How We Said Goodbye to the Binkie
My daughter, Landon, is approaching 2.5, and saying goodbye to her binkie is something I have been putting off for almost a year. She loves her binkie, and if I’m being honest, it’s the first thing that feels truly sentimental to let go of as she grows older. I was so nervous about what she would do without it. She has always been my good sleeper, but without her binkie—would she ever be able to go to sleep?
A week ago, Kyle’s (my husband’s) cousins on Forever Freckled posted a reel on the importance of getting rid of the pacifier by 1.5-2 years old—they may or may not have posted it specifically for me, LOL! Here’s what Dr. Katie had to say about why it’s time to let go:
“🌟 To My Fellow Pacifier Parent:
I see you. I feel you. I was a pacifier mom too, and I loved it! It was such a helpful tool during infancy. But right around 1.5 to 2 years old, it’s time to start thinking about letting it go. Why?
👉 At this age, your child’s speech development is exploding. They’re learning to form words, sentences, and sounds, but if they always have a pacifier in their mouth, it can interfere with their ability to practice these skills. This can lead to delayed speech, reduced vocabulary, and even trouble forming certain sounds properly.
👉 The pacifier can also affect how their palate develops, leading to potential misalignment of teeth and long-term dental issues, which may further impact speech clarity.
Trust me, the earlier you start, the easier it will be. Waiting until they’re older (like 4 or 5) can make it even harder because they’ll become so attached.”
Dr. Katie is our go-to pediatrician, and I listen to her for EVERYTHING. So, I knew we had to pull the plug and added it to the calendar.
How We Did It (with the help of Dr. Katie and Build-A-Bear Workshop!)
Step 1: Gradual Reduction
For 1-2 weeks, we only let Landon have a pacifier at nap and bedtime. (Luckily, we had already started this when I saw Katie’s post.) I truly believe this step is KEY. This transition was actually harder than taking it away for good. Whenever Landon was upset or didn’t get her way, she would ask for her binkie. We stuck to the rule: she could only have it in her crib. We’d ask, “Do you want to take a nap?” (if it was during the day) or “Do you want to go to bed?” (if it was witching hour). She would always say no, and that would end the discussion.
Step 2: The Binkie Hunt
On the big day, we grabbed a plastic bag and made a game of gathering all the binkies around the house. We turned it into a treasure hunt and told Landon we were collecting them to trade for her big girl bear!
The Important Part to This Step: You have to be sure you get every last one! If your toddler finds a binkie after they’ve “given them away,” it’ll be so much harder to stay strong!
Step 3: Build-A-Bear Magic
We had the best experience doing this! Landon got to pick out her own stuffed animal. The team at Build-A-Bear stuffed her bear like normal but left a little room in the back for her to add her binkies. She placed them inside, they stitched it up, and she gave her Binkie Bear a big hug. I loved that the binkies went in last, so when she hugged the bear, she could still feel them inside.
After checkout, they even had a special bell Landon got to ring for being a big girl now! I was so proud of her.
The Moment of Truth: Bedtime Without the Binkie
This was the part I was dreading. How long would it take to put her to bed without her beloved binkies? But honestly—I was SHOCKED at how smoothly it went.
When we tucked her in, I said, “Yay! You get to sleep with Binkie Bear tonight!” She looked at me and said, “I want binkies in my mouth.” My heart sank for a second, but I responded, “You’re a big girl now! Big girls have Binkie Bears. So whenever you want your binkie, just hug Binkie Bear close, and they’ll be right there.” She thought for a moment and said, “Okay.”
And that was it.
Final Thoughts
I know this won’t be the case for every toddler, but it worked for us, and I hope this helps another mama out there looking for a way to transition their little one off the binkie! If you’ve tried this (or another method), I’d love to hear about it in the comments. We’re all in this together!