Taking a dummy away from a toddler

[tumbletumble]

DS2 is 3.10 and still has a dummy. I want to get rid of it, but I'm worried about getting him to sleep without it.

He's not a child who falls asleep quickly and easily. Even if he's really tired, he still needs time to wind down and settle into a calm sleepy state before he will drop off. I just can't imagine achieving this without the dummy!

Please come and tell me your stories of taking the dummy away from a toddler who relied on it to get to sleep.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

All three of ours had dummies - after a year old they were just for bedtime, and I suppose they were 18-24 months when we took them away altogether.

We talked about it beforehand and told them that they could take their dummies to the toyshop, and swap them for a toy - you set this up in advance with the toy shop, and pay afterwards when their new toy is safely in the bag and they are not looking.

Another approach that I have seen people describe on here is the Dummy Fairy. The child leaves the dummies outside in a bag, for the dummy fairy to collect and take to other children who aren't as big and grown up, and still need a dummy - and in the morning, the dummies are gone, and there is a toy in the bag - a thank-you present from the dummy fairy.

I will confess that I kept a dummy, hidden at the back of a drawer, each time, just in case there was complete inconsolability and I needed to backtrack - but I never did.

[tumbletumble]

Thanks SDTG. Did you find that their sleep was affected? DS2 is not a great sleeper (still wakes in the night quite often) which is why I'm so nervous of taking away his dummy in case it makes things worse!

[Jeebs]

We used the dummy fairy, but that's because Dd had a fairy book and was obsessed with them. Any of their fav characters will do.
About a week before the fairies arrived we told Dd that the fairies would be coming soon to take the dummies to new babies (like the one she seen crying in the shop the other day) and they would leave her a present. Dd asked for a skipping rope, and that's what they left
That was about 6 weeks ago and we had our first illness without it too but she was fine after asking about every now and again.
Do make a fuss and tell everyone that DS gave the dummy to new babies, even point out babies that now have 'his' dummy so he knows that the magic is real.
Oh and DD found a dummy she had hidden after about 3 weeks so we rang the fairy who asked DD to leave it in the letter box and she would pick it up later. Dd was very excited that she spoke to a 'real' fairy

[GentlyGentlyOhDear]

I'm starting to think about dummy removal with my 15mo. She only has it for naps and sleep but bloody loooovvvveeeeesssss the thing and I am dreading bedtime without it.

I've read that you can put a pin prick in the end of the dummy so the suction isn't quite the same and gradually slit the teat so the sucking pleasure has gone and then child gradually doesn't bother with it. I might try that technique as dd is still too young to understand about the dummy fairy and the dummies not coming back!

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

As far as I remember, their sleep was not affected, tumbletumble - though as the youngest is 16, my memories of the early years have faded a bit and that is not because I am getting old, ohhh no.