When we get to this point, we have a few different ways to tackle it –

1. 1. We make the decision to get rid of the dummy and guide bub into learning to fall asleep without it.
   2. We make the decision to hold off taking it away and wait a few months in the hope that they will be able to pop it back in themselves.
   3. We decide we are happy to continue going in to put the dummy back in ourselves.

Any of these options are perfectly OK. We never ever pressure any of the families we work with to remove the dummy, just to consider it. 

Be sure to keep in mind that if you do decide that you will hold off on taking the dummy away until your baby is old enough to replace it themselves (usually around 9 months), even though they can fix their own sleeping issue, they are still needing to wake up to find the dummy (no many how many you have scattered in their cot!), and if all of them have fallen or been thrown out, then we are back where we started, with bub needing Mum or Dad to replace it for them.  

Getting rid of the dummy is a scary thought, and the thought is ALWAYS scarier than getting rid of it. Babies adjust quickly, and in my experience, it takes 1-3 nights for a baby to adjust to not having their dummy.

I believe that the best way to get rid of the dummy is to just do it. If we take it away cold turkey, there is less confusion, and less temptation to re-introduce it.

Here are a few tips to help with getting rid of it for a baby under 18 Months –

+ Introduce a comforter.  A lightweight, breathable and handkerchief sized comforter is something that we recommend to help ease the transition (if you baby is over 6 months old). We love the Kippins and the Aden and Anais comforters.

+ Assess. If you don’t feel ready but have committed to a sleep plan, then don’t feel the pressure to get rid of it. Use the first night as an ‘assessment’ night. Have in your mind that you will hold off on giving your baby the dummy for a minute or so, and then give it to them and see how they respond. If they take it straight away, then it’s safe to say they are relying on it to fall asleep

+ There is no need to get rid of it for daytime use. If the thought of getting rid of it 100% is too overwhelming, then don’t! Keep it for the car rides, and the shopping trolley if you feel the need to.

+ Know that Night 1 and potentially Night 2 will be rough. Your baby is going through a change, and will most likely resist this change. There really is no ‘normal’ time it takes for a baby to adjust to these changes. We have given them everything they NEED – they are clean, fed and tired. We have taken away what they WANT, but this will soon be replaced by another huge NEED – uninterrupted sleep.

+ Choose a technique that suits you and your family, and start it the night you decide to get rid of the dummy. We have a variety of techniques that we use at The Sleep Dept. Our favorite (and the gentlest) is a ‘Gradual Withdrawal’ from your baby’s room. That way, you are with your baby the whole time they are going through this, and you are able to comfort as much as you feel you need to. If you have a baby who may get a little too over-stimulated having you in the room, then consider a ‘Leave & Check’ technique. This will involve reassuring your baby in timed intervals. Whatever you decide to go with, make the decision and give it a good few days of consistency. We see the biggest changes in the first 3 nights, so if you have given it all you have and after 3 nights are seeing absolutely zero improvements, consider a different technique.

BUT… what if you have a child over 18 months? Well, it’s a whole different story. By this age, your toddler will have well and truly formed an attachment to their dummy, so that means we have to be a little gentler when it comes to taking it away and wean them over time. Take these tips into consideration before you take away their dummy –