When Should Your Child Stop Using a Pacifier?

Some parents struggle with ending pacifier use and thumb-sucking in children, poll suggests

Pacifiers and thumb-sucking can help soothe babies and ease them to sleep but some parents struggle with knowing when and how to stop these habits, a new national poll suggests.

Pacifiers a go-to for soothing children, but weaning is a challenge, parents say

Pacifiers may spark debate among parents, but a new poll shows they remain a go-to tool for helping young children self-soothe.More than half of parents say their child currently or previously used a pacifier, according to a national survey by C.S. Mott Childrens Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan.Among pacifier users, 79% did so at bedtime or naptime, while 47% used them when stressed or fussy. Nearly one in five parents said their child used a pa…

When should your child stop using a pacifier or sucking their thumb? It’s a struggle for parents

By Kameryn Griesser, CNN (CNN) — Every night, Lauren Finney Harden and her husband would awaken to the cries of their first-born daughter, and a routine game of “paci pong” — where each parent takes turns retrieving the fallen pacifier — would ensue. After countless sleepless nights, the Atlanta mother of two said she decided to enlist the help of the “paci fairy,” who would come in the middle of the night to exchange her 18-month-old’s prized b…

When should your child stop using a pacifier?

Out of 820 American parents surveyed, about half reported their child used a pacifier, and a quarter reported thumb sucking habits.

Pacifiers a go-to for soothing children, but weaning is a challenge, parents say | National Poll on Children's Health

Pacifiers a go-to for soothing children, but weaning is a challenge, parents say saraly Tue, 05/20/2025 - 07:48 Source URL Scripps News Publication Date May 19, 2025 Related Report(s) Helpful or a habit? Parent views on pacifiers and thumb-sucking

Some Parents Say They Waited Too Long to Stop Pacifier Use or Thumb-Sucking in Children

Pacifiers and thumb-sucking can help soothe babies and ease them to sleep but some parents struggle with knowing when and how to stop these habits, a new national poll suggests.