vertigo episode which landed him his first ambulance ride and a four day hospital stay. My in-laws came to the house to stay with the kids and I spent most of the week with my husband at the hospital. It was a little bit stressful on everyone. Lil’Miss found binkies while Grandpa and Grandma were in charge and again found great pleasure in the little plastic and rubber/silicone wonders. She has even be caught climbing into the crib to steal her brothers pacifier.
So here we are now, back at square one with the pacifier. I don’t have the energy to fight it or put up with the whining, so I gave in for sanities sake. Other wise it is hours of crying and begging for “Bink, bink, bink”. I can give her the pacifier and she is instantly calmed. At bed time she even will sit and play quietly rather than kick and scream at the door.
Maybe it isn’t that big of deal and I am paranoid. I just don’t want her to have teeth issues. Since we are going to endure one more month of CPA studying at our house we are going to let her have it for a little while. I am paranoid that I am going to create a bigger monster, when it is time to take it away for the second time.
My daughter is a really oral child. After working several years in special education I came across a lot of kids with oral fixations. Some chew on their clothes, some chew on toys. Some eat everything in site. There were usually different reasons behind the oral needs, but we usually tried to find something to accommodate, to help the kids out, whether it was a chew tube or allowing the older kids to chew on gum. Right now her oral fixation has turned back to the binkie.
My daughter is 10 times calmer when she has something to chew or suck on. Otherwise she is a lightening bolt of movement. I feel like I am in a moral dilemma. Messed up teeth/mouth structure or out of control toddler.
Suggestions or thoughts. I would love feedback.
Tired Mama.
2 comments:
Sometimes the trade offs are worth it.
I imagine if she can handle one weaning off trauma, she can handle two!
I'd suggest letting her know that the binky is okay during certain times of the day only: nap time, bedtime, any other time you feel is nice to have her calm. Stick to that schedule. That way she doesn't have the pacifier in her mouth 24/7 and it might be a bit easier to wean her off afterwards. :)
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