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Many parents offer their babies a soother or dummy when they’re distressed, and they can also help calm babies with colic or gas. But as your baby grows, there will come a time when you'll want to wean them off their dummy, before they become too reliant on the reassurance it gives.
This transition can be challenging for parents, but it's important to remember that it's a normal part of a baby’s development. Fortunately, babies and toddlers are adaptable and usually adjust to the change with ease. Let’s cover some of our top tips to help make the process of weaning a baby off their soother a little simpler and less stressful for everyone involved.
Helping them to say goodbye to their dummy will support the development of their language skills and budding personality. Babies who continue to use a dummy and depend on it for comfort for too long into toddlerhood can experience issues with the growth of their teeth and their speech development.
Try these tips and tricks to help your child make the move to a dummy-free life, whenever you feel that it’s the right time for you and your baby.
You can give your baby a new cuddly toy or a soft blanket to help comfort them in place of their dummy. Talk to them and tell them that they can swap their dummy for a lovely new toy.
As they get older, you can try to introduce a reward chart and give them a sticker for not using their dummy. Once their chart is full, offer them an extra special treat for doing so well.
Toddlers love magical stories, so talking to them about the Dummy Fairy and how they're going to come and give their dummy to the baby fairies will build excitement.
If the timing is right, you could hang their dummy on the Christmas tree for Santa to take back to the North Pole. Or leave it out for the Easter bunny to swap for a sweet treat.
When you're trying to move away from the dummy, it's a good idea to consider why they're crying before instantly rushing to give them their soother. If you can teach them to communicate their needs and tune in to their emotions, they'll be more likely to self-soothe without reaching for their dummy.
Try not to take your child’s dummy away from them during a time of change or when their routine is unsettled (if you're moving house, transitioning from cot to bed, welcoming a new baby into the family). Babies can build a strong bond with their dummies and use them to manage stress and self-soothe if they're upset or feeling unwell.
Keep their dummy hidden and out of reach to help them avoid temptation.
You can try limiting dummy use to bedtime, nap times, and stressful situations (like a trip to the doctor’s office).
Read them bedtime stories about saying bye-bye to the dummy. There are tons of children's books out there that are designed to support babies as they give up their dummies.
The process of moving on from their dummy can be difficult and stressful for babies and parents. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself (or them), be patient, and remember that you'll get there in the end.