A while back I wrote about our pacifier addiction and I have to believe that even back then I had an inkling of an idea of what I was setting myself up for. Well I have to say if I knew then what I know now I would have taken all 1 million of our pacifiers and torched them into a pile of hot, runny plastic latex on our driveway.
Pacifier withdrawal is no joke people.
In chatting with friends and reading ever more books I one day had this epiphany that the root of all our sleeping issues just might have been the blasted Nuk. I don't want to make any sweeping statements just yet since we're only a few weeks without it but I have a feeling dropping the cursed accessory is doing far more good than harm.
However, it all came at a steep price. Over the course of a few days I tried to take it away from him for naps and when he was fussing during the day. Then the true test came - the first night without. I will shamefully admit I didn't even last half the night until I gave it back to him because he was crying so specifically for it. I gave it to him, and like the little addict he was he aggressively sucked on it for maybe 20 seconds and passed out. Poor little man.
What I should I have known was it was more like, poor little mumma. After giving him the pacifier he proceeded to get up on the hour for the rest of the night, desperately needing his fix without the motor skills to help himself. Dawn broke and my resolve was back. We've been pacifier free ever since.
The following night was treacherous. He cried so intensely and for such a duration that I swear he and I both showed signs of insanity. He thrashed for it and managed to scratch the bejesus out of his face in the process. I wanted to put my head through a glass window.
The night after that was slightly better, and then finally what do you know - he's forgotten all about the silly thing. I have also had to hide them on myself for I realized what an enabler I was, how easily and quickly I would give into him, and how I was the sole reason for his addiction.
Let this be the first of many apologies, Henry, for any emotional damage I might have caused. I sincerely hope this to be the last of any ill addiction you form on my watch.
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6 comments:
Good for you and your resolve! I am very proud of you! And I hope this means H is sleeping better for you this week.
Don't you dare apologize to Henry! What the hell else are you supposed to do if you're getting no sleep. There were nights I contemplated letting them suck on a bottle of gin.
And "aggressive" sucking is now my new favorite term.
I felt the exact same way when I got rid of my daughter's pacifier when she turned two. And I still feel that way since after six months she still screams and cries every night for 5-10 minutes before falling asleep. How long did it take for your son to get himself to sleep without the drama?
I wish that Anonymous would have left her name, I'm having the same problem. It has been a week and she is so miserable, just awful, she can't sleep, cries, is awful during the day, won't nap and is just plain suffering. I hate it, I won't give it back to her but I wish there was something I could do for her.
I am going thru a week of difficult nights so far. My 3 yr. old has been obsesses with binky's since she was an infant. One in her mouth and one that rubs her face..... The last visit to the dentist proved to us that we are only making her teeth worse and that she really needs to sleep without it..... Well she screams at nights, gets into fits that last about 15 mintues, cries intensely......... It is scary to see your child going through such a withdrawal. We will stick it out and never give her a binky again but this is sooo difficult. I wish I could have been so stern when she was younger...
I'm glad Henry's pacifier addiction is over. The process of getting rid of the pacifier means a lot of sleepless night but it's definitely worth it. Today, I'd like to share with you a tool that I heard recently. It's an all in one event planning software that is perfect for busy parents. Because its interface is pretty easy to figure out. All you need is this free event management software to plan a remarkable event!
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