I mean, how do you wean your toddler off a dummy? It’s almost always a difficult task unless they are old enough to understand you communicating various scenarios with them I believe. One of my best friends simply sent her three year old daughter’s dummy off on a balloon string, she waved goodbye and never really asked for it again. 

I’ve heard of various success stories involving role play, dummies being given to the fairies and all sorts of magic-related scenarios. Unfortunately we were in a position a couple of months ago where we began considering the weaning faze as Mabel’s dummy seemed to be exacerbating the eczema around her mouth. She was around 19 months and VERY attached to it. Initially she had only been given it for afternoon naps and bedtime but this had increased to when she was unwell or was throwing a particularly theatrical diva strop that involved floods of tears and hurling herself on the floor (Oscar-worthy, I’m not even exaggerating.)

Sometimes it is simply easier to give in.

We began by using the power of distraction for the times she was under the weather or the aforementioned award-winning wobblers, usually singing a nursery rhyme accompanied by a silly dance, an episode (or two) of Peppa Pig, one of her favourite toys or um… (should I admit to a biscuit?) well yes, sometimes the most expeditious solution involved a custard cream.

Of course on occasions we just had to say no. Often multiple times. Possibly often a hundred times or more. There were extreme tantrums as a result.

When out in public it wasn’t pretty. At all.

We eventually worked through the pain barrier and are now at the stage where Mabel only has her dummy in the evening after her bottle until she goes to sleep (which can be anything from 2 minutes to an hour depending on how exhausted she is/how determined she is to stay awake). Either James or I will then endeavour to take her dummy away from her once she is firmly in the land of nod.

There is no denying Mabel’s skin condition has cleared up considerably, but we have hit a brick wall with the bedtime routine. The screaming and sobbing that ensues if we refuse to give her a dummy to soothe her to dreamland has thus far, been too much to bear. This also means that she sometimes wakes up in the night asking for it. I say ask, what I really mean is shout. At the top of her rather impressively loud voice.

Have any of you folks got to this stage? How did you eventually wean your little off their dummy completely? Was it a case of perseverance through the pain?

Image by Anna Clarke Photography