Weaning toddler off dummy?

[SephrinaX]

My 2.5 still using a soother/dummy when he's tired for nodding off to sleep. He doesn't really use it the rest of the time.

Any tips for weaning him off it?

If I don't give it him at bedtime he has a massive meltdown!

Genuine questions (as I have a nearly 1yo with dummy for sleep):

Is there a problem with him having the dummy for sleep only?
Does he really need weaning off it?
Will he not just grow out of it eventually?

Hopefully someone with experience of these things will come along with some insight!

Not really a problem exactly. I just feel he's getting a bit old to still be using it is all. And just thought see if anyone had successfully managed to wean them off it.

My ds1 was obsessed with his dummy and wouldn't sleep with without it. We were very worried. One day when he was 4 and a bit he woke up and said his teeth hurt, we said it might be his dummy. He put it in the bin and that was that.
I wouldn't worry about it. He will give it up when he's ready

I would start with leaving the dummy in his bed so that it is absolutely only for bed time.

At a similar age, mine both left theirs out for Father Christmas (with the mince pie, carrot etc) to give to other babies. FC brought presents in return! When they asked for the dummy, we said they'd have to give the presents back - they never asked again!

It is important to wean them off it because it can affect their speech (if used when awake) and also their teeth.

Mine bit a hole in his and then didn't like it anymore because it didn't"work" so he put it in the bin because it was broken. He then did exactly the same with the rest of them. When he asked for us to get more we explained that he had big boy teeth now so they would keep breaking. He seemed to understand this and only asked for a dummy once or twice after and we explained they wouldn't work because of his big boy teeth and he was ok with that.

OP - Don't consider dropping the dummy until daytime mapping finishes.

You will stop getting ta lunchtime nap as soon as dummy goes so I'd wait first until the nap goes and use that as the trigger to drop the dummy.

We just went cold turkey at 18m. A few unsettled days but no real issues.