Many parents have a love hate relationship with their child's pacifier
and I have to agree with them. They often will ask me "when is it time
to give up the pacifier?" I am a big fan of a pacifier for an infant as
babies need to satisfy their urge for non-nutritive sucking. Pacifiers
help relax a baby and make them calmer. Maybe we all need a pacifier.
There are many times that there is not much that will console a fussy baby other than a pacifier. I really like to stop the pacifier and the bottle when a baby turns one. As it gets closer to the time to stop the pacifier the first thing to do is to make the pacifier stay in the crib. This way it is only being used for naps and nighttime, and not for shopping or car rides. Sounds easy but may be harder than you think.
After that step, if your child is still under 12 -15 months, you can just throw them out, otherwise you may need to have a plan to stop the pacifier completely. Maybe the pacifier fairy can come and leave a present, or plan on wrapping the pacifier up as a gift for another baby! Be clever as you are now dealing with a strong willed toddler, and they may be quite persuasive and manipulative. Whatever you do stay committed and don't go back. Get all pacifiers out of the house so you will follow through!
There are many times that there is not much that will console a fussy baby other than a pacifier. I really like to stop the pacifier and the bottle when a baby turns one. As it gets closer to the time to stop the pacifier the first thing to do is to make the pacifier stay in the crib. This way it is only being used for naps and nighttime, and not for shopping or car rides. Sounds easy but may be harder than you think.
After that step, if your child is still under 12 -15 months, you can just throw them out, otherwise you may need to have a plan to stop the pacifier completely. Maybe the pacifier fairy can come and leave a present, or plan on wrapping the pacifier up as a gift for another baby! Be clever as you are now dealing with a strong willed toddler, and they may be quite persuasive and manipulative. Whatever you do stay committed and don't go back. Get all pacifiers out of the house so you will follow through!
Dr.
Sue Hubbard is an award winning pediatrician and medical editor for
www.kidsdr.com. She is a native of Washington, D.C. who travelled south
to attend the University of Texas at Austin and never left. 
