Bye Bye Pacifier @ 4.5 years old

Little Reya used to thumb suck since in womb. When we did 3D ultrasound scanning the sonographer told us see your girl is thumb sucking. That was cuteness overloaded and we didn't realise we will have rough journey with that habit.

Week 1 after my delivery i realise that little reya's urge for thumb sucking is so strong that literally i had to breast feed her continuously The urge to thumb suck and after so many sleep less nights i resorted to the much difficult decision which is the pacifiers. I have to admit that it was easy when she were using her paci and she slept well through night. She seems more calm and happy there after. Little did i know she will continue to have it longer than what we have expected.

I have tried to wean her off several time but often she will be crying continuously and being me i will always gave in. I would say that she were so obsessed with her paci. We were nearly gave up with the weaning idea altogether. I have tried all the methods listed online turning cold turkey, making it taste bad with oil and poking holes on it. Despite all the effort above i still failed as she did not buy in to the idea of letting it go and nothing works.

Lately we realise she developed a habit to having the paci all the time.. seeing a 4 year old toddler running around with paci is really not a good sight and deep down in my heart i feel really bad and guilty to introduce the paci for her when she was young.

Everyone we met will ask, she is such a big girl and why she still having paci and we have to keep telling everyone that she is sleepy, its her nap time and all sort of stories. I don't understand why parents/community nowadays wants everything so perfect with the children to the extent that undue pressure is on the kids. For me no one graduated from university wearing a diaper and using a pacifier.

So the key here is when the time comes they will know they will have to let go their baby moments. For Reya it was so magical that she just let it go in one day and without any fuss or cries. We were so surprised that she decided she don't need that anymore.

How it stops??

We went for a holiday and once be back everything was normal and usual with Reya. After few days, Little Reya had some sores in her mouth. We went to the Dr. and been prescribed with some ointments. She also had to drink lots of water. I have told her that she has to let go her paci and the sores will go on its own. She just slept through the night without asking for her paci at all.

After than that day she did not ask for paci at all and i gladly packed it and throw away all of them. Now Little Reya is pacifier free. I am also glad that i didn't force through it and cause unnecessary trauma and stress on her. Weaning process will be lots more easier if the kids them selves are ready and trust me the time will come.

There is an opinion diverge where according to an article by www.parents.com:  Ending to pacifiers :

Children willingly will be ready to let go their pacifiers around age 3 and 4 years old. So parents out there, once your child is potty trained and weaned than pacifiers will be the last thing to go. According to Dr. Dowell it is tolerant attitude.
Experts have agreed that they are entirely soothing for babies and limit it once child is 2 years old and eliminating it by 4 years old to avoid dental problems. Beyond that there is no hard and fast rules to say bye-bye paci.

I'm happy that i have let Reya to be who she is and didn't force her to let it go as each children have different level of sucking urge and ways to manage stress.

As a parent i knew i have made a right choice for me and my awesome little girl!!!