flea

I think the idea is in to take the plug away before she gets too attached to it emotionally - while it still fills a need (for sucking) and isn't yet merely a habit. When we first gave it to her she was like a nicotine addict with the first cigarette after a transatlantic flight - sucking with a manic energy. She needs it a lot less now, but it does help her get to sleep, or calm down if she's worked up. I'm okay if she replaces it with fingers/thumb (which she does suck now, rather indiscriminately but with a tendency to favor her right thumb). I find three year old thumb-suckers tend to suck when sleepy/needy, but I've seen lots of three year old pacifier users just plugged up all day long for no reason but habit.