This isn't the first time I've written about Mason's sleep attachment to the dreaded binky (aka sucky, soothy, paci etc) but we have made some progress. There are a few different reasons why it is time that the binky goes bye bye.
- Pacifiers can contribute to misaligned teeth especially if older toddlers still use them.
- Mason does not sleep through the night because the soother falls out of his mouth and he cannot find it.
- *I* want to sleep through the night and I start work in 28 days!
- It's time for it to go.
I can't do the 'cry it out' thing. I just can't. I don't want to either. I can't see how letting Masey cry his little eyes out for 2+ hours will really help him. I'd rather take something away gradually until he loses interest in it. Mason does have a bit of an attitude/temper for being such a little guy but the good thing about him is he'll throw a tiny fit for less than a minute and then go on to something else. He communicates he's upset and then gets over it.
So how has the progress been? I tried doing away with the binky during naps only (he only has it in his crib) and I couldn't last through 15 mins of wailing. Okay that's all I've done. So the other day I was thinking, how can I get him to stop crying in the night (2-3x) for his binky. The solution?
Attach the binky to the Mason! A friend gave me one of those binky straps. One end attaches to the binky, the other clips to his shirt. The 'strap' which is a thick piece of ribbon is very short and there is no risk of him getting tangled in it. The first night I tried it, he didn't understand what it was for. But the second night - eureka! I got up super early (around 5am) to give Mason a bottle and went in 10 mins later to check on him and sure enough there was an empty bottle beside him and a binky in his mouth. SUCCESS! This is what I call phase 1. Give Mason independence to sleep through the night. He no longer needs me to get his binky. As long as he's warm, there shouldn't be a peep. Mason now wakes up maybe 1x a night and it's because he needs to be covered with a blanket.
The second plan is to go a week with him sleeping through the night and then the fun starts. Little by little I will start cutting notches out of the binky nipple (got this tip from multiple websites). Eventually Mason will spit out the binky because it will no longer give him the sucking sensation he needs and hopefully he will no longer want it.
I'll keep you posted on how this all works out!