Getting rid of the Dummy - Any advice?

[juicylucytoo]

My son has just turned 2. He uses a dummy at nap time and bedtime. He relinquishes it to me once he's come round from his sleep and only asks for it if tired.

I think I should be weaning him off it. Any advice about the least painful method for both of us?

Thanks

My DD is 18 months and is dependent on her dummy for nap and bed time too. I have decided to wait a little as I have heard that the best is the "dummy fairy" who takes the dummy away but I think my DD is a little too young to grasp this concept yet!

We had the 'dodi fairy' come round when dd1 was about 3 and replace her dummies with some presents. She never batted an eye and never asked for it again, and she LOVED her dodi!

Thanks for your replies

Good idea. I read that you shouldn't try it when other changes take place and we're having DC 2 in Nov, so wanted to get it over with well before that. Don't think he's quite old enough to get the fairy concept yet, so I may have to wait a few more months.

Will have a think about it.

I'm thinking about this too. DS is 20months and only has it for naps and bedtime. He asks for it at other times but we say no and distract.
The problem is that he wakes at night (maybe once or twice a week) when he loses it and we have to go and replace it, which usually settles him back down again. I hope that if he gave up the fummy he'd wake less at night (eventually, once he got used to it) but what would we do in the meantime?

I have that issue too HensMum. If he wakes in the night as he's lost it, I can just replace the dummy to settle him.

Just wish I'd bitten the bullet and done it at 6mths, when it's supposed to be much easier! It used to drop out during sleep in those days.

It's hard isn't it? I'm sure he'd sleep better in the long run but it's how to get him there.

DS actually had a period a few months ago of sleeping without the dummy. He stayed with my mum and she forgot to give it to him and he slept all night through without it! We tried it at home and it worked a couple of nights, then he grizzled a bit one bedtime and we caved at gave it to him. Should have been braver then!

Just thought i'd tell you my experience of getting rid of dummies.
Both my ds s were 2.5 and we made sure they were in good health with nothing major going on. After a few weeks talk about the dummy fairy we told them one morning that the dummy fairy had called and needed the dummies, we then put them into a bowl and went out for the day/morning. I'd then pop back into the house for something and throw the dummies away (no temptation to give in later then). I'd have a present wrapped up ready and put that into the bowl with a little note from the dummy fairy saying thank you.
Ds1 that 1st night cried for about 15 minutes asking for his dummy and then never mentioned it again.
Ds2 (who was really attached to his and who we thought would be harder to crack) asked once at bed time for his dummy, we said the dummy fairy has it now but you've got xyz instead, he just closed his eyes and went to sleep!
My main reason for taking away ds2s dummy was I was in early pregnancy with dc3 (due nov) and ds2 was waking twice a night having lost his dummy, I was so tired that I couldn't go on. Best thing I did, however,
you need to be 100% for it as toddlers aren't daft and know if you're likely to give in. If you don't think you are both ready wait until after Christmas when things have settled down with the new baby. Insist the dummy stays in bed and nobody needs know he still has it!
good luck

I have the same concern too. DS1 is now 2.5 and needs his dummy to sleep DS2 is 11 Months and likewise, My concern is how do i take dummy away from DS1 and stop him taking DS2?

Just chuck them all in the bin and have done with it.

Either do the dummy fairy idea, or stall until your DC2 is born and, in the meantime, buy one of those dummy attachment things that clip on to the child's sleeping bag or pyjama top, so when the dummy drops out in the night they can find it again easily.

Try not to worry too much. The dummy fairy thing works a treat. (Or you can do it at Christmas/Easter if this suits you better: Father Christmas/Easter Bunny leaves presents in return for the dummy).