Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Stages

When you should start taking away baby’s pacifier

By

Babies are born with an instinct to suck. Experts agree that with a pacifier, you can help soothe your little one and even reduce the risk of SIDS. The controversy arises when children become attached to their pacifier and don’t want to let it go. Avoiding this emotional bond is easy when you start taking your child’s binky away at the right moment. With gentle reassurance and good timing, you can wean your baby off pacifiers easily — even if they’re already attached. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you avoid the feared binky battles.

Mother holding a binky with son
G Antonio Guillem/Shutterstock.com

First window of opportunity to break the binky habit

Age is the determining factor in breaking the binky habit without any troubles. If you’re looking for the easiest time frame to wean your baby from the pacifier, the magic time is between 4 and 6 months. At this age, your little one hasn’t developed an emotional attachment to their binky and will let go of it without complaints.
Here are some tips to gradually take the pacifier out of the picture during these months:

  • Let your baby use the pacifier until they’re almost asleep.
  • Right before they’re completely out, use your pinky to remove the pacifier slowly.
  • Continue to rock them to sleep without popping the binky back in.
  • If your baby starts to wake up too much, put the pacifier back in their mouth and try to remove it again in a few minutes.
  • As baby gets used to sleeping without the pacifier, you can begin to scale back the use of it.
Recommended Videos

When not to take away the pacifier

If you didn’t know or weren’t ready to take away the pacifier before your baby was 6 months old, weaning when they’re older can be traumatic to your little one. Between 6 months and 2 1/2 years of age, children begin to fear separation. If the binky is your child’s comfort item, weaning them at this age is not recommended.

Related

Second opportunity to say bye to the binky

Experts agree that children should wean off their pacifier between 2 and 4 years of age. This helps avoid dental problems and teaches your child to calm themselves. If your toddler hasn’t tossed the binky on their own, they may need a little help from you.
Here’s how you can help them say goodbye to the binky and hello to being a big kid:

Encourage an alternative: If the pacifier helps relieve your child’s stress, you can introduce a replacement that won’t harm their teeth. Many toddlers transfer their attachment to a lovey to help soothe themselves during the daytime. These small blankets or stuffed animals can offer your toddler a sense of security during the day.

Just make sure your child’s lovey doesn’t have any small parts that could represent a choking hazard. Avoid taking this lovey into your child’s crib or toddler bed because they can increase the risk of suffocation.

Limit the binky: Cut back on the use of the binky for naps and nighttime. If your child needs their pacifier to sleep, using it in bed can encourage sleep while still helping them wean off the habit during the day.

Take it slow: Many children don’t accept the lovey right away. If your child needs a more gradual approach, establish a schedule that includes pacifier-free time. This lets your toddler know what to expect and encourages good behavior.

Praise goes a long way: Don’t hold back on complimenting your child as they let go of the pacifier. Toddlers want to please their parents. Charts, parties, and stickers are a great way to motivate young children. They’ll feel so proud of themselves that before you know it, the binky will be gone.

Talk about it: Young children are easier to persuade when you take the time to explain what’s going on. Otherwise, they feel like something is taken away from them and don’t even know why. If your child understands why it’s time to let go of their binky, they’re more likely to cooperate.

Expect regressions: Letting go of the binky is not always straightforward. Some toddlers may start well but miss their pacifier when they realize it’s not temporary. If your little one falls off the wagon, offer your support and encouragement. Be patient and remember it’s as easy as trying again.

Mother lying next to sleeping toddler son
Mongkolchon Akesin / Shutterstock

With love and thoughtfulness, you can help your baby enjoy the soothing benefits of a pacifier and wean them off when the time is right. Whether you do it when they’re very young or wait until the toddler years, the key is to be patient and supportive every stage of the way. Remember, the binky helps your child feel relaxed, while letting it go of it feels stressful. With extra comfort from you, it doesn’t have to be a traumatic experience. Instead, saying goodbye to the binky can be a confidence-booster for your child and for you as a new parent.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
NewFolks
NewFolks
6 sleep training methods that all new parents should know
Sleep training methods when you have a new baby in the house
Infant boy sleeping on bed.

Even if you think you're ready for a newborn to take over your life, nothing prepares you for the lack of sleep and trying to establish a sleep routine. After a few restless nights, parents will try anything to get their little bundle of joy to realize how lovely sleep is. If you need a hand putting your baby down to bed at night, here are the sleep training methods all parents need to know.
The more extreme sleep training methods

These are a little more on the controversial side, but they are recognized sleep training methods.
Cry-it-out method
One of the most controversial sleep training methods is the cry-it-out method, which might be the hardest on parents. You put your child to bed as you normally would and do not, for any reason, go back into their room. If your child still takes a night feeding, you feed the baby and get right back out of the room. Experts don't even agree about if and when it's OK to go in and comfort the baby.
Chair method
The chair method is also a little controversial because it is like the cry-it-out method, except the parent is sitting in the room. You put a chair next to the crib and sit in it to comfort the baby. Once your little one is asleep, you leave. If the baby starts to cry or wakes up, you go to the chair while they fall back asleep. Each night, you move the chair a little further away from the crib. You don't pick the baby up, pat them, or do anything to soothe them but sit in the room with them.
Fading methods

Read more
This is when kids start and stop losing baby teeth
A complete guide to toddler teething
Toddler with teeth missing

One of the most exciting parts of being a parent is when your child's first tooth (or sometimes teeth) breaks through! Not only does this give your little one some relief from painful teething, but it's exciting to watch your child as they grow and develop. Like most milestones, when kids start and stop losing baby teeth really depends on the child, but there are some general guidelines parents can be aware of.

Here is a breakdown of when both the eruption and loss of baby teeth typically occur, as well as answers to common concerns you may have, and what you need to know to soothe your kids during this process.
Baby teeth chart

Read more
When do babies roll over (and what should you be doing to help)?
From belly to back, when will my baby start to roll over?
Baby doing tummy time

There are so many exciting milestones to look forward to during baby's first year. From that special first smile to when babies hold their head up for the first time, baby milestones are a huge part of your little one's first year. Baby milestones are also something pediatricians ask about during well visits. As a new parent, you will be on the lookout for those amazing changes happening with your baby.

Rolling over is an important baby milestone because it builds on another noteworthy milestone: crawling. Babies typically master rolling over before crawling, and crawling eventually leads to walking. Rolling over is the milestone that starts your baby off being mobile. Once rolling over begins, it won't be long before baby is moving across the floor. So, when do babies start rolling over and is there anything you can do to encourage it?
When do babies start rolling over

Read more