Alternative to Pacifier?

[DMarie919]

My son refuses to take pacifiers and we've tried a few different kinds.  In fact, he gets really MAD if you try to put one in his mouth.  But, because of that, he doesnt soothe well and when he wants to sleep the only thing that works is holding and bouncing him around for half an hour or so or feeding him which he doesn't always need to do!.  I feel like if he had something he could suck on he would go down eaiser because he does find his fists but that doesnt work for long.  Any suggestions?

[DMarie919]

Ah, I wish he would fall for that but he is a smart one!!  LOL!...I've tried turning him toward me and he just cries and cries...I dunno..I think there is more going on than just not wanting the pacifier...even when he isn't mad about it he just chews on it and then spits it out!!  Now he's formed a bad habit of using a bottle as a pacifier and to help him sleep and I don't know how to break him of it!!!

[szw2008]

Try your finger! Sometimes that's all it takes to get mister Jacob to calm down. He likes to chew on it and suck occasionally. Late at night when Jacob gets tired and fussy, he freaks out if you try the bottle and he doesn't want it so I started holding him like I was breastfeeding and sneaking the pacifier into his mouth. I don't know if your son will take it, but Jacob falls out super fast when I do that!

[DMarie919]

Thanks ladies...he has a little puppy blanket thing that has satin on it that he will hold...and sometimes he chews on the ears...lol.  Maybe that will help him...

My first son was a binky boy but we weaned him off of it when he was two with no problems..and he never woke up when he lost it at night...I guess I was just lucky...

[Ready_4_Baby_2]

Yea I agree with the nursing it puts Peri to sleep every time she latches. I still use the pacifier at night or whenever she goes to sleep. A blanket is a good idea too but I have a friend whose daughter is addicted to the blanket. LOL she was taking it to school and at first it was the pacifier so I guess they both are evil in the end. LOL Good Luck!

[Heatherm4]

I would try giving him a blanket or something to snuggle with. My son really likes something covering his face to fall asleep. If I hold him he likes to snuggle in my arm or when he's laying down I put him on his side and give him a blanket close to his face. Once he's asleep I put him on his back and take the blanket away and he's good for the night. But he has a pacifier at the same time. Try lying him on his side though....it might help.

[AnnieBrooke]

Be careful what you wish for -- pacifiers are not the ultimate panacea.  So many parents struggle to get their kids off the pacifier when they get older, and also there is the issue of the child waking up crying in the middle of the night every night because his paci has fallen out of his mouth.  I take it you are not breastfeeding?  If you are, I'd breastfeed him at night (breast milk, unlike formula, does not harm the baby's teeth) and if not, I'd try to give him something to hold that soothes him.  Some kids really like that satin blanket binding on the edge of a blanket.