The pacifier (aka the Nee-du) is an amazing invention. I always try to visualise the expression on the inventor's face when he discovered this simple device that can pacify even the most rowdy baby and help them go to sleep. He must had been very proud of his invention.
Or maybe not. Many babies grew so dependent on the pacifier that it became their opium. Jan was one of them; when she wanted to sleep, she would start searching for her pacifier like an addict.
We had been wanting to wean Jan off the pacifier (aka the Nee-du), but had been putting off the decision as it seemed daunting. Moreover, it was an easy way for us to get Jan to sleep and to quieten her in public places.
However, many times the pacifier would fall out of her mouth while she was asleep, and then she would wake up almost every hour from 2am to 6am screaming for her pacifier. One night, after Jan threw her pacifier out from her cot, my darling wife decided that Jan should say farewell to her nee-du.
In the following days, Jan constantly screamed for her pacifier during naptimes. She would scream at the top of her voice for as long as 45 minutes, with such intensity that ALL my neighbours came over to find out what was happening. I thought they would ring the police to report me of child abuse, but my plan was to clarify to the police that I was the real abuse victim. It was extremely challenging to listen to your own baby cry and not doing anything about it.
Our plan was to try for three days and then see how, and we prayed hard we would succeed. Thankfully, and amazingly, we pulled through! After the first night, Jan was able to sleep (at night) without much screaming. She screamed a lot during her afternoon naps though, but by the end of the three days, that became easier also.
So our recommendations to people who want to try this: have total agreement on the plan with your spouse, pray hard and get ear-plugs.
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