3 and half year old still needs baby nipple

Posted by black pearl (183 days ago)

my daughter is 3 and half year old from early age till now she is 3 and half year old she still need snipple in her mouth before she sleeps afternoon and at night. my question is it okay to give baby nipple till this age. will it effect the teeth development or child development.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by axptguy38 (183 days ago)

Do you mean your nipple or a bottle with a nipple? I will assume the latter.

I don't know about teeth development. However by this time she should at least be at a sippy cup. Having said that a bottle with a nipple is a great comfort to kids.

My uninformed suggestion is that since your girl is 3½ you can have something of a conversation with her about this and explain that she's a big girl now and could use a glass.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by cara (183 days ago)

i think they mean a pacifier/soother/dummy....

i would say it's time to get rid of it...it can affect tooth development, so i've been told. maybe, one day when she is out..."lose" it...

i got my son to stop drinking from a bottle by telling him that we ran out of milk(that was all he had in a bottle) one night. we had to go to the supermarket the next day to buy some more. i gave him a sippy cup of water and that's what he has now. the next night, i said, "oops, we forgot to buy the milk!"

this went on for a couple of nights and before you know it, he stopped asking for it.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by axptguy38 (182 days ago)

"i got my son to stop drinking from a bottle by telling him that we ran out of milk(that was all he had in a bottle) one night. we had to go to the supermarket the next day to buy some more. i gave him a sippy cup of water and that's what he has now. the next night, i said, "oops, we forgot to buy the milk!""

Brilliant!

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by cara (182 days ago)

nothing like a little white lie now and then...huh?

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by black pearl (182 days ago)

thanks for your comments. its just simple nipple she put in mouth all night and then go to sleep. she also drink milk from bottle with nipple as well.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by cara (182 days ago)

it's called a pacifier or a soother/dummy

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by axptguy38 (182 days ago)

Oh so we are talking a pacifier/dummy. In that case it's definitely time to stop.

You could just go cold turkey and deal with the tantrums, but perhaps a more subtle approach is in order.

An old girlfriend of mine told me how her parents would snip a couple of millimeters off her dummy every day until it got so short she could no longer keep it in her mouth. Don't know how "psychological" that is but it sounds like fun.

Otherwise the "big girl" talk could work. "You're a big girl now." Then set a date for quitting and circle it in the calendar together. On that day, put the dummies away. Don't put them in the bin when she's watching. Just put them together in a cupboard and tell her they will be there for "another baby who might needs them someday". Fairies can probably be worked in somehow. Or ask her what she wants to do. The important thing is to get her involved in the process and to make sure her fears are met with understanding.

If kids (or adults for that matter) feel that they came up with something they will be much more motivated to carry it through.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by grasshopper (179 days ago)

My 3 year old still has a bottle of milk at night and a dummy (she only started with the dummy just over 12 months ago when we moved to HK). I had a bottle at night until I was 7 and have no teeth problems, not even 1 filling. They say it COULD cause teeth issues later in life but then it can probably also casue cancer if you looked deep enough.

Do whatever works for you and your child. As long as it is just for sleeping then my lay opinion is it can't do too much damage.

(I am based in Hong Kong)