Getting rid of last night bottle- any ideas to help me?

Yvette - posted on 02/27/2012

In my case, noting that ALL cases are different, my daughter would have a bottle 24/7. That is: in the middle of the night she would cry when she realized her bottle was empty. I would have to refill about 3 bottles of milk a night, and change 3 diapers a night! Mind you, she's 2 years old already. This caused serious decay and she needs some tooth work done. So my only option was to cut the bottle, cold turkey. She didn't like any type of sippy cup. I tried it all but a regular cup with a bendy straw worked. Now, she'll use a cup w/ a straw throughout the day and is sleeping the night. It was hard for us, but I am so relieved that this is a bottle free home!

Monica - posted on 02/20/2012

Why would you like to get rid of the last bottle? I know that it can cause teeth decay, but can't you just convince your bub to have it earlier and give it a brush before bedtime? I can't see any other reason to do it, they give it up when they're ready.

Tricia - posted on 02/13/2012

my daughter is 14months and she is still on a night bottle. she gets a sippy cup during the day and then a bottle ONLY at night. this is very true about what people are saying about tooth decay but for me...after she drinks her bottle i brush her teeth, read a story and then she goes down for the night. she is however taking less milk at night the older she gets...so she will let me know when she is over it. hope that helps :)

Jolene - posted on 08/21/2011

I'm on the 5th night of my son not having his bottle. He decided one night he didn't want it, but tonight he screamed the house down before bed. I offered him zippy cup but he wouldn't take it. Put him to bed and he was out for the count. I don't know if there's a wrong or a right way but you have to go with your own instincts. My son is only 17mnths.

Kim - posted on 01/06/2011

just get rid of all the bottles. offer the baby a sippy cup or a regular cup. they will drink it when they are need to

Lacyn - posted on 12/15/2010

I replaced by daughter's milk with plain water. She either took it or didn't. Instead of forgetting the bottle she learned to take the water so I replaced the water with a sippy cup. It was a little bit rough for a week or 2 because she would have to cry herself to sleep because I refused to give in. But, in the end, she forgot that nighttime bottle and all was good.

Stephanie - posted on 12/11/2010

Well my son is 22 months and still has his bottle but it sounds like you are going the right way about it.
Good Luck

Taylor - posted on 12/09/2010

With my son I slowly cut back on the amount of milk in the bottle every night and offered a sippy cup with milk after he was done with the bottle. Eventually he was down to only a tiny bit of milk in his bottle and a whole cup full of milk, and he realized the bottle was a waste of time. It only took about 1 week to wean my son this way. He was about 1 year old so it might be different with older children, but this worked really well for me.

Lainie - posted on 12/07/2010

wow definately have different oppinions here although I do agree with amanda about the teeth issue & veronica with them still being babies its a very difficult being a Mother sometimes although my eldest is 10 ;) im also trying to wean my son atm from his bot-bots so thanks for the advice peoples :)

Kasey - posted on 12/06/2010

I'm glad it worked for you!! ;) I also tried the sippy cup substitution, but my son does not want the mild in a sippy! Anything else is fine just not milk! So I give him a bottle at night, not as he's falling asleep, but later in the evening! The bottle doesn't bother me at all bc I have 4 children & I agree w/the above that they are still babies at this age! I am a little concerned w/the milk bc w/my 1st daughter we apparently allowed her too much which caused iron problems for... I thought there was no such thing as too much milk but obviously there is!! Anyways I am hoping to get rid of it w/in the next few months, but it's NOT an issue for me!! He's my baby!! & if I thought for 1 minute it was bad for him, it would be gone, but I know for a fact it's not.. & he has Beautiful teeth!! ;) He goes to the dentist as well for his cleanings & checkup!

Amanda - posted on 12/03/2010

Thanks every one i did get Rid of the bottles but gave sippy cups instead and the reason i was told to get rid of the bottle was the bottle was bad for the teeth not the milk i might be wrong but that was what i was told and i do brush there teeth before bed too i like to have my girls go to bed with a full belly then they will sleep better so i still wanted the milk just wanted to get rid of the bottle so Brenda that is why and it work my girls no longer have the bottle and its been a couple weeks now

Josie - posted on 12/03/2010

I took the bottle away from my son at 12 months. Then at 18 months I got rid of the sippy cup with the soft spouts. I just let him see me pour the milk in his new tumbler they're Playtex® Coolster® Tumbler Cup. And now every night we go in the kitchen get his tumbler and he'll drink his milk watch tv then fall asleep. I've been lucky with him when I took the bottle away he didnt even care.. Good luck ladies. But really try the tumblers and tell them this is a big boy/girl cup.

Veronica - posted on 12/03/2010

Geez, I’ve obviously hit a nerve with you(Amanda G). Have you had teeth problems? There’s a lot of assumptions in there, least of which that I put my children’s health and well being before my own ‘convenience’! Now I'm going to have to get on my soap box! In my opinion, a 20 month old child is still a BABY. I have 2 older girls, 10 & 6yrs and certainly don’t want to ‘turn back time’ with them– I appreciate them for who they are NOW. We are obviously at both ends of the spectrum in regards to child rearing and everyone has their own ideas and beliefs. Sometimes I might put water in a sippy cup in my son’s cot if he’s been sick and may need a drink during the night. One mother indicated that she was even trying to get rid of that one! Don’t we as adults sometimes wake up thirsty and get up for a drink of water or have one by the side of the bed in case? My daughters always have a cup with a straw by their beds in case they wake up thirsty. My 2 older children brush their teeth morning and night. My baby boy also goes through this routine with his own toothbrush – the same routine that I had with my first 2 children – and shock, horror – they also have beautiful teeth! My boy also has a dummy (pacifier) at night, which surprisingly is good for him to suck after having a bottle, as it encourages saliva production (and swallowing), which in turns helps wash away milk from the teeth and mouth. When he turns 2, then I’ll look at where we are with the bottle. I am 44 years old with no fillings – in fact, have ‘beautiful’ teeth (according to my dentist). I live in Australia where we have fluoride in our drinking water, which obviously plays a part in our having ‘beautiful teeth’. There’s a difference between tooth decay and EXTREME tooth decay. Extreme tooth decay in toddlers can be attributed to going to SLEEP with a bottle in the child’s mouth, night after night. As the milk pools in the mouth, it remains in contact with teeth for a long period of time. This enables bacteria to convert sugar into acids, which attack tooth enamel. Over time, the enamel and inner layers of the teeth are worn down, eventually resulting in cavities, or dental caries. Not having good dental hygiene, ie brushing teeth after meals, sugary foods & drinks contribute to this as well. Even genetics can play a small part. If anyone is concerned about their children’s teeth, I suggest getting the facts from your dentist.

Lynette - posted on 12/02/2010

I would first transition from a bottle to a sippy cup that they like. If you have to, let the child pick out the sippy cup. My daughter is 21 months old now and sometimes asks for a sippy to go to bed with but not all of the time. During the night I only put water in the sippy, as the last mother said, it could hurt their teeth in the long run. Something to go to bed with is not a big thing (unless potty training) but let them know that it is not alright all of the time. I am in the process righ now with my 21 month old not going to bed with a sippy. Some nights are harder then others, but its a battle of the wills. Sometimes you just have to stick it out.

Amanda - posted on 12/02/2010

It isn't something that really falls under the ever so famous saying of "if it isn't broke then don't fix it", it is something that is bad for your childs teeth, milk right before bed is horrible for their teeth! Unless every single parent is brushing their kids teeth prior to laying them down to bed it is not helping them, it is helping the parent! It all falls back on to the parent at this age of the child, I know we all love to see our kids happy but, they won't bee so happy when they have to go to the dentist at the age of 4 to get all of their teeth capped due to extreme tooth decay. Just because teeth get brushed in the morning hours it doesn't help, all of that rotten nil in their mouth has had 8 to 10 hours to do it nasty work. It isn't a matter of the toddler still being a baby in the parents eye, my 6 year old and 4 year old are/ and always will be babies in my eyes, a child needs to know that they don't have to depend on a bottle to get to sleep. Every baby is different you are right, but in cases like this is it (in my eyes) just the parents who don't want to have to break them of the habit. Stopping the bottle feedings at an earlier age is much easier on the baby, waiting until they are toddlers makes it much harder I am sure because it is now a habit. We can't keep them babies forever, and holding them back from being big boys and girls isn't going to turn back time to when they were small enough to sleep in our arms.
It is all about what is BEST for your kids, not what is convenient for the parents.

Veronica - posted on 12/02/2010

Hi Amanda - I have a 21 month old boy and he still has a bottle of milk before bed & I'm not even thinking about stopping it! I don't see what the harm is - I agree with Brenda, they are still babies. My oldest daughter just stopped bottles altogether at 11 months and my 2nd daughter stopped at 15mths - they are all different. My son has cups during the day, filled with water, milk, diluted juice. I go by the philosophy - 'if it aint broke, don't fix it' Sorry, probably haven't been much help, but I think there are a lot of other things to be worrying about

Amanda - posted on 12/01/2010

Honestly, my little guy has not had a bottle since he was 13 months old. The milk in their bottle right before bed is not good for their teeth and can cause tooth decay. I would suggest that you just start putting water in it. Though they may cry and want that milk (and as a mommy you want nothing more then to have happy babies) but it will last all of a week and they will be fine. A child will only be as strong as their parents during milestones like this. And giving them a sippy cup really isn't going to rid of the late night feeding, it is only going to substitute the bottle, if you are going to get rid of the feeding, then do it all together.

Tricia - posted on 12/01/2010

This is probably no help at all because I am one of those people who can't stand to see kids who are older drinking from a bottle, so we got rid of it just after my daughter turned 1. But we were able to find sippy cups that were very similar to a bottle to start with. They have very soft tops. I found them at Walmart. We used those instead of bottles whenever we could. Then we switched to a regular sippy cup and by then, she wanted nothing to do with the milk before bed. She was so much younger that I'm sure it was easier than what you are going through. Good luck!

Brenda - posted on 12/01/2010

Why are you all wanting to get rid of the last night feed so soon??? I have nearly 22 month old twin girls who yes still have a bottle of milk last thing at night, in fact the youngest of the two has one and a half bottles. They even have a bottle to go down for there afternoon sleep as well. I just think you are trying to much to soon afterall they really are still babies in a way. If mine are still having it in around 6 months time then yeah that is when i will start trying to wean them off as they will have more understanding then. I agree with a sippy cup during the day but dont try and do it all at once - isn't a good night sleep better

Ashley - posted on 11/30/2010

I've tried to wean my son off his bottle several times since he was 1. But omg it was complete hell!!! So I caved. I personally don't think that there's anything really wrong with a bottle right before bed time. Yeah he's too old for it, but until he's able to understand a little better as to why it's going bye bye then I can't just quit cold turkey. =/ I know this didn't help out a heck of a lot. But you're not alone in this process. Cause if a bottle is the only way they soothe themeselves to sleep it's traumatizing to just take it away. He had no problems transitioning to a sippy during the day just night time. But yeah, from what I understand just gradually diluting bottles more and more and yeah you get the idea... Good luck.

Penelope - posted on 11/30/2010

I just weaned mine off of it recently and basically I just reduced the amount of milk in it every few days until it was just a token. By that point they became mostly disinterested anyway. I put water in it the last couple of days which totally turned them off and then just quit cold turkey one night and they didn't even notice. Just do it gradually. They only do it out of routine.

Amanda - posted on 11/29/2010

i try the sippy cup with milk in it before bed and it works I pack away the bottles NO MORE BOTTLES Thanks!!!

Holly - posted on 11/25/2010

If it is only the bottle that you want to get rid of maybe you could try only giving water in it and giving the milk in a sippy cup. This should break the bottle=satisfction connection. If its the milk you want to get rid of im not much help as my 22 month old still has a small sippy before he goes to bed ; )

Olga - posted on 11/24/2010

Hi, I am having the same problem. My baby-girl has used to drink 1-2 bottles of milk before and during night. Now she is 21 m.o. and we rid of the bottle. It took so hard on her. Now she does not drink any milk, because she wants it only in a bottle. She falls asleep well but wakes up a few times a night crying. It breaks my heart. But I really want her to forget about the bottle, she is too big for it already. My child drinks just water now, nothing else. I know I did not help you here :), but I really would like to have help as well. I wish you the best with it, I do not give up :)