We have hit another exciting milestone in the Michael household... Miss Scout is finally "binkie-free". Clara really only took the pacifier in her crib or in the car to get her to fall asleep past the age of 6 months, but it was a comfort item that she was used to since birth. Thus it remained a key part of our bedtime routine. After milk and having her teeth brushed we'd give her the pacifier and her blanket and she'd typically go right to sleep as long things followed her normal night pattern. Because our system worked so well and she would cry for it if we didn't give her a pacifier, we were reluctant to work towards giving it up. We all have those parental clutches, right!?!
Last Sunday we explained to Clara that we were going to give all of the binkies to the babies who still needed them. We celebrated that she was a big girl and didn't need them any more. She liked this idea until she had lied in her bed for about twenty minutes and was not asleep. Then the fussing began. We went in and she immediately said, "Binkies are for babies." It was quite clear that she was contemplating not having one for bedtime. After hearing her talk to herself in her crib then cry out a few times, it took about an hour and a half for her to go to sleep that night. Now she has not touched a pacifier for either nap or bedtime in a whole week!
I was pretty sure our method was going to work after just a few days, but I did not want to celebrate too soon. We have noticed that she is waking up earlier in the morning and makes a few peeps a night when she wakes up, but all in all giving up the pacifier has gone a lot easier than we expected.
Bye Bye Binkie!
We still have to have conversations at bed and nap time about babies, binkies and big girls, but we are so proud of Clara this week for being a champ and making what could have been a rough transition so smoothly.
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