Infants in the process of sucking nipples feel more comfortable and calm. This reminds them of what they experience when they suck their mother’s breasts, and gives the illusion of her closeness. This makes a regular dummy a great tool for parents who want to reassure their baby. With the help of nipples for newborns, you can put the baby to sleep, help him calm down during colic or teething. Unfortunately, this soothing item (the so-called pacifier and other soothing things is called by children's psychologists) can lead to a wrong bite in the future or to crooked teeth, in addition, a dummy is still unhygienic, because it’s simply impossible to boil it every five minutes, and the baby pulls her in her mouth all the time. Because of this, many parents try not to deal with items such as a dummy or a pacifier. But if you still decided that in your case a dummy is simply necessary, then sooner or later you will have a question: "How to wean children from their nipples?" If everything is done correctly, then this process will pass quickly and painlessly.
Instructions on how to wean babies from nipples
- Restrict your baby access to this favorite toy. Give the baby a dummy only at night so that he can fall asleep and sleep peacefully, and during the day only when he needs it most.
- Dip or grease the nipple with something tasteless. For example, not very burning mustard or chicory is suitable. An unsuspecting baby will put it in his mouth and spit it out himself from a bitter taste. If for some time the dummy does not become the same, the child will completely abandon it.
- When wondering how to wean children from the nipple, many parents stumble upon such a technique, according to which it is advised to cut off a piece of the nipple so that the air circulates quietly in it and it is impossible to suck. But after all, some children do not have to suck a dummy and it is important that there is simply something in the mouth. In this case, this advice is also effective, only for this it is not enough to cut off the small tip of the dummy. It is necessary to cut half a centimeter a week, and thus, sooner or later, the nipple will simply end, and the baby will have to abandon the remaining stub on its own.
- Replace the toy with another toy for comfort. Your child loves the comfort and tranquility that he receives from the nipple, replace it with something else that can comfort your baby. When the baby falls asleep and sucks the nipple, try patting his cheek with a soft, pleasant blanket. Over time, this blanket will be associated with comfort and coziness, and you can pick up the pacifier from the child, leaving your favorite blanket.
- If the baby is big enough, but still does not want to give up the dummy, just try to pick up his pacifier. Explain to him that the nipple is lost or left to live with other, small children, and you will not get a new one, since the child is already big. The first week, of course, it will be difficult for him, he will remember about it and ask to buy a new one. At such moments, you need to try to distract the child, and he will quickly forget about his old love and immediately find a new subject for adoration.
When to wean a baby from a nipple
The first sign that it is time to wean a child from a dummy, is the age of more than twelve months. At this time, the kids are actively trying to learn to talk, doing it with a pacifier in their mouth is very uncomfortable. It is very important that by this time you already know how to wean children from their nipples, because you need to do this in a timely manner.