Ferber and Paci (Please share success stories)

[sunshineluv]

My son is 6 months old, and he needs soothing many times a night. So much so that me and DH switch nights, and don't sleep in the same bed. He is really easy to sooth, pop the paci in, and put your hand on his chest for a few seconds.

Anyway, I have read most of the Ferber book, and am on board with trying it. I most hate to take the paci away though.

Does anyone have any experience with ferber and a paci? Also, I love hearing success stories, to get my hopes up for a smooth transition and a much more well rested baby.

[arch01]

We didn't do much reading into Ferber, but we did do a half-ass version of it for nap time. We put him down with a paci, he would scream. Check at 2 minutes, pop the paci in, no other soothing, walk out. Then we'd check at 4, 8 and we got up to 12 minutes the first day. We did the "nap bootcamp" as I affectionately called it for 3 days and after that he would go down without an issue.

We also realized that for naps, he slept MUCH better on his belly. We did it younger though (4 months I believe, I'd have to go back and look). The pedi was fine with him sleeping on his belly as long as he could roll.

Now, at naps, he looks for his paci. It's a little amusing because we put it on the crib rail and we'll purposely not give it to him-he crawls over to it, gets it, puts it in, goes to sleep. He does not get it at night.

Good luck. It's worth the couple days/nights of torture to get through it.

[Deleted]

We had the same problem with the paci falling out and us ALWAYS going back in to stick back in her mouth and then repeat a few more times in the night. We decided to get rid of the paci cold turkey at 7.5 months. The first night was LOOOOONG when she woke up and did not have a paci anywhere. Took about an hour to go back to sleep. Then the rest of the following nights were better. I really don't think the Ferber will work with a paci that keeps falling out unless the baby can put back in their mouth on their own.

[sunshineluv]

Thanks! I want to think Ferber will work without taking away the paci, but I know that isn't logical. He can put it in his mouth, but isn't smart enough yet to feel around for it in the dark.

[knitty]

Why not do one at a time? Wean off the dummy first, then the waking problem will probably solve itself, but if it doesn't you can try CIO.

[sunshineluv]

I hadn't thought of that. You might be onto something!

[GailGoldie]

I'm a believer in keeping things that help. All 3 of my boys were paci-addicts, and would sleep so much better with a paci around - so i saw NO reason to take it away.... things that help sleep = good in my book! All 3 had them until they were almost 3yo (we stopped daytime pacis being avail around 15mo, and then a few months before 3yo the paci fairy came and left a present, etc- when they could understand.... all 3 did great with the transition and never screwed up sleep).

as for ferber - we never really needed to do it much - b/c we did Babywise and all 3 were good sleepers- but for a few bumps in the road along the way - we'd do a bit of ferber type cio... always worked after a day or two.

we just make sure there are tons of pacis in their cribs - so they could always find one.

[totallyloco]

I had the exact same issue, LO would fall asleep with a paci, it would drop out of his mouth, and then he freak out when he woke up without it. He was getting up every hour or two. We did Ferber to get rid of it and it worked. The first night was brutal, by the second night he only got up once to eat and now he sleeps SO MUCH better. Totally worth it.

He still uses the paci during the day for soothing or naps outside his crib, but it is never, ever allowed in his crib.

[sunshineluv]

Thanks loco! I needed to hear that. Our babies are very close in age, are you on the April 2012 bmb? Jack is adorable!