Lost the Pacifier? Here’s How to Cope!

Babies are creatures of habit and pacifiers are definitely a popular baby habit. If you’ve got a baby with a binky habit you might always be a little bit worried that you’ll end up without it one day. If that scary day has arrived and you’ve found yourself without a binky for your paci-loving baby you’ll need some tips and tricks to get you through until you can replace it. Check out the tips below for how to deal if naptime has arrived and your baby’s pacifier is nowhere to be found.

Nurse your baby

While moms sometimes complain that their baby is using them as a pacifier, it’s important to remember that pacifiers are made to resemble nipples, not the other way around. You might prefer to use your baby’s naptime to catch up on chores or get a little down time. But if there’s no pacifier to be found, most babies will happily fall asleep nursing.

Order one for instant delivery

If you’ve got an hour before naptime and live in a city that offers Amazon Instant Delivery, you’re in luck. Instead of rushing to the store, bump your baby’s nap a bit later and order a pacifier to be delivered right to your door before your little one even notices theirs is missing.

Use your pinky

Babies like pacifiers because they give them something that fulfills their need to suckle as they rest. While you’d probably rather your baby have a pacifier than spend their naptime sucking on your finger, most babies (especially very young babies) will be perfectly happy to spend their naptime sucking on your pinky finger. Just make sure your hands are freshly washed and you’re good to go!

Hug and snuggle

If your baby is crying and upset that they don’t have their pacifier, consider laying down with them to really snuggle and cuddle. Often, a little extra skin-to-skin time with their favorite person will help any baby calm down and be able to rest even without their trusty pacifier.

{ MORE: 7 Benefits of Skin-to-Skin }

Use it as an opportunity

If your baby is older, and you were planning on encouraging them to drop the pacifier soon anyway, consider using the missing pacifier as an opportunity to break your baby of their binky habit. While they might be upset now, in due time they’ll come to rest easy without the aid of their binky.