Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

How did you get rid of your child's dummy?

65 replies

pinky955 · 16/12/2022 16:59

DD is coming to an age where I would like to get rid of her dummy. She's very attached to it and I'm dreading the whole thing. Can anyone give me any successful ways you've managed to get rid of the dummy? Preferably methods that don't involve lots of tantrums and crying 🤞😂

OP posts:
Tallulasdancingshoes · 16/12/2022 21:15

Dd was nearly 4 so quite old really. The dummy fairy took them for the babies and swapped them for a Barbie. Dd decided this was what she wanted. Ds was only about 4.5 months. He was a total nightmare though the night with them - wanted them put back in constantly. And no one was getting any sleep so the health visitor advised getting rid of it cold Turkey so this is what we did. We had a terrible 48 hours but he totally forgot he’d ever had one after than and we all starting sleeping better. Dd sucked her fingers when her dummy fell out and then learnt to put it in again at a young age so it was never a problem.

helppleaseee · 16/12/2022 21:23

Depends on the age. We gave DD's to the fairies at 17 months old, we made a fairy garden outside the day before then the next day when she got up we left them in the fairy garden then after lunch the dummies had gone and the fairies had left some treats for DD. She had really good understanding for her age though and still talks about it now at 3

MrsMorrisey · 16/12/2022 21:38

I'll get slammed for my poor environmental choices but we tied it to a helium balloon and it floated away to another baby who needed it now.
Was very very cute.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
Bakingdiva · 16/12/2022 21:38

I don't suggest my method, go away to Spain and genuinely forget to take the dummies and the toy they were attached to - the fear was real!!

Although after the first night of hell it was better and they did not reappear when we got home. Dd was 3.5 and only had it at night time.

Fifthtimelucky · 16/12/2022 21:45

My daughter never had one when she was a baby, but when she was a toddler she developed an ear infection and the pain was relieved by sucking.

She started using a dummy and I found it very difficult to wean her off it again.

The Christmas she was 2.5, I told her that Father Christmas was going to bring her a lovely present, but that she had to leave a present out for him in return. She left the dummy out by her stocking before she went to bed and surprise surprise it had disappeared by morning !

Original poster
pinky955 · 16/12/2022 23:54

Thank you all for the responses, some great ideas! DD is almost 3 for those who asked.

OP posts:
MissCaptain · 17/12/2022 00:08

Had an absolutely dummy addicted two and a half year old sixteen years ago. Opted for dummy elf given the time of year. She was fully on board. She woke up in the morning as a fully committed thumb sucker - gave not a second thought to the missing dummies - thumb sucked for about the next decade.....

AmySma1 · 17/12/2022 05:55

Just to be careful! Don't backtrack from your decision once you've made it, we tried with Santa but she then kept stealing her younger sisters and we didn't reinforce. Now we've A 4 year old who's much more reluctant to get rid

purplethings · 17/12/2022 18:11

We went off on a road / camping trip and didn't take any with us. It could have been a nightmare but it was fine. Perhaps the change of scene helped.

HardonCollider · 17/12/2022 18:31

Dummy fairy was a great idea for my 2.5yo. We decorated a box and packed the dummy away with tissue paper then left it in the garden when we went out to the park. I ‘forgot’ something as we were leaving so went and switched the dummy box for a wrapped present which has slept with her ever since.. highly recommend a cuddly toy as a gift from the dummy fairy 😊

TaraRhu · 18/12/2022 16:32

We swapped it for play doh. He was 2.5. He didn't use it at nursery. We were terrified but he literally gave it up for some toy he wanted. Not sure no 2 will be as easy...

Danikm151 · 23/12/2022 04:50

Monday I laid the ground work and asked my son if we could give the dummy to baby Freddie ( friends new baby)
tuesday I told him Santa took it to give to baby Freddie
wednesday my son asked to see Santa( probably to get the dummy back!)
we are now on night 3 with no dummy!
so relieved! He’s 2y9m so quite late and it was only bed time really.

this thread spurred me on to get the process going and it worked!

DipmeinChoc · 23/12/2022 05:23

Both of mine only had them for sleeping. They gave them up around 3, coinciding with Easter. Gave them to the "babies", the next day they had Chocolate eggs.

DinosApple · 23/12/2022 05:29

My two had dummies at the same time, there's 17 months between them.
DD1 adored hers and we finally got rid of it when she was just over 3. Luckily DD2 was less attached to it as I got rid of hers at the same time - to prevent big one stealing little one's. I think it was a combination of the big one bit through hers and they didn't get replaced, and the dummy fairy.

There were no tears, but bedtimes took much longer after that! I still miss the instant calm the dummies bestowed! (12 & 13 now).

fairtrauchled · 23/12/2022 10:48

DD was 2.5 and left out her dummy for Santa to take to a new baby and in return Santa her left her a toy she wanted.Never asked for her dummy again.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread