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Original poster

Help, I need to get rid of the dummy at the age of 3!

27 replies

Darksideofthemoon19 · 25/08/2019 17:27

I wish I had done it years ago. Dd3 has a gap between her top and bottom teeth and I’m 99% sure it’s from the dummy. Her speech is awful too, she has a lisp and can’t pronounce her words correctly. I’m really starting to worry and she’s addicted to it! She constantly asks for it in the day even though we try and hide it. I feel bloody awful. I’m worried about her teeth too now 😩.
She keeps putting her tongue behind her front teeth when smiling too?

OP posts:
sleepismysuperpower1 · 25/08/2019 17:46

I would sit down with her and say 'we are going to get rid of all your dummies now, by giving them to the dummy fairy. read her this book to help explain, then ask her to help you write a letter to the fairy to put with her dummies that night. then, when she has gone to sleep, take the dummies and throw them out, before replacing them with something (we gave a star plush as the book mentions the dummy turning into a star). Don't give in to whining/begging, if she asks for it and then gets upset, tell her to go and cuddle her star pillow. all the best x

Coldhandscoldheart · 25/08/2019 17:57

My 3.5 yr old has only just got rid of the dummy. I have always been hardline about it just for naps and nighttime & occasionally the car, so that might be somewhere to start for a bit.

We have basically not replaced them as they’ve gone missing/got lost and I have warned her they were running out. We lost the last one a few days ago. There were some wobbles, but actually it has gone really well, and I’ve not mentioned that actually I found one in the car the other day.

I would round up all the dummies you can find so she’s not sneaking off with them as well, then you can ration them. There may well be tears, but stay firm.

Cornettoninja · 25/08/2019 19:19

Dd never took a dummy (not for want of trying on my part!) but I have hear if you pierce the teat it makes it less satisfying for them to suck, it might help make it less of a wrench for her to give up that way.

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hormonesorDHbeingadick · 25/08/2019 19:22

When they are gone make sure you can’t retrieve them and don’t keep one just just in case.

Tobebythesea · 25/08/2019 19:25

Could you send all of them one night to the dummy fairy?

YouJustDoYou · 25/08/2019 19:26

YouTube the super nanny episodes of getting rid of dummies, it'll help you see how she does it.

MillieMoodle · 25/08/2019 19:35

DS1 gave up his dummy the night before he turned 4. We told him 4 year olds weren't allowed to have them, that the dummy fairy would be coming to collect it that night and would leave a present on his bed for him, and it did the trick.

He had a gap like your DD but it had gone by the time he started school and his lisp disappeared as well. He's 8 now and his adult teeth are coming through fine. Don't worry, but do try to get rid sooner rather than later.

TheBrilloPad · 25/08/2019 19:39

The dentist saw DD just before she was 4, and said "does she have a dummy? She needs to get rid of it". And that night I took them all away. She accepted it totally because THE DENTIST had said (as in, someone in a position of authority and not just mean old mum). Might be worth a try to book a dentist visit and see if your dentist can back you up!

Catbrat · 25/08/2019 19:39

My daughter left hers out on Xmas Eve with the cookies and milk for santa to give to a baby as a present, the excitement of Christmas seemed to ride over the need for her dummy, we still had some tears and upset but not half as much as we had on our previous attempts.
If you can't wait until Xmas you could say you are leaving it out for the 'dummy fairy' to give to a new baby and she will leave a big girls present in return.

Chupchup · 25/08/2019 19:41

We got rid by 2 as the teeth weren't going well...

We picked a new baby, friends or family, and say the dummy is going to the new baby as they are a big girl now etc. and the baby needs it more. They generally cry for 3 nights or so then they completely forget. Its crazy. Just get rid, youre doing them a favour. Kids are adaptable.

Original poster
Darksideofthemoon19 · 25/08/2019 19:41

So, we have watched videos regarding giving the dummies to the baby reindeer all day, we’ve spoken about it etc.

She’s gone bed with ZERO issues, not even asked for it! How?! Daddy owes her a baby doll tomorrow now 🙈😂

OP posts:
Chupchup · 25/08/2019 19:47

She might have a few restless nights, but my 2 both just forgot and got on with it. Dd was addicted too.

Pipanchew2 · 25/08/2019 19:47

Hi,
If you are worried about her speech it might be a good idea to take her to a speech therapist (GP can refer for you) sometimes dummies can be red herrings with speech and language difficulties. If taking the dummy away sorts out her speech great but if it doesn’t then you’ve got the referral in the pipeline (they can take a while sometimes)

MillieMoodle · 25/08/2019 19:47

Grin well done to you all! Grin

Chupchup · 25/08/2019 19:47

Oh, make sure they are all gone!

Original poster
Darksideofthemoon19 · 26/08/2019 06:42

So she went bed ok, but woke in the night crying for it. This morning she’s been asking for it and she bloody found one under our bed! So Iv had to be evil and take it off her. She’s been crying all morning! 😩

OP posts:
pennypineapple · 26/08/2019 06:58

My DD got a present from the dummy fairy, who "took them away for the babies". We made it quite an elaborate thing so got her to send a postcard to the fairy telling her the specific toy she wanted etc.

Our dentist said if you take the dummy away now then although it might have disrupted the teeth they will adjust themselves back to their proper position. If you leave it until they're closer to primary school age then you're at risk they don't move back.

AuntieMarys · 26/08/2019 07:00

Stay strong. She will get over it.

CherryPlum · 26/08/2019 07:00

Stay strong! The chances are that she will cry, or be irritable on and off for a few days, as she's so used to the habit of using her dummy. Keep her really busy and distracted, find a way to help her get through it.

Chupchup · 26/08/2019 07:33

It was bound to happen. It'll be a distant memory in a few days. Keep going.

Coldhandscoldheart · 26/08/2019 08:38

Oh we had that too, except she didn’t find it, went looking where she thought there was one & there wasn’t & she was heartbroken. But all forgotten after an hour or so.

euro23451277 · 26/08/2019 08:41

The crying will stop, she’s old enough to understand a bit of bribery, ie no dummy and sleeping al night = a toy.

So try that, but she will soon forget, you just have to put up with some tears

Kinsters · 26/08/2019 08:59

My MIL told her youngest that they'd left the dummies on the plane after taking a trip. Apparently he just accepted that!

DH's aunt took a meaner approach and told her DS he was too old and the dummy wouldn't taste nice anymore. She gave the dummy to him whenever he asked but put something that tasted nasty on it and he pretty quickly stopped asking.

Original poster
Darksideofthemoon19 · 26/08/2019 09:34

I’m taking her to the shops to buy a princess barbie 🙈 we went out for lunch on Saturday and she saw a little girl playing with one and hasn’t stopped talking about it, so we’ve said we will buy her one 🙈

OP posts:
Original poster
Darksideofthemoon19 · 30/08/2019 08:31

It’s been 5 days and she hasn’t asked for it since the first day!! She’s been going sleep absolutely fine.

I’m so bloody proud. She was addicted to it!

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