Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Passie War

I made a huge mistake. I let the kids have passies. OK, I encouraged the kids to use pacifiers. Damn you passie devil!!! Here's the problem. Sleep training is on going. Kids are put to bed drowsy but awake. Binky's are in and all is well with the world. Eye lid's droop, arms and legs fall open. Then, boom, passie falls out and the screaming starts.

In the day I use them to help them nap.

Bad mum.

Today is day 1 of the Passie War. I decided this morning that they shall be gone from this home. I lasted two about ten minutes. I am so crap. You win this battle Passie Poophead.

I asked A. (nanny) and she agreed - no need for pacifiers. They are only acceptable if the kid has colic, not GERD. Her belief is that when kids of this age cry it's communication. They are trying to tell you something so let them 'speak' - its the only way they know how right now. Work it out and respond. Don't stuff a pacifier into their mouths as if what they have to say isn't important.

I agreed and looked with fear at the wobbly lip of Pip, as he revved up for an all out ... communication.

3 comments:

  1. ooohhh. You are MUCH better than me. We fought and lost the passie war. The boys are now 15months old. And they still use their "binkies" as I call them. We try to only give it to them at naps and at night, but we have been known to slip them one when they have a lot to "communicate." However, I think we have paid for it in terms of their speech, however, they are on the later end of the spectrum to talk.

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  2. You've been doing a fantastic job on sleeping and feeds, so go with your gut. I used passies (I call them "binkies" too) when I was a nurse in the hospital, so it was natural for me to give one to my boy. Babies go through and oral stage and sucking gives them comfort. He'll often spit it out in his sleep, and I just remove it from the crib (otherwise he'll roll onto it and poor thing will sleep on top of it). Most of the time he goes down without it at all. If he has something to say - POP - he just spits it out. I never use it to "shut him up" but rather just for comfort. Like today, after he was sitting and tipped over and bumped his head (ow!).

    I'm sure that Pip will be just fine without the passie. Babies always find ways to self-soothe and self-comfort. Just do what you think is best.

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  3. Oh, and I finally got caught up on your recent posts!

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