DD is not quite 3 yet, but I thought I'd post in the 3-5 year section as well as the 24 - 36 month section in the hope that someone can provide share a positive outcome.

DD is a dreadful dummy addict. She takes at least 3 to bed with her, one in each hand a well as the mouth, and she sleeps with one in her mouth all night long.

Whilst we try to limit her dummy to sleep time only, before we know it she's found one of her many dummies that seem to end up all over the house. I am starting to think that it's time to ditch them completely.

We tried to do exchange dummies for the Easter bunny to bring extra eggs, and we talked it up a lot leading up to Easter. She was quite enthusiastic about it until it came to go to sleep, and she would not give up her dummies, even saying she didn't want any chocolate. So we didn't push that one.

I'm hoping someone else has been in a similar situation. Did you just delay giving up the dummy, try again later, waited for your child to give them up on their own, try another method?

Would be grateful for anyone willing to share their experience.

I am a mum of a 10 month old, a 2 and a half year old and a 5 year old. All were avid dummy users (thank you Happy Baby - best dummy on the planet)...

I too am dreading the removal of "Baa". However, I also dreaded it with number 1 and delayed the dummy deadline till she was 3. And, we just went cold turkey. It was ...no you are a big girl now. No dummies for bed time. And after 24 hours it was fine.

With my 2 and a half year old I am not so sure. But he is just as attached as she was. Personally, I think it was delaying it until she was nearly 3 as that I think made a big difference. I also toilet trained her without any problems at 2 years and 8 months as well and she only needed a day. ONce again I think it was waiting a bit longer than others. Sure I got the disparaging looks from other mums when my tall little girl was wandering round with a dummy - but heck - she dumped it virtually overnight and we had only 2 days of "missing it". You may be surprised.

I am going to do the same with my son this June when he hits 2 and a half so I'll let you know how he fares... GOod luck - we all need it. :-)

Cold turkey, its the only way to go. Deal with a few crap nights, a few days of whinging. You're the one with the control, they will get over it

My DS was a dummy addict - liked to put up to five at a time in his mouth! LOL

We tried the giving it to Santa/ Easter Bunny and had the same results. Keen at first but when crunch time came it wasn't going to happen.

I kept returning the dummies because he started thumb sucking the minute we took them away, and I'd rather wait a little longer and remove the dummy once he was older than try to get him to kick thumb sucking (I was a long-term thumb sucker and have the wonky teeth to go with it *sigh*).

Eventually we moved house just before DS was 3 and his Nanna accidentally 'forgot' to pack the dummies. It was a sad few days, but with the distraction of moving and the fact that it wasn't us that had lost his dummies, he settled really quickly.

Can you find a time with a family holiday or something similar coming up? I think removal of the familiar environment can really help as it takes away some of the triggers. Also, if another family member can take responsibility for the loss of the dummies, it might make it easier on you.

DS did take to sucking and chewing on his teddies for a little while, but he has stopped that now too.

HTH

My DD was a dummy addict. We tried to give it up when she was about 2 but she was taking over 3 hours to go to sleep even with me laying with her so i gave in as it wasnt worth the stress of it. As soon as i gave it back to her she was asleep within 30 secs lol

Shes now almost 3 and we have noticed that she was getting sores on her face from it the drool/bacteria i suppose, so we started talking it up again and said that i would buy her a present if she chucked it in the bin, next thing i knew she got out of bed and put it in the bin, from that moment on it was gone, she put it in the bin i didnt take it away from her so everytime she asked for it i would say your chucked it in the bin remember and she would stop whinging. We went to the shop on the weekend and she got to choose what she wanted for her present.

Im a firm believer if they are ready then it should be easy. Its been 2 weeks now without it, she does still occassionally ask for it if shes really tired and cranky but i just come back with you chucked it in the bin remember and thats the end of it.

So goodluck!!!

I agree 100%

It's the only way it worked for DD1 when she was 2yo. The first couple of night there was a lot of comforting, patting etc. By night three it was like there was never a dummy to begin with.

We tried to ditch DS's 'nummie' before DD2 was born, but that was a nightmare. He screamed and cried and carried on. Our happy sleeper became a multiple times a night waker. It got so bad that he would start screaming when we walked into the bedroom to put him to bed.

So we gave them back. About two months ago I decided that I was sick of them. He had 4 and as they wore out/developed holes I just threw them out. He was finally down to just one. Then one night he said 'no nummie' so I shrugged and we went and threw it in the rubbish bin. He asked for it a few times but every time we just said you threw it in the bin, its gone.

Occassionally he will get hold of one of DD2's nummies and walk around with it in his mouth. As soon as I see him with it I take it off him and make a bit of a joke about him being a big boy not needing Hailey's nummie. We both have a bit of a laugh and he hands it over without fuss. The good thing is hes not fixated on her nummies. They can sit in reach of him and hes not desperately trying to get it.

Dummy Fairy! Worked a treat for us.
For a few days beforehand we told our children that once the dummy fairy thought they were grown up she would come and take them for the new babies and leave them a gift.
We wrote to the dummy fairy and told her what gift they wanted and sure enough she came one night, took all the dummies away and left the gift. There was not a murmer from any of them but they did sleep with the gift for a few nights.
This method needs to be used of course when your child is able to comprehend what is about to happen, for us it was about the 3rd birthday.

A dummy is a non-issue for me, DS1 is 4 in August and he still has his for bed and when upset or tired. I'm more worried about getting him out of my bed and into his own - anything to give me a better night's sleep!