Weaning

When Babies Go To One Nap (Quick Guide To Dropping The Morning Nap)

It’s hard to know when babies go to one nap, but this will help you figure it out and make it easier when you’re dropping the morning nap.

When we have newborns it seems like we never leave the house.

By the time we’ve fed the baby and changed the diaper and burped then it’s basically time for another nap.

We get ready ourselves, get in the car, go somewhere, get out of the car, go inside the store and then BAM baby wakes up and needs to feed again.

So now you’ve gotta find a bench or a bathroom or go back to your car and feed again.

All day.

And every other hour if you’re cluster feeding.

Then…. and then… baby turns 1. And starts heading towards 1.5 years of age and it’s time to start dropping the morning nap.

BLESSED FREEDOM.

You can run errands and do fun things and get out of the house without having a tired cranky baby.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, aren’t I?

Read: The No Tears Approach to Running Errands and Doing Appointments With Baby

How To Know When To Go To One Nap

The general rule of thumb is that babies between the ages of 13 months and 18 months will start dropping their morning nap.

Around this time they’ll go to one nap all day.

I know… that’s a large window.

Note: If your baby is 13 months and younger, they are likely not ready to stop napping. You may need to shorten a nap or two, but don’t be mistaken.

Just because baby fights sleep doesn’t mean baby doesn’t need sleep.

Read: The Baby Sleep Myth That Backfires Every Time

Is one of baby’s naps disrupted?

If baby previously took a morning and afternoon nap and now one of the naps (usually the afternoon) seems off, this can be a sign baby is getting ready to wean a nap.

Ask yourself these question if you’re considering dropping the morning nap.

Does it take the baby a while to get to sleep in the afternoon?
Is one of the two daily naps restless?
Does the morning nap seem long and good and then, in the afternoon, baby doesn’t nap as well and get fussy?
Does baby skip the afternoon nap completely and then get extremely overtired by early evening?
Is baby taking two short naps instead of two long ones? Or one long one?

If your baby is doing any of those things (and is above 13 months of age) then baby is probably ready to wean a nap.

Read: Napping Tips When Baby, Toddler, Or Preschoolers Share A Room

Which Nap Do You Wean?

You are working towards dropping the morning nap and keeping the afternoon nap.

Why?

Because if baby takes a long morning nap then has to stay awake from 12 pm to 7 pm… baby will be super fussy, overstimulated, and Past The Point.

If baby currently naps from 9:00 to 11:00 ish and then from 2:00 to 4:00 pm ish, you’ll begin to wean the morning nap and keep the afternoon one.

A side benefit of this is that baby may begin to sleep later in the mornings as well.

Read: The Ultimate Guide To Baby Sleep Times (Naps, Nights, & Sleep Tips)

How To Drop The Morning Nap

How you decide to drop the nap will depend on baby’s age to a certain extent.

If you have a 14 month old who is showing signs he’s ready to drop, you’ll probably want to Wean.

If you have an 18 month old, you can probably go Cold Turkey, and institute a modified nap time for a bit until he can get to the afternoon.

Read These While You’re At It

The Nap Trap – How To Deal With It & Not Resist It

Weaning Baby’s Morning Nap

As with anything parenting related, there are multiple ways to do something successfully.

Take these ideas, chew them, and decide what tastes best for your family.

Option #1: Shortening The Morning Nap

Let’s take an example. Here’s a look at Baby Ella’s current routine.

7:00 am wake up, feed and eat, play

9:00 am morning nap

10:45 am wake up from nap, feed, play

12:00 pm lunch, play, errands

1:30 pm nap

3:00 pm wake up from nap, feed, snack, play

5:30 pm dinner, bath

6:30 pm bedtime routine and bed

So, option #1 says to shorten the morning nap, not stop it cold turkey.

In the example above, you would put the baby down at 9:00 a.m., then wake her up around 9:45 or so and not let her sleep more than that.

Then, you’d shoot for a 1 p.m. afternoon nap.

Baby will likely go to sleep easily at this morning nap, so let them go to sleep at the normal time, but wake them up about halfway through their normal nap time.
If they normally sleep 1.5 hours, wake then up after 30 to 45 minutes and continue this for a few days.
Leave the afternoon nap at the same time until you’ve dropped the first name.
Every few days, go somewhere during the morning nap so that it’s skipped entirely.
Shoot for a morning nap of about 30 minutes or so. If baby starts having disrupted afternoon naps then you’ll know it’s probably time to drop the morning nap entirely.

This option is my preferred method and I did it with all of my 5 kids at the beginning of the nap weaning process.

Read: How to protect naptime by keeping baby awake in the car

Option #2: Skipping A Day Here Or There

Let’s take an example. Here’s a look at Baby Jonah’s current routine.

6:30 am wake up, feed and eat, play

8:30 am morning nap

10:45 am wake up from nap, feed, play

12:00 pm lunch, play, errands

2:00 pm nap

4:00 pm wake up from nap, feed, snack, play

6:00 pm dinner, bath

7:00 pm bedtime routine and bed

Option #2 is more of a gradual cold turkey approach.

In the example above, you’d go out of the house sometime between 8 and 10 or 11, and then put baby down for the afternoon nap between 12 and 1 p.m.

12 p.m. if baby has all the tired cues.

When trying to wean from the morning nap, take baby out of the house during nap time and do something that’s mildly stimulating. Errands, grocery shopping, play dates, the park, etc.
Don’t spend a lot of time in the car or stroller if you’re planning on weaning the nap because that’ll lull baby into sleep at a time when you’re trying to put it off.
Bring up the afternoon nap slightly if baby has skipped the morning nap (more on that in option #3) to prevent over tiredness and over stimulation.
While you’re trying to drop the morning nap, try doing this every few days. You might notice baby ready to drop the morning nap within a few weeks.

This can happen naturally along with option 1. You go grocery shopping or do something fun and you may find this happens without effort.

Note: make sure that you aren’t just doing something where baby lulls to sleep in the car.

baby in blue onesie with a pacifier sleeping

Option #3: Cold Turkey & Bringing Up The Afternoon Nap

Let’s take an example. Here’s a look at Baby Ingrid’s current routine.

7:30 am wake up, feed and eat, play

9:30 am morning nap

11:00 am wake up from nap, feed, play

12:00 pm lunch, play

2:30 pm nap

4:00 pm wake up from nap, feed, snack, play

6:30 pm dinner, bath

7:30 pm bedtime routine and bed

In the example above, you would drop the morning nap cold turkey, then move the afternoon up to around 12 p.m. for a while. Maybe even up to 11:30 or a tad earlier if baby is struggling to make it to 1.

Once baby is having a good afternoon nap, you can gradually move the afternoon back to about 1 p.m.

That’s an ideal time for an afternoon nap in most cases.

If you want to try and go cold turkey, then drop the morning nap and occupy that time while keeping baby stimulated. See option #2 above.
Move the morning nap up a few hours so that baby won’t become overtired and then unable to fall asleep at nap time.
Watch and see how baby responds. Some babies will be able to drop the nap and be okay. Some will drop the morning nap, then only sleep for 45 minutes in the afternoon and be perpetually over tired. That’s how you know that option #1 or #2 are more suited to you.

Lengthening Babies’ Afternoon Nap

Something that can tend to happen is that the morning nap gets dropped, and the afternoon nap stays only around 1.5 hours or so.

Or perhaps less.

It’s natural and you should expect a time of adjustment where the nap is shorter than normal. Eventually, the nap should lengthen into two hours, maybe even 3.

If the nap is shorter than normal, don’t give a big snack or drink upon waking. You don’t want to start a habit of snacking at a time when baby could be sleeping.
Try to encourage a good feed and snack before the afternoon nap. This should help lengthen the nap’s duration and prevent waking from hunger.
If the afternoon nap is short and baby is cranky, move baby’s bedtime up 30 minutes or so. If baby is too tired, he won’t go down easy.

Sources:

Will dropping the morning nap affect my baby’s development?

As long as they continue to get sufficient total sleep over a 24-hour period, their development shouldn’t be impacted. Babies are adaptable, and their sleep needs gradually change as they grow. Transitioning from two naps to one is a natural part of this process.

Should I expect any regression in sleep habits as my baby drops a nap?

Yes, it’s common for there to be some regression in sleep habits when a baby transitions from two naps to one. Maintaining a consistent nap time and bedtime routine, creating an appropriate sleep environment, and being responsive to your baby’s cues can all support them through any temporary sleep disruptions. If you’re concerned about persistent sleep issues or regression, consider consulting with a pediatrician or a sleep consultant for personalized advice and support.

The Dream Feed: The Why, The How, & When To Stop

Wondering how to do a dream feed? This post will tell you exactly when to do dreamfeeds, how to make sure baby stays awake, and when to wean them.

Oh these little squishy babies…

I remember the first time I heard about a dream feed with my firstborn.

What is it?

Why do you do it?

Who came up with these names for things?

Why, oh why do a dream feed?

I read around and then tried to implement it with my baby girl. It took a while, but eventually we got the hang of it and Oh My Goodness… game changer.

Now, as a certified baby and toddler sleep consultant… it’s a go to sleep and feed strategy.

If you don’t currently do the dream feed then this post will help you for a few reasons.

And if you’re serious about making a few nightly changes, I suggest using a baby log to help clear our head and get it on paper.

Read: 7 Simple Reasons Why Your Baby Won’t Nap & What To Do

What is a dream feed, anyway?

A dream feed is a feeding you do in the late evening hours before you go to bed. You’ll usually have to rouse baby for this feed.

Or rather, baby will be sound asleep typically and you will feed baby while they’re still mostly asleep. Hence the name: dream feed.

I’ll get into the details… keep reading.

Read: End Your Baby’s Fussy Evening Hours (Witching Hours) In A Few Steps

Why do you do it?

First, let’s tackle why we want to do a dream feed in the first place. Here are the two main reasons dream feeds are a good idea.

Necessary? Of course not! Helpful? Absolutely!

You get a longer stretch of sleep each night | By feeding baby in the later evening, before midnight, you’ll hopefully get yourself a longer stretch of sleep. Sleep is very important to moms for sanity (lack of sleep is literally like torture), healing, and to help you get back to your normal self in the postpartum fog.

Baby will eventually sleep from after the feed then sleep until your desired wake time | It’s hard for a baby to sleep from 7 pm to 7 am. When baby is old enough, adding in a dream feed can get baby to sleep from the dream feed until your desired wake time.

Read: Baby Bedtime — 4 Essential Elements To All Evening Routines

The Why, The How, & When To Stop The Dream Feed

So let’s dive into it. By the end of this post I hope you’ll have all you need to know about the dream feed and why its so useful.

Read: Simple Baby Advice That Stands The Test Of Time

mother breastfeeding baby for a dream feed

When to offer this sleep-inducing feed

Ideally, you want to dream feed right before you go to sleep, but usually no later than 11:30 or else it is simply a night feed.

Somewhat, the time you feed depends on what time you go to bed.

You want to feed baby right before you go down to sleep. So if you go to bed around 10:00 then feed baby at that time, then lie down to sleep.

Feed baby while keeping him swaddled (how to do that here) and not fully rousing him, then baby will sort of feed in his sleep and “top up” his tummy.

Doing a dream feed between 10:00 and 11:30 is usually a safe bet, but any later than that becomes a night feed.

Read: The Ultimate Sleep Schedule For Newborns For The First 6 Weeks

Family Practices & Contribution

0-5

Sleep Little Lamb (Ages 0-5)

Moms will walk away with a step-by-step sleep plan tailored to their child’s age and needs, designed to improve sleep within 3 days to 2 weeks.

Start Now

newborn baby lying down — This convertible swaddle will allow you to keep baby’s arms swaddled while you zip up and change diaper at night.

How To Dream Feed When Baby Is Drowsy

Those first early hours after you’ve put baby to bed are often baby’s deepest sleep. The sleep from bedtime to midnight is the deepest most restorative sleep, so babies are usually conked out at this time.

This means it can be tricky to rouse baby enough to get them to feed.

That’s okay.

We don’t want to force it when it isn’t working.

However, often you’ll be able to rouse baby enough to take a feed, even half a feed, and this can help them sleep longer at night.

For those first few weeks, there’s really no need for this feed.

Try these things to wake baby up a bit

When baby is drowsy, here are some ways to rouse him enough to give him the feed.

Unswaddle from the bottom to change his diaper.
Rub a wet wipe or cloth across his cheek.
Tickle the bottom of his feet or cheek.
Put some milk on his lips.

If these don’t work, then put baby gently back down. Then, if you’re still up half an hour later then you can try again briefly. If it still doesn’t work, go to bed.

Keep trying nightly until baby is used to taking this feed. This helps push the next feed off until later after midnight and gives you a few uninterrupted hours of sleep which is good for mama.

Read: Want A Content & Happy Little One? Use The Foolproof Baby Schedule

Does Dream Feeding Always Work?

Now, I’m a big believer in the dream feed. I know – having had 5 babies – it’s the reason they routinely slept until at least 7 a.m., if not on closer to 8, even as tiny babies.

They were given milk at the dream feed which enabled them to sleep later in the morning.

Next – when they were ready – I dropped the dream feed and they slept all night!

That said, sometimes they can be a bit tricky. Sometimes the dream feed timing is tricky and other ties it just wakes babies up. When you wake your baby for a dream feed at 11:00 pm and baby wakes at 12:30 am for another feed, mom might be resistant to that.

If you find a dream feed wakes your baby up right after midnight, drop it and see what happens.

It might work out better for baby to simply go to bed at night, sleep a long stretch, and then wake up for that 12:30 am feed. This will mean baby sleeps a long restorative stretch.

You can, with time, add in that dream feed if you want them to sleep later.

Often babies will start sleeping through the night but waking up at 4:30 or 5:00 am and not want to go back down. This is why the dream feed is so helpful. They will feed at 10:30 pm or so and then sleep until 6:30 or 7:00 am instead.

Unless you need baby up that early to leave the house, it’s a more pleasant proposition for baby to sleep later.

Read: A Quick & Easy Way To Survive The 4 Month Regression

happy smiling chubby baby holding his foot on a white bed

When to wean the dream feed – this is important!

Let’s reiterate here that if you only have one feeding per night, it’s very helpful if it’s a dream feed. It should – theoretically – be the last feed you drop.

Here’s the reasoning…

By having a dream feed you are helping baby sleep longer stretches between night feedings. Baby may need a 3:00 am feed and a 5:30 am feed then sleep on until 7 or so.

You’ll eventually drop that 3 am feed and focus on the 5:30 am one. After a while, you’ll work to drop that 5:30 am feed so they are sleeping later in the morning.

Then, they are going from the dream feed all the way until the morning time.

Motherhood & Wellbeing

Weary To Well

This 10-day reset will help you uncover what’s wearing you down (spoiler: it’s not just lack of sleep), set boundaries without guilt, and finally create space to breathe again. Because burnout isn’t your personality—it’s a signal things need to change.

Start Now

How do babies end up sleeping all the way through until morning?

This feed!

If you haven’t had a dream feed and baby is under 5 months but not yet sleeping through the night, try adding it in.

See if it helps baby sleep later. I always kept the dream feed even though I dropped all the others because that extra time in the morning meant a lot to me.

Read: 7 Month Feeding Times That Work Like A Charm

Recap benefits of this feed

Helps top baby up to sleep a longer stretch.
Allows mom to feed right before she lies down so mom has a longer sleep stretch.
Hopefully gets baby to at least 2am before needing another feed.

Some moms even wake their babies up completely at this 10pm feed, give a proper feed, a quick little play, then back down to bed by 11pm. I’d never suggest this initially, but sometimes when babies simply will not stay asleep, it can help build up the sleep pressure.

FAQ

When do you stop dream feeding?

The dream feed is the last feed that you drop. You usually drop the dream feed when baby sleeps from bedtime until their morning wake time with only the dream feed. This should be dropped by 6 months.

What if a dream feed doesn’t work?

After 6 months dream feeds can trigger more wakings. By 6 months if baby is doing a feed at 10:30 p.m. then waking again at 1 a.m., it could be that the dream feed isn’t working anymore.

Is the dream feed a full feed?

Yes, try and give baby a full feed which should last them a few hours before the next waking.

Should I introduce the dream feed?

If you have a newborn who wakes frequently, introducing the dream feed may get you a longer stretch of sleep. Try it out for a few days if it triggers more after midnight wakings, just drop it.

Do you burp after the feed?

If you can easily burp baby without waking him, yes. If not, rub baby’s back on the left side (stomach side) and up the back to get out any air bubbles and simply put baby back down to bed.

Should I keep baby upright after a dream feed?

Dream feeds should happen while baby is sleeping. If baby will wake up if you put him upright, don’t do it. You can feed enough to satisfy baby and get a good long stretch of sleep without going through great lengths to burp.

Do you change baby’s diaper at the dream feed?

Unless baby is leaking, changing the diaper isn’t needed. If baby isn’t unhappy, don’t wake them to change a diaper. If you feel you need to, however, change the diaper before feeding so baby will remain asleep for the feed then be put straight back to bed.

Can I dream feed at 9pm?

The best time to do a dream feed is between 10 and 11. Much after that is a night feed and much before that is just a regular evening feed.

Sources:

When (And How) To Stop Swaddling Baby (And a Swaddle Weaning Trick!)

The answer to the question of when should I stop swaddling my baby. If you are still in prime swaddling time, here are must know swaddling tips. Also, check this post out on everything baby sleep.

Swaddling is so precious.

When babies are little and swaddled they are snug as a bug in a rug and it just brings out all types of Warm Fuzzies. We often swaddle for months, but there comes a time to swaddle wean. And it can be difficult to know when.

We know swaddles are good for baby sleep, but when do they need to be weaned?

First, the main reasons most people give for swaddling are these:

to keep baby wrapped snugly as they were in the womb
to help prevent baby’s startle reflex from waking them
and to keep them warm and communicate safety

You can use our daily baby logs to help you when you start the weaning process.

When Should I Stop Swaddling My Baby?

If you aren’t sure if you’ve still got a few swaddling months left yet or not, here are some key indicators it’s time to wean the baby from swaddle use.

Psst… my favorite way to wean, FYI, is by using one of these Woombies pictured below. You can wean one arm at a time which helps baby transition to napping and sleeping without being swaddled.

Family Practices & Contribution

0-5

Sleep Little Lamb (Ages 0-5)

Moms will walk away with a step-by-step sleep plan tailored to their child’s age and needs, designed to improve sleep within 3 days to 2 weeks.

Start Now

You Should Swaddle Wean When Baby Keeps Rolling on Tummy

When your baby, usually around 4 months or later, starts rolling onto their tummy often during naps or at nighttime, this is a good time to start weaning.

Since they are usually unable to prop themselves up well with a swaddle on (though this depends on the swaddle) you’ll want them to have use of their arms and hands.

They may attempt to roll back on their backs and if they’re packed too tightly they’ll be unable to. At this stage the startle reflex is gone anyway, so this may be your key indicator.

Read: Simple Baby Advice That Stands the Test of Time

Stop Swaddling When Baby Learns to Push Up

Babies start rolling side to side before they learn to push up. If your baby is swaddled, rolling on his tummy, and attempting to use his arms to prop himself up then it’s a good time to swaddle wean.

Especially if they are used to doing this during tummy time or free play, they’ll want to be able to do the same. Having arms swaddled in will cause a lot of frustration in an otherwise happy baby around the age of 4 or 5 months.

Read: Non-Negotiable Newborn Baby Needs

Family Practices & Contribution

0-5

Sleep Little Lamb (Ages 0-5)

Moms will walk away with a step-by-step sleep plan tailored to their child’s age and needs, designed to improve sleep within 3 days to 2 weeks.

Start Now

You Can Stop Swaddling When Baby is 5 Months Plus

You might decide that there is no big “indicator” but perhaps it’s summer and you fear baby getting overheated.

As a general rule, around 5 months or older you can be sure your baby will do fine napping and sleeping unswaddled. There is something to be said for weaning your baby from the swaddle before they are too old.

The longer they’re swaddled the more difficult the transition to napping without a swaddle.

If the above conditions are met then you can feel good about starting to wean from the swaddle.

How to Wean from the Swaddle

I don’t usually go cold turkey on the swaddle, although you can try. Here are a few things you can do to begin swaddle weaning:

Let the legs free.
Do one arm at a time. I use swaddles that have a little space for one arm to go free. I’ll do one arm out for a few days then lose the swaddle altogether.
Give a good wind-down routine. Swaddling is a good sleep association and it’s something your baby will associate with calming down to rest. As you begin swaddle weaning, their naps or night sleep may be affected somewhat, but it will go back to normal soon.

You don’t have to wean the swaddle cold turkey

Here’s the thing, you don’t want your baby getting overtired from lack of sleep because of this transition. So you don’t have to go all night- just see what kind of stretch baby can do.

Then put them back in if things start going south. They still got some practice. Although you can go cold turkey and never look back, it can make for a pretty rough 4-5 days. So, unless your baby is already fully rolling while swaddled (in that case, move to a sleep sack and don’t look back) you can give it a few days of practice – and preserving sleep – before you fully commit to unswaddling.

Once nights seem to be going well, move onto naps, 1 at a time, starting with the morning nap.

Read: Cocooning a Newborn & 7 Reasons Why it Can Be Good For The Family

Swaddling FAQ

“Should you swaddle baby from day one?”

I generally do swaddle baby from day one. It’s part of my newborn sleep schedule and newborn feeding schedule. These swaddling for newborn tips explain exactly how I do it.

I think that waiting gets baby “un-used” to that snug womb feeling, and then later they may fight it. But sleeping without the swaddle, when they still have the startle reflex, means baby just doesn’t sleep as well.

What if baby doesn’t sleep as well without the swaddle?

This may happen for a while.

Baby may start rolling over and then you decide it’s pointless to swaddle. And this is basically true. So you may take one arm out or go cold turkey, and it may mean it takes baby a lot longer to fall asleep. They may fight sleep for a while, even up to an hour.

If you keep at your normal schedule (here’s a 5 month old baby schedule, 6 month old baby schedule, and 7 month old baby schedule) then eventually baby will go back to sleeping per normal. It should usually only last a couple of days.

Family Practices & Contribution

0-5

Sleep Little Lamb (Ages 0-5)

Moms will walk away with a step-by-step sleep plan tailored to their child’s age and needs, designed to improve sleep within 3 days to 2 weeks.

Start Now

More Q & A

What if baby just won’t go to sleep without it and then rolls on his tummy?

I would try and keep baby in the swaddle with his legs swaddled, but keep the arms out. See if this helps with the positive sleep association enough for baby to calm down and go to sleep on their own.

If the swaddle is loose enough, baby can be swaddled then roll on tummy, then even roll back over. If that’s the case, then the reason to swaddle wean is void (a.k.a. baby getting stuck face down).

Then, if this happens you can get a swaddle in a larger size so baby still has plenty of room to use his arms to roll, but can also feel snug as a bug in a rug.

What if baby is only 3 months old and rolls over? Can I stop swaddling?

Yes, you can. You can stop swaddling baby any time you’d like. The first few months are the most important and they generally will help baby sleep better.

After that period, especially if baby is rolling over and you are worried, then you can stop swaddling.

It may take a few days to adjust, but baby should be sleeping well again soon.

Another good Q

Should I stop swaddling for naps and bedtime sleep? Or one before the other?

This is a great question!

When you change from being swaddled at all naps and nighttime, to wanting to swaddle wean, one theory is be consistent in your weaning. So, if you are going to do one arm for naps, do one arm at night. Don’t go cold turkey at naps then keep it on at night. This will confuse and frustrate baby.

However, some moms start at bedtime. This may be counterintuitive because who wants to mess with night sleep? But actually, bedtime can be the easiest time to start because they have all the sleep pressure from the day built up and melatonin assisting them to sleep.

What if baby starts sucking his thumb when his hands aren’t in a swaddle?

Ahhh…. this may happen!

If baby is teething then he might start sucking his thumb to help him get to sleep, now that it’s available. In this case, a pacifier might help!

However, if you don’t want to use a pacifier because you don’t want to go in and have to put it back in baby’s mouth all night long then you can always use mitts on baby’s hands if they start sucking.

Pacifier Weaning 101: Guide To Less Stress & Fewer Tears

Ready to pacifier wean? Use these principles to have less crying for baby and mom. Baby doesn’t have to cry and scream to make this happen.

The day my first daughter turned 1.

I had a plan.

I would let her take the pacifier to bed for naps and bedtimes (returning very rarely to put it back in) and then take it away completely at the age of 1.

Look… pacifier weaning ain’t for the weak of heart.

So I stuck with my plan. It took a week of unhappy naps and bedtimes, but we got through. And all was well. My second son… I took his away at a year and a few months.

My third son… the same. My third son… he barely gave it up at 2 and my 4th son… well… he’s still got it.

So I’ve done it all the ways.

baby in blue onesie sleeping with pacifier

Signs It’s Time For Pacifier Weaning

Baby wakes up frequently throughout the night looking for the pacifier, interrupting their sleep and yours.
Baby’s teeth are starting to be affected by the pacifier.
Baby wants to have the pacifier all day every day, not just to get to sleep.
You are ready to take it away. The end. (That’s enough of a reason!)

Read: Foolproof Baby Sleep Tips — Routines, Habits & Strategies

Pacifier Weaning 101: What To Do

So if you’re ready to start pacifier weaning (and you’ve already done swaddle weaning) then this post will help. Be realistic, though… baby will probably not like it. So if you are banking on 0 tears then you are going to be disappointed and not go through with it.

The sleep prop will pass, and pass quickly, if you simply commit and get on with what you’ve decided to do.

Get Emotionally Ready

This is the hardest part.

Repeat after me.

Baby is not going to like this.

This doesn’t mean it’ll be horrible or there’ll be endless crying or screaming or being up all night. But it does mean baby will not like it. Baby just won’t.

If you can accept that this is a necessary step and baby will be just fine – maybe better! – after it’s done, you can get through.

Read: Baby Advice That Stands The Test Of Time

Make A Plan Based On Age Of Baby Or Toddler

The younger your baby is, the easier it will be to do pacifier weaning.

➡️ The reason is, they are still little and don’t have the power of will behind them like toddlers or even preschoolers do.

If you’ve got a baby on your hands you can likely just take the pacifier away, rock and cuddle at sleeping times, and move past it all within a week or so. If you’ve got a toddler or preschooler it may take a bit longer and be more of an uproar for the little one because they’ve had it so long.

They won’t remember life without it!

Weaning Options

Cold turkey | This will work for fast-adapting babies and mamas who are simply Over It All. This will be a fairly big adjustment for baby, but will not draw out the pacifier weaning process because that’s just it. Pacifiers should be thrown away out of the house so you aren’t tempted. This is like driving straight from Point A to Point B.
Hole in the end | I’ve used this method a few times and it works. I put a small hole with a sewing pin OR I cut a hole in the pacifier with scissors. This means there’s no suction vacuum and it’s not nearly as satisfying. This is like a bridge going from Point A to Point B. A bridge from having a pacifier to not having one.
New pacifier (of a different type) | I’ve also used this method when we lost the baby’s normal pacifier and had another. We gave it to him, he hated it, and it was sort of a weaning on its own because he’d rather have had NO pacifier than a new/non-familiar one. This is also like a bridge from Point A to Point B.
Send it to another child or grandmother or whoever. | This is a popular method and often works when you have children who are older and able to understand. You’ll talk it up and explain that on X day, the pacifier is going to be taken away since they’re old enough to go without it. You can mail mail it to another child or someone else or whatever special ceremony you’d like to do. Point is, the child is prepared and knows it’s coming.

You know your own child and know which one that you can withstand.

Simply choose, be sure, then run with it.

Read: The Ultimate Guide To Baby Sleep Times

big sister in blue with baby sister in flowery outfit

Avoid Yo Yo Parenting

Avoid confusing baby during this process.

Picture this.

You decide to wean pacifier and cut a hole in the bottom. Baby cries and cries. You can’t take it any more and you run to Walgreens, buy a new pacifier, and give it to the baby. Now the baby thinks you won’t give it as normal, but that if they cry a lot they’ll get it.

This prolongs the process and makes it more miserable for everyone.

Instead use the following tips

Choose a time that makes sense for you to do this. Not during Christmas, with house guests, or in any of the situations below.
Get your spouse on board so you aren’t alone and won’t cave in.
Just don’t do it if you aren’t ready!

Don’t Do It While Baby Is Teething, Tired, Or Disoriented

There are some not so good times to decide to pacifier wean. They are the following….

When baby is teething. | Teething already hurts and the pacifier is often soothing to them so taking it away during teething makes it unnecessarily difficult.
When baby is having sleep issues. | If your baby is tired – first – I recommend taking [thrive_2step id=’9673′]my free baby sleep tips course[/thrive_2step]. This will help you get some good habits in place. You’ve got two main scenarios. Baby is sleeping okay if baby has pacifier, but if not baby wakes up. This might mean it’s time to do pacifier weaning. Second scenario, baby has pacifier and STILL does not sleep well and this is also a good time to do pacifier weaning so you can teach them healthy sleep habits.
Baby is jet-lagged or you’re going through major change. | If you are going through transition at home or have come off a big trip, etc. it might not be the best time to do pacifier weaning. Mainly for your own sake. If baby has had the pacifier for a while then it could be a tough transition so waiting until things are calm is a good idea.

Read: How To Survive Teething Without Sleep Regressions

What To Expect

Ultimately, baby isn’t going to like it.

This time may mean you are doing more cuddling, more lying in bed with them to settle them down, and generally more comforting since something they’ve had for a long time is being taken away.

That’s normal.

Now, don’t worry that you’re going to start new habits because this likely won’t drag out past one week. If you find your child has adjusted quickly, then move on with the new norm.

Read: Mom Habits That Are Barriers To Peaceful Baby Sleep

Recap

Make a plan for how you’ll do the pacifier weaning.
Choose a week that is relatively calm for your family.
Set your expectations for how you’ll react when baby’s upsets are likely to occur.
Comfort baby all you can!

Know this…

“This too shall pass. It may pass like a kidney stone, but it’ll pass…” Unknown

FAQs on weaning the pacifier

What age should you take the pacifier (binky) away?

If a child can replace their own pacifier, the need to wean isn’t as urgent. When teeth start to displace and pacifier use becomes habitual, it’s a good idea to wean.

Why do babies stop taking pacifiers?

They may refuse a pacifier if they are hungry or irritable. If a baby wants to nurse, they may simply refuse the pacifier.

What can replace a pacifier?

You typically want to remove a pacifier and let a child learn to self-soothe without having anything to replace it.

Does pacifier teeth correct itself?

I’ve had two kids who had pacifier teeth, and both corrected themselves, though this is not a given or guaranteed. Best to wean when the teeth start becoming crooked.

Does a pacifier cause speech problems?

Pacifiers can cause dental issues which may lead to speech problems. Also, if a child uses a pacifier all day they’re less likely to speak which accounts for delays. Pacifiers at sleep times only, not likely.

Which is worse, a thumb or a pacifier?

Neither is “worse” per se, but a pacifier is easier to wean from because you can take it away. You can’t take a child’s thumb away!

Weaning: practically, physically and emotionally

nursing breastfeeding and weaning

A friend wrote me recently saying she was about to start her daughter weaning from breastfeeding since she’s having a new baby soon. She wanted to know my thoughts on weaning generally and also emotionally. It hit home because for me weaning felt like…well… what it was. Admitting that my babies weren’t really babies anymore, although they’ll always be my babies.

First, breastfeeding can last anywhere from a few months to a few years depending on whether you choose a time to wean or whether you let your babies decide when they want to wean. My first two babies were 13 months apart and I knew I would not tandem breastfeed. So, I opted to wean my daughter around 11 months so that by 12 months she was on whole milk. That way when the baby came she wouldn’t think he stole her food. It worked well, except it was close enough together that when she felt sick or tired for the first few weeks she did try to breastfeed. Otherwise, she was fine.

I got pregnant with my third when my second child was 6 months old and by 9 months he simply would not drink breastmilk anymore. He didn’t like the taste, and in fact, he hadn’t liked it for the prior 3 months. I forced the issue and forced the issue and pumped and tried to continue. He simply wouldn’t have it. I almost died from the rejection. I exaggerate. But I do not exaggerate when I say that every time I tried to feed him for those 3 months I would say “you can’t do this to me…why, why, why????” Well, we survived. Here’s how. [Read more…] about Weaning: practically, physically and emotionally

Weaning

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

How To Know When To Go To One Nap

Is one of baby’s naps disrupted?

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

Which Nap Do You Wean?

How To Drop The Morning Nap

Weaning Baby’s Morning Nap

Option #1: Shortening The Morning Nap

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

Option #2: Skipping A Day Here Or There

Option #3: Cold Turkey & Bringing Up The Afternoon Nap

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

Lengthening Babies’ Afternoon Nap

Why, oh why do a dream feed?

What is a dream feed, anyway?

Why do you do it?

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

The Why, The How, & When To Stop The Dream Feed

When to offer this sleep-inducing feed

How To Dream Feed When Baby Is Drowsy

Try these things to wake baby up a bit

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

Does Dream Feeding Always Work?

If you find a dream feed wakes your baby up right after midnight, drop it and see what happens.

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

When to wean the dream feed – this is important!

How do babies end up sleeping all the way through until morning?

Recap benefits of this feed

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

FAQ

First, the main reasons most people give for swaddling are these:

When Should I Stop Swaddling My Baby?

You Should Swaddle Wean When Baby Keeps Rolling on Tummy

Stop Swaddling When Baby Learns to Push Up

You Can Stop Swaddling When Baby is 5 Months Plus

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

How to Wean from the Swaddle

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

You don’t have to wean the swaddle cold turkey

Swaddling FAQ

More Q & A

Another good Q

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

Signs It’s Time For Pacifier Weaning

Pacifier Weaning 101: What To Do

28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST

Get Emotionally Ready

Make A Plan Based On Age Of Baby Or Toddler

Weaning Options

Avoid Yo Yo Parenting

Instead use the following tips

Don’t Do It While Baby Is Teething, Tired, Or Disoriented

What To Expect

Recap

FAQs on weaning the pacifier