Weaning off the dummy

[kisaki333]

Please help, I am not sure how to do this right and need to know how it worked out for others in similar situations.

Little one is 2y4m. She was not breastfed, sadly. She instead became a big fan of dummies. She has days when she hardly uses the dummies and days when she asks almost constantly. But she always always always wants them for sleeping. Not just to fall asleep but also during the night. She starts looking for them in hersleep, and if she can't find them, she eventually wakes up and cries. I say them as she sleeps with 2 (one in her hand) .

If it weren't for the sleep part, I'd go cold turkey. But I'm not sure she can handle sleep without them. Should i try a gentler approach? What worked for you?

Step one - only allow her them when it is sleep time

Step two - go cold turkey

Thank you @NewName24 !
Did this work for your little ones? How did they cope? I guess i am worried she will just replace the dummy with finger sucking. And that i can't take away 😔
Plus we are in -what i hope is the worst of - the terrible twos. And usually after a tantrum the dummy is the only thing that seems to bring her peace...

On my son's 3rd birthday we arranged for our friend who was a police officer to come round in full uniform, take his bag of dummies and give him a much wanted toy in exchange.

It was brilliant and my son was happy to comply. "big boy now" etc

In hindsight I wouldn't have done it on his actual birthday as he did cry himself to sleep that night, but he didn't want a dummy ever again and was completely fine the next day and thereafter.

Thank you @Iamblossom .
How much was your little one using the dummy when you did this?
Did you have any conversations beforehand about what will happen?

My 3 year old only had it for bed but was extremely attached - often asking to go to bed in the day so she could get it! We took her to build a bear, she chose a teddy and we stuffed the dummy inside. She sleeps with it almost every night now a year later - worked for us as we didn't 'get rid of it' as such, just moved it!

Did this work for your little ones?

Yes.

How did they cope?
No problems really. We made a big thing about "Now you are a big boy / girl...."

I guess i am worried she will just replace the dummy with finger sucking.

I have no data to back me up on this, but I suspect thumb suckers as children are people who started as babies.

Scrap daytime totally.

cut the teat off and explain it's broken, mine held the dummy to sleep instead for a few days then it went down the back of the cot and was never asked for again. Gonna do the same with my other daughter when she's 2.