Before I had the twins there was one topic, I felt everyone had advise to give. The topic was weather to give the twins a pacifier or not. The grandparents strongly advised do not even think of using a pacifier. Others said it helps with SIDS and so forth. Very opposing opinions. We decided to buy one each for the twins and use it if needed. We had heard all about pacifier addiction and would have preferred to avoid that addiction. All those good intentions went out the window during the second week. We were struggling with crying twins and no sleep. I took out the pacifier at two in the morning and gave it to the twins. Withing seconds they were quiet and, in a few minutes, asleep. It was heavenly!
Within three months Mikaal gave up the pacifier on his own. Musa however needed it and did not give it up. We decided to let Musa have the pacifier till the age of one and then wean him off it. Initially Musa would have the pacifier in his mouth constantly. Slowly we got him to only take it for when he needed to sleep. Sleep training with the pacifier was great! It was much easier to sleep train with the pacifier. Musa used it as a comfort and sleep much quicker and easily compared to Mikaal.
Fast forward Musa is now 17 months old and still using the pacifier to sleep. We totally did not meet our goal of getting rid of the pacifier at the age of one. One week we noticed a pattern that Musa was throwing up every night. It looked like instead of soothing him it was making Musa throw up the pacifier. On the seventh day we decided no more pacifier. We are going cold turkey as of nap time in four hours. I was so scared that Musa will not sleep and will cry and cry and have no nap. He surprised us. He went to his crib and slept for two and a half hours. It was a miracle! Then it came for bedtime and I was nervous again. Musa surprised us again and went to sleep at 8 pm with no issues. That one night he did wake up and cried at 11 pm for about ten minutes and then went back to sleep.
We always had an excuse of why we were not actively working on the pacifier weaning. Basically, it was because I was lazy and scared. I bit the bullet and went cold turkey. Musa surprised us by making it easy. I guess he was ready to give up the pacifier and we were not. The lesson I learned in all this is that never be afraid of trying or doing or teaching something. The kids might surprise you! In my case Musa most definitely did.
The Winging it Mama! 