I have a love-hate relationship with Baby G's binkie (or is it binky? maybe we should just call it a pacifier).
Things I love:
-the way it looks in his little mouth
-the way we can see him sucking vigorously through the back of it
-that it will keep him from having a break down in the car
-that it can hold him over when he thinks he is the hungriest baby in the world but it has really only been an hour since he last ate
-that he finds the sucking so soothing and will fall asleep literally within a minute of it touching his lips when he is exhausted but is fighting a nap
Things I hate:
-the thought of having to take it away in a few months because I refuse to let him be a toddler with a binkie (don't want to chance ruining his little teeth)
-that he may not be learning to soothe himself as well as he would without it
I think about this all the time. Am I a bad mom because I let him have a binkie during the day (he doesn't get it at night because I DO NOT want him being dependent on it to sleep at night, and I DO NOT want to have to re-teach him to sleep at night when he no longer gets the bink)? Am I a bad mom because I don't let him have it all the time? Am I being slightly anal and paranoid about the whole thing? Because really, is it the worst thing in the world if your toddler loves a binkie? Does it really matter if your baby calms down easier with a binkie than he does without one?
Things I love:
-the way it looks in his little mouth
-the way we can see him sucking vigorously through the back of it
-that it will keep him from having a break down in the car
-that it can hold him over when he thinks he is the hungriest baby in the world but it has really only been an hour since he last ate
-that he finds the sucking so soothing and will fall asleep literally within a minute of it touching his lips when he is exhausted but is fighting a nap
Things I hate:
-the thought of having to take it away in a few months because I refuse to let him be a toddler with a binkie (don't want to chance ruining his little teeth)
-that he may not be learning to soothe himself as well as he would without it
I think about this all the time. Am I a bad mom because I let him have a binkie during the day (he doesn't get it at night because I DO NOT want him being dependent on it to sleep at night, and I DO NOT want to have to re-teach him to sleep at night when he no longer gets the bink)? Am I a bad mom because I don't let him have it all the time? Am I being slightly anal and paranoid about the whole thing? Because really, is it the worst thing in the world if your toddler loves a binkie? Does it really matter if your baby calms down easier with a binkie than he does without one?
Probably not. Any advice?
But really, look how cute that is!
3 comments:
Hi liz-
I am glad you have a blog. Your little boy is so cute! This is the first time I have seen him. My thought on the binki is that if it makes them happy, go for it. Margo doesnt always have to have one. She likes them when she is tired and when you are in a store and the only way to keep them from screaming off their sweet little head is to pop one in, I am for it. As she has gotten older I give them to her less. The binkis in her bed only stay there, she knows we dont take them out of bed, and she will want to climb into her crib for naps because she wants them. I like to have them in the car because its hard for me to concentrate on driving if she is screaming. It makes my life easier, so I will worry about taking tham away when we are both ready. You just have to decide what battle you want to fight. Sorry this is so long. Good luck with baby G. Oh... by the way, I LOVE the name.
Liz, I say you are a good mom because I can relate to worrying about everything with a baby including the binky.....and, I would like to continue fooling myself into thinking that I am a good mom because I worry about....well, just about everything. It is going to kill me early too! You are the best mom! Love, Aunt Kim
Liz- I should NOT be the one to help you out because my 2 ( Yes 2!) year old still has one at night. You see, I too thought that it was cute when he was little, then he got addicted ( seriously it is like crack) and I didn't have the heart or energy to take it away. I really don't love that Ezra still has one only at night, but Ezra and Eli share a room and ezra sleeps 12 hours at night so I can't mess with it until we move. Anyways my point is that our babies are only babies once... when ezra is 20 it won't matter that he sucked a binkie until he was 2 , or that he really isn't speaking as well as his friends, or that he sleeps with 5 stuffed animals. He will be fine either way. You won't ruin anything by doing what you think is best or what keeps you sane. Sorry this is so long but you seem to be doing everything right. good luck!
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