Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

Original poster

Tips for getting 2yo off her dummy?

10 replies

eversomuch · 26/05/2013 21:26

DD is 26 months. I'd like to start potty training soon (she's showing strong signs of being ready -- yay!) but I first want to get her off her dummy. She only uses the dummy at bedtime and for her one daily nap, but she is pretty attached to it.

We've been telling her that she's such a big girl she won't need a dummy much longer and today, when she tried on some underpants for the first time, she said, "no dummy, no nappy", so maybe it won't be as bad as I fear. But she is very much a creature of habit, so I expect tears and tantrums.

Any advice on how to make it less painful and traumatic for her?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

PicklePants · 26/05/2013 21:40

Watching with interest! DS is also very attached to his dummy for sleeping times, and I'm starting to think about weaning him off it.

I read that making a tiny hole in the teat makes it less satisfying to suck (which I guess means they might reject it themselves) but not sure if that's ok from a safety perspective?

Droflove · 26/05/2013 22:33

Haven't tried it yet but heard a trick whereby each few nights you put a tiny pinprick in it and bit by bit it gets to be no fun to suck! Might work.

Bananapickle · 27/05/2013 09:56

You may be surprised how easy it is...I had feared removing my DDs dummy but I just told her that big girls don't have dummies. After a couple of nights she didn't ask for it and hasn't since. I think you just have to stay positive and don't give in once you have decided, however you decide to do it.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

Error · 27/05/2013 18:16

Agree with Bananapickle. I hadn't even talked to my son about taking the dummy off but one night just before his 2nd birthday i simply didn't give it to him. He asked where's dummy, i said it's in the bin and that was the end of the conversation, he happily accepted it. That was 3 weeks ago and he hasn't asked for it even though he saw his baby-cousin sucking hers. Now i think i should've done it long time ago! :)
I'm sure not every child is ready to give up at the same age, but you never know unless you try!

lulu6867 · 27/05/2013 18:28

In my experience they will let you know when they are fed up of them they will stop searching for it at nap time, then just ask them if they think they are too big for dummy now, they will probably say yes and hey presto get them to put it in the bin or even leave it for Santa to take, (bit too long to wait in this case) they do love to feel grown up. Also don't stress about it, not many children turn up to their first day of school in nappies or sucking a dummy. Mine are 18 and 20 now and neither of them have a dummy and they are both potty trained and I think that sort of happened naturally it was never a biggy in my house. If I remember rightly we went on holiday and forgot my daughters dummy and she never asked for it I think she was about 3. On the other hand be grateful they have a dummy not a thumb sucker, I still suck my thumb at 46, couldn't really get rid of that!!

littlemefi · 27/05/2013 18:30

We did 'the dummy fairy' with dd at 2.6 months.
We told her the dummy fairy was coming soon and needed the dummies for new babies being born. A few days later we collected up all the dummies with her, put them in a gift bag and pegged it on the washing line.
Managed to settle her at bedtime with a bit of whinging, then we threw dummies away so we couldn't cave in!
The next day the gift bag had sweeties and a cuddly toy from the dummy fairy and dd was delighted! We had a couple of unsettled nights after but nothing major. You might be surprised, I honestly thought we were going to have screaming all night but it wasn't half as bad as I thought!

Original poster

eversomuch · 27/05/2013 18:52

Thanks, everyone. Really not sure what to do. Tonight at dinner, DD said, 'goodbye, dummy" but when we asked if she meant she wanted to stop using it, she burst into uncontrollable tears. I guess we won't force the issue right now and instead cross fingers & hope she shows signs of readiness soon.

I was thinking it would be good to get off dummy before potty training so that removing dummy would be less likely to result in toilet accidents if we did potty training first...

OP posts:

iccarus · 28/05/2013 00:57

God, we've had nightmares with this and ds1. He's 3 in September and dummy obsessed. We are getting better at just having dummy at nap\bedtime but he usually gets it if he's hurt himself or getting tired too. We've tried dummy fairy n leaving for Santa but had hysterical crying, screaming, kicking and he doesn't often react like that to other things. Have resorted to just trying to limit as much as possible. Good luck, let us know if you manage it (and how)

bellablot · 28/05/2013 08:17

I like Error's method, however it didn't work for my two strong willed DD's. the 'dummy fairy' did though, leaving a nice little gift for them in replace of all their dummy's. my 5 year old still remembers the 'dummy fairy'.

Beware, it did take a few weeks of adjustment without them but well worth the heartache, soldier on, you'll get there in the end!

FadBook · 28/05/2013 08:29

Watching with interest

Has anyone tried the pin prick method?

Flip