Pacifiers

[Dilley Beans]

At what age do you stop allowing pacifiers?

I am working on my parents handbook and want to say once a child is toddling pacifiers are a no-go. Once they start walking they fall out more, get lost more, just get gross fast. Should I allow them until they are weaned from them at home? Should I allow them during naptime only? These are the thoughts running through my head.

What do you do about pacis and if/when do you stop allowing them at daycare?

[sharlan]

I allow them at nap time only. I don't allow them to go back and forth. After they start walking, pacifiers are gone.

[Crazy8]

I don't specify an age but I only allow them at nap time and they are to be left here - even infants I try to limit it to naps.

[grandmom]

Do some research on the benefits of pacifiers and SIDS. Then make your decision.

[nannyde]

I don't use pacifiers because they are escalators. I think the one study relating them to sids is flawed.

[Play Care]

I don't specify an age but I only allow them at nap time and they are to be left here - even infants I try to limit it to naps.

Same here.

ETA: I've never had an issue limiting paci's/loveys to nap, especially with the mobile group. I did have big issues before I made that rule though. Kids losing items, getting calls at 9:00 at night looking for a bunny or binky, etc.

[Blackcat31]

I don't specify an age but I only allow them at nap time and they are to be left here - even infants I try to limit it to naps.

Another vote for this ^^^

[nothingwithoutjoy]

What do you do about pacis and if/when do you stop allowing them at daycare?

I don't mandate the use of them. If they're using them all the time at home, it's a comfort item for them, and I want them to be comfortable here. And I think it's up to the parents to decide how they'll be used. I ask during my pre-enrollment home visit, if they have one, how they use it (only for nap? for comfort? whenever?). Then I follow their rules here, too. But I am not a fan. I personally think they're gross. But that's not the kids' fault, and I don't want to remove something that could ease transitions or self comfort here.

However, I am often the one to tell the parents "I think they're done with the pacifier." (Just happened with 2 kids. One threw it off her mat 2 days in a row at nap. I sent it home and told the parents she didn't need it any more. The other kept forgetting to get his from his cubby to take to nap. Sent that one home, too.) Parents are often so used to popping it in, they don't notice those signals. Also, I use them way less than parents do. I don't suggest them or pop them in to stop a kid from crying (crying is their way of communicating.) I also remind them to take them out when they are talking to me and generally try to aim for nap time or super-sad-times only.

[preschoolteacher]

In general, I don't want any child using a soothing item (pacifier, blanket) outside of nap. I've had way too many problems with it (possessiveness of the item, germs--gross, etc.) BUT last winter I had a kid here who was 12 months when he started, walking, and putting everything in his mouth constantly and constantly drooling and leaking snot all over the place. The worst I've seen! I have a clean house and safe toys , but he was determined to cram big toys in his mouth. When it got really out of control, I'd let him have his pacifier because he then stopped trying to eat everything. Maybe not the greatest solution, but after every illness cycling through our group, I was trying to cut back on germs...

[NightOwl]

I allow them at nap only. I found that, as the kids became more mobile, they dropped them more often and the next little guy picked it up and popped it in his mouth. EW.

[AmyKidsCo]

It depends on the child. If they're around 2 and just starting with me I usually forget to give them to the child at nap so they're phased out really quickly.

My current 14 mo old was down to only using it at nap, but she eats EVERYTHING so I started giving it to her outside so I wouldn't be scraping out her mouth every 30 seconds. And some days she needs it inside too when her molars are really hurting and the Tylenol isn't cutting it. I figure she'll be off it by the time she's 2, and if it makes the day better for both of us in the meantime, why not?

[Rachel]

I allow them and try to limit it to nap. Sometimes a child really needs it and then I will give him or her. Usually the child will turn it over as soon as s/he is calm. I keep one here in a key box and ask parents to have a spare in the bag or drawer for kids who really need. They are huge here. It is not unusual to see kids going to pre-k with them.

[LysesKids]

I don't use pacifiers because they are escalators. I think the one study relating them to sids is flawed.

I'm with you... I only had one child use a paci in 5 years, but she literally started with me at 18 months and had just been flown in from China the day before. I sort of caved for 3 months til she went to Montessori school

[melilley]

I allow them at nap only for mobile children and for non-mobile children, I try to only give it to them at nap.

[renodeb]

Usually by the first bday.
Deb