Stopping dummy with 4yr old DD

[MamaCaitlin]

I feel a bit embarrassed writing this but need some help when it comes to DD and her dummy. She has always loved her dummy but as she's gotten older we have reduced it to when she is allowed it. After she turned 3 we limited it to bedtime and if she went for a nap etc and that worked fine. However she is now 4 and still loves her dummy and it doesn't seem as though she is going to give it up herself. I have been transparent with the dentist and he's said that as far as he can see there has been no permanent damage but he wouldn't advise her having it any longer. My question is how to I go about getting rid of it? Do I go cold turkey and donate them to the "dummy fairy" and just bare the long nights or do I phase it out and tell her at Easter it's going etc.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

We did dummy fairy, ds was about 2. It worked and fairy left a treat. We dod build up to it though but once done we did not cave!!

My question is how to I go about getting rid of it? Do I go cold turkey and donate them to the "dummy fairy" and just bare the long nights or do I phase it out and tell her at Easter it's going etc.

I would just go cold turkey, it’s already going to be a few rough days and nights particularly since she’s 4 so imo it will get worse the longer you leave it.

There's a book called 'the last noo noo' it's a bit of a funny story (quite old from when I was little), and does end up with the monster planting the dummies, but it's light hearted so could be worth a try

I've had two dummy addicts and now baby has a dummy that will have to go one day.
Dummy fairy - set the scene at breakfast, isn't it exciting etc. At bedtime put it on windowsill in envelope, give her something of yours (old Teddy of yours? Bracelet? Ornament?) while she 'waits up' for fairy, lights out at normal time. Fairy leaves a treat to be found the next morning.

Mine cried for 20min - half an hour that bedtime (went in and out every 5 mins or so) but was 100% fine from next day onwards.

Good luck!

My eldest was obsessed with his dummy. I decided enough was enough when he was 3.5 and told him that when you suck a dummy too much it breaks. Repeated this every time I saw him with it for a few days, then one day I snipped the top of it off and when he found it he said "oh it's broken mummy, needs to go in the bin"

And from that day on he has never once mentioned it again. I'm amazed!

You can do this! Did dummy fairy with both of mine, first age 3.5 and second age 2.5. Rough couple of days for both but settled v v quickly. Now they (5 and 3) joke about having dummies! Heartbreaking for me though, have to admit I still have one of DD2’s in a drawer as a reminder of when they were tiny. DD1’s teeth were affected but are already nearly completely back into normal alignment.

Honestly I wouldn't rush it, it gives her comfort and you've limited it just to bedtimes . I'd let her lead this change and she'll let you know when she's read. If she still loves it she probably needs it emotionally. Just have a discussion every now and then if she'd like to sleep without the dummy and if she says no don't force it. She'll not have it when she's grown up.