how to stop the dummy

[2CheekyMonkeys]

well i dont want to stop the dummy altogether, just cut back on its use. my DD has always just used it for sleep time, in the car or when upset. but since she has been able to say the word dummy (she is now 18 months) she seems to want it and have it ALL day long! when i say no, she chucks a fit, or goes and finds it herself. how can i get her to just stick to using it at bed time or in the car.?

[~Trish~]

Oh dummy weaning, it's a tough one isn't it? Have you tried distracting her with something else when she throws a tanty about it? Maybe say something like, "how about we draw a picture" or "let's go and look at the birds outside" (sorry, pretty bad examples lol) or even distract her with a snack?

I found dummy weaning soooo hard. It ended up happening when my DS was 2.5yo after he had a fall and damaged his mouth and teeth. He didn't want to put anything in his mouth so I used the opportunity to hide all his dummies! When his mouth healed he asked where they were, but got over it when we said he is too old for them now. I'm sure there is a better way than that!!

Good luck

[blue daisy]

Finn had his dummy until 3yrs of age...was obsessed with it and too had tantrums if he couldnt have it. Its hard isnt it

In the end the 'dummy fairy' paid a visit, bye bye dummy, sprinkles of fairy dust, and hello spider man PJ's

he is almost 5 and still asks for it on occaision

Jay never had one

[lee75]

I would love to get rid of the dummy, but at the moment DS is a sleep only dummy boy!!
I have heard great success from people using the "dummy fairy" method. You could maybe try it at Easter time, or if someone you know is having/has just had a baby you could say to her that its a gift for the new bubs!!
Good luck with it

[{sarah}]

With keeping it to bed time we just said no dummy outside bed. And he wasn't allowed out of his cot, & later his bed, until he put the dummy down. Now we just have to get rid of the thing for good!

[Willow]

It's tough! DD only just got rid of hers at Christmas time.

We did the whole 'leave it for Santa and he'll give you lots of presents instead' trick. It worked!

I won't say it was a seamless transition, but she got there eventually and it wasn't a huge deal in the end.

We'd had a few attempts before this that ended in both of us becoming very distressed and causing sleep problems so we ended up giving it back to her (mainly cause I was 30 wks prg and couldn't handle the stress it was causing).

[mbear]

Why dont you buy a box for the dummy?...get your daughter to pick it at the shops.........and each morning, when she wakes up, the dummy goes in the box, and doesnt come out again till bed time....????? We did that with our DD #1.....it worked, eventually she would only have it at night , then Santa took the box away.

[mickyndan]

The box idea sounds fantastic - I wish I knew about that one when I weaned my DS... We actually went cold turkey. We stood outside with all the dummies, waited for the "big truck" to come along and empty the bin... just before "the big truck" got to us we threw them in the bin and the truck took them away... He asked for them a couple of times after that and we just reminded him that the big truck took them away and he was fine with that.. He was about 18 months old. My next DS has never ben interested in a dummy, won't take one or even look at one so thank goodness I don't have to go through that again... LOL

[2CheekyMonkeys]

i am definatley gonna try the box idea, that is so good. i think the santa/fairy thing will be good too when i decide its a goner for good! thanks everyone.

[Lewis's Mummy]

I don't remember it happening, but apparently the birdies ate my dummy when I was 2. My nephew left his dummy out one Christmas for the baby reindeers too. Funny what stories have to be spun - wonder what I'll have to tell my DS when the time comes...

[mbear]

Good luck !