How to loose the soother!

The soother, dummy, dodo, binky, pacifier whatever you what to call it, it can be a blessing or a curse. I am a huge fan of soothers they can be an amazing parenting tool. They can be great after vaccinations, in the car or to help baby sleep. But….if you see that your baby not only needs the soother to go to sleep but in their mouths to stay asleep you might be in trouble.

Are you constantly re plugging the soother to keep your baby asleep? Your baby has formed a negative sleep association that needs to be tackled for your sake and for theirs.

What can be done? If your baby is younger than 10 months I would suggest going cold turkey. That sounds crazy right?! It is tough and lots of extra cuddles and support would be needed for the first few nights but after that you will see significant differences in your child’s sleep. They will have learnt the skill to self settle without the soother. If your baby is around the ten month mark have you tried placing lots of soothers around them in the cot and seeing can they seek one out with their own hand as opposed to you popping it back in? The “soother sprinkle” can be a great option for training your baby to find their own soother if they are developmentally ready to do so.

Maybe one of these options will be right for you and aid you in getting some more sleep for you and your baby!