“Baby” is the generalized name I provide for any age child I refer to (age 0-5 years), so look for other context to decipher if age matters for the specific info given. Most of the time, the term refers to infants and toddlers alike!
I’ve been sleep training my daughter for the last 10 days, and although I see the results of sleep training for the families I help all the time, it’s different to see my own results — I’ve been reminded how truly great it is to sleep train! Several things have improved, but one MAJOR improvement is that we have finally said goodbye to the pacifier! *Insert all the happy faces and praise hand emojis here!* I’m stoked to not have to use the words “hold on a sec — gotta go replace the binky!” for a few more years.
While I highly recommend the pacifier during the newborn stage, I highly recommend DITCHING the pacifier at four months old (sleep training age!) or, you know, today if your child is older :) This post covers all the reasons why AND how to do it!
Why I Hate Pacifiers
Broken Sleep
First and foremost, the pacifier causes broken sleep. Babies (and adults) briefly wake between sleep cycles looking for the same circumstances they had when falling asleep. If Baby fell asleep with the binky and woke up without it, he’s going to FULLY wake looking for the binky.
How many times were you up last night popping the binky back into Baby’s mouth? Or how often do you get stuck with a short nap because Baby wakes up after one sleep cycle and won’t go back to sleep even when the paci is replaced? The binky is interrupting Baby’s sleep AND your sleep!
Okay, so what about older babies or toddlers who can replace the binky on their own? Well, their sleep is still being broken by the search for the binky. They have to awaken a lot more to find the beloved binky than they do to get their hands to their mouths, so they’re still getting broken sleep.
Denied Expression
Pacifiers are often used to quiet a fussy baby, but guess what? Babies are fussy for a reason! Whether Baby is hungry, tired, has an upset tummy, or is experiencing big emotions, he’s trying to communicate something. Consistently giving the binky to quiet Baby’s cries may keep you from taking care of his true needs (hunger, tiredness), and it can potentially teach him to bury big emotions. While a pacifier may mask the fussiness, it doesn’t treat the cause of it.
Delayed Speech
Binkies have also been linked to delays in speech development. Binkies tend to be used not only for sleep, but also as a mute button or comfort object all throughout the day, giving Baby less opportunity to find and use his voice. Again, let Baby learn to communicate with you.
Hidden Smile
This one’s really just a personal preference — I love to see babies smile! And pacifiers are an obstruction to otherwise beautiful grins :)
How to Ditch the Pacifier
Cold Turkey
For young babies, you can simply stop using the pacifier when you’re ready to sleep train. Baby will protest the change initially, but he’ll quickly figure out a new way to self-soothe, and that’s when things get good!
“Break” the Binky
Older babies may need a little more convincing to give up the habit, and one way to do that is to break the binky. You can poke a hole in the end of the pacifier (changes the feeling of the suck), or you can cut off the end (sometimes cutting off more and more is necessary). Make sure you break all the binkies in the house — wouldn’t want him to find an intact binky and revert!
When Baby complains about the change, simply tell him, “Looks like the binky is broken! Let’s throw it away!” Let Baby do it so that he can take some ownership of the decision.
Swap it Out
Toddlers and preschoolers may do better giving up the binky if they get to swap it for something more enticing.
You can take Baby’s binkies to Build-a-Bear Workshop and put them inside of a new stuffed friend Baby could sleep with.
You can tell Baby that the “binky fairy” is going to come in the night and take away the pacifiers, but she’ll leave a special toy or new sleep object instead.
You can talk about how Baby has previously used binkies to help him sleep, but now he can have a new special blanket or stuffed animal to help him sleep.
How do YOU feel about the binky? Have I convinced you to hate it, too? :D
Need help ditching the binky? I’m here for you! Check out all your options here.