Symi was not a cryer, but definitely was restless in between feedings and at night the first 48 hours. A few days after we came home from the hospital our good friend Ashley encouraged us to try it. After other family members assured me it wasn't going to wreck her teeth or make me a bad mother, I gave in, and viola! She was hooked!
Over the last 23 months, the pacifier truly was more help than it was harm and we never let it get to the point of, "it's more for Dad and Mom than it is for the baby". I planned to move on from the pacifiers at or around Symi's 2nd birthday and we did it in 3 stages.
Stage 1 (14 months) : We took the binky away during wake time, playtime, and while out in public. She was allowed to have it during naps, in the car, or at bedtime.
Stage 2 (19 months) : The binky was no longer allowed in the car. She was allowed to have it during naps and at bedtime.
Stage 3 (23 months) : Stopped the binky all together, cold turkey. We had a Binky Farewell Celebration at the beach where we tied the binkies to balloons and released them in to the sky - "to the other babies that need them". :)
We started talking to Sym a month before about how she was becoming a big girl and didn't need her binkies anymore. We shared with her that we would tie them to balloons and send them away in the sky to the babies who need them. When the day came, she was pretty clear on what what was going to happen and when she released them in to the sky, there was giggling, clapping, confusion, hugs and kisses.
The first night with no pacifier was an unexpected success. She never asked for one and with some extra love from Daddy and Mommy, she fell asleep just fine. As silly as a pacifier is and the journey of letting it go, it really does symbolize a lot for Charley and I. She really isn't a baby anymore and as time goes by, she only grows faster!
Here are some shots from Sunday...
some iPhone, some DSLR, and some screen shots from video taken.
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